D3 Rhone & South France Flashcards

1
Q

Languedoc-Roussillon Fact?

A

More area under vine than Chile, Australia or South Africa!

Also, roughly half yields of Champagne or Alsace.

Lots of Co-operatives

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2
Q

Languedoc Features & Climate?

A

Mostly low-lying alluvial plain, though some hillside slopes

Warm Mediterranean

Tramontane winds from Pyrenees, lowering disease pressure, hence high organic production

Variable and quite low rainfall - risk of low yields without irrigation

Lots of IGP Production

Co-operatives very common - majority producer

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3
Q

Languedoc Grapes?

A
Carignan
Syrah
Grenache Noir
Merlot
Cabernet Sauvignon
Cinsault
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4
Q

Carignan?

A

Late budding

Late Ripening

High yields and often of lower intensity, though can be made in a richer oaked style

Prone to powdery mildew and grape moths

Ill-suited to mechanical harvesting as bunches are firmly attached to vine

High acidity

High tannins

Black fruit aromas

Carbonic maceration popular in lighter iterations

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5
Q

Languedoc Training?

A

Bush vines historically

Moving towards trellising, especially in light of need for mechanisation and cheaper wines

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6
Q

Languedoc IGP?

A

Pays d’Oc

Maximum yield 90 hL/ha

Very relaxed re. varieties used

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7
Q

Languedoc AOC Wines?

A

Necessarily blends - usually maximum 80% of any permitted grape

Vast majority require Grenache Noir, and most also Syrah and Mourvedre

Maximum yields typically 40-45 hL/ha

For Languedoc AOC itself:
GSM are principal - minimum of 40% of the blend
Minimum 2 varieties including at least one principal
No variety more than 80%
Other individual varieties cannot make up more than 30%

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8
Q

Corbieres AOC?

A

Slopes and elevation up to 450m

Almost entirely black grapes

Minimum 40% of GSM and Carignan

Maximum yield 50 hL/ha

Corbieres-Boutenac AOC requires minimum 70% GSM and Carignan

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9
Q

Notable Languedoc AOCs and Why?

A

Fitou AOC: Carignan 10-40%, Grenache > 20%

Faugers AOC: Maximum yield 50 hL/ha, though often ~33 in practice, Aged minimum one year, Lots of organic

Pic Saint-Loup AOC: Red & Rosé, Most continental appellation, High rainfall, Syrah > 50%

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10
Q

Other Languedoc AOCs?

A

Minervois AOC:
Varied terroir
GSMCC minimum 50% of blend, with no variety exceeding 80%

Minervois La Liviniere AOC:
Red wine only
GSM > 40% GSMCC< 80%

Saint Chinian AOC:
Reds and Rosés

GSM > 50%

Terrasses du Larzac AOC:

New appellation

Red Wines

Minimum 3 varieties

La Clape AOC:

New Appellation

Red Majority

Whites must be Grenache Blanc or Bourboulenc >60%

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11
Q

Picpoul de Pinet AOC?

A

Piquepoul grape

Maximum yield 55 hL/ha

Dry, medium-high acid, medium body, lemon and floral

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12
Q

Malepere AOC?

A

Atlantic influenced

Minimum 2 varieties

Merlot > 40%

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13
Q

Cabardes AOC?

A

Atlantic and Mediterranean influence

Bordeaux varieties (CS/CF/ME) > 40%

Grenache Noir or Syrah > 40%

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14
Q

Roussillon Climate & Features?

A

Warm Mediterranean Climate

Windy

Moderate rainfall - occasional drought

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15
Q

Roussillon Grapes?

A

Grenache Noir
Syrah
Carignan

Muscat Blanc
Muscat of Alexandria
Macabeu

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16
Q

Roussillon Vineyards?

A

Still many bush vines

Some trellising increasingly, but less so than Languedoc

17
Q

Cotes du Roussillon AOC?

A

Lower Slopes

Maximum yield 48 hL/ha

Principal red/rosé varieties - GSM and Carignan

In vineyard, no more than 50% Carignan, while collectively Syrah and Mourvedre must be 25%+

Minimum 2 varieties

No variety more than 80%

18
Q

Cotes du Roussillon Villages AOC?

A

Red only

Minimum 2 varieties

No variety more than 80%

Maximum yield 45 hL/ha

Some villages require carbonic maceration of the Carignan

19
Q

Collioure AOC?

A

Same boundaries as Banyuls

Reds made from GSM

Whites made from Grenache Gris

Maximum yields 40 hL/ha, though in practice 20-25

20
Q

Provence AOC?

A

Predominantly Rosé from Grenache Noir & Cinsault (with up to 20% whites blended in)

Limited amount of GSM&C Reds

Tiny volumes of Vermentino (Rolle) and Clairette

21
Q

Provence Climate & Features?

A

Warm Mediterranean Climate

Mistral helps to cool vines and reduce disease pressure, though can also impair flowering and fruit-set

22
Q

Provence Training?

A

Historically bush vines, increasingly trellised

23
Q

Must Adjustment in Provence?

A

Acidifcation is common

24
Q

Cotes de Provence AOC?

A

Must be a blend of varieties

Grenache Noir, Cinsault, Mourvedre, Syrah, Tibouren

Maximum yield 55 hL/ha

Typically medium everything (down to even light intensity)

25
Bandol AOC?
Steep South-facing slopes Terraced to reduce erosion Mourvedre is principal grape Reds must be 50-95% Mourvedre, Rose 20-95% Maximum yield 40 hL/ha
26
Northern Rhone Climate & Features?
Moderate Continental Climate generally, moving to Warm Mediterranean in Cornas Mistral wind Heavily sloped in many parts, requiring hand harvesting
27
Co-fermentation?
Cote Rotie - Viognier up to 20% St. Joseph - Marsanne & Roussanne permitted
28
Saint Péray AOC?
Whites, predominantly from Marsanne
29
Southern Rhone Climate & Features?
Warm Mediterranean Climate Mistral wind Flatter and less sloped, with little protection from Mistral, so bush-training is common
30
Cotes du Rhone AOC?
GSM > 60% of blend GN >30% SY and Mourvedre > 20% For whites, the standard 6 (Marsanne, Rousanne, Viognier, Clairette, Grenache Blanc, Bourbolenc) > 80% of blend
31
Cotes du Rhone Villages AOC?
As above 2 of 3 principal varieties > 66%
32
Gigondas AOC?
Elevations of up to 600m
33
Vacqueryas AOC?
Elevations of up to 440m | Good to Very Good
34
Vinsobres AOC?
Elevations of up to 200-500m | Good to Very Good
35
Rasteau AOC?
Elevations of up to 100m Sheltered from Mistral, and warmer Good to Very Good
36
Cairanne AOC?
Not as steep as Gigondas, or as warm as Rasteau
37
Chateauneuf-du-Pape AOC?
Minimum 12.5% ABV; No chaptalisation 13 permitted varieties Must be hand-harvested No requirements on blend composition (unlike GN dominance elsewhere) Galets (stones) radiate heat at night For whites: Marsanne and Viognier NOT ALLOWED
38
Lirac AOC?
Mainly red, some rosé
39
Tavel AOC?
Solely rosé wine Must include Grenache Noir Darker colour, lower acid potentially