FR: SW, Languedoc-Roussillon, Provence, Southwest Flashcards
Origin of name “Provence”?
Provincia Nostra = Our Province
Romans
communes of production for Bandol?
Bandol
Saint-Cyr-sur-Mer
Sanary-sur-Mer
La Cadière-d’Azur
Le Castellet
Le Beausset
Évenos
Ollioules
Bandol Blanc
50 - 95% Clairette
Bourbelenc
Ugni Blanc
Max. 20% combined Marsanne, Sauvignon Blanc, Vermentino and Sémillon - none over 10%
MIN 11.5%/MAX 3 GL
Bandol Rosé varieties
20-95% Mourvèdre + Cinsault and Grenache
Max. 20% combined Bourboulenc, Carignan, Clairette, Syrah, and Ugni Blanc (none more than 10%)
max 3gl RS
Max RS for Bandol AC
3g/l RS for all styles
Rouge with 14%+ = 4gl RS
Bandol blending grapes
white: Boubelenc, Ugni Blanc (principals)
Sauv Blanc, Rolle, Marsanne, Semillon (max 20%)
Rosé: Cinsault, Grenache principal blenders
Bourboulenc, Carignan, Clairette, Syrah, and Ugni Blanc comb. max 20%
Red: Cinsault, Grenache principal blends
max 10% Syrah, Carignan
Bandol Rouge grapes
Principal Varieties: 50-95% Mourvèdre + Cinsault / Grenache
Accessories: Carignan, Syrah - 10% max
Max 3gl RS (4gl for 14%+)
Min. ABV for Bandol Rouge? Blanc/Rosé?
12% Rouge
11.5% Blanc/Rosé
Aging requirement for Bandol rouge?
Min. 18 months in wood, may not be released before May 1 of the second year following the harvest
*Palette also requires 18 months in wood
Bandol soils?
Limestone, Sandy Marl, Sandstone
What department is Bandol in?
Var
Bandol climate
Mediterranean
*3000 sunshine hrs/year. Sunniest place in sunny Provence - protected by a natural ampitheater
*23in rain/yr
*Hot, dry and perfect for Mourvedre
Bandol’s mountains
- Massif de la Sainte Baume (N) - blocks the Mistral
- Mont Caume (E)
- Gros Cerveau (S - town of Sanary. “Big Brain”)
Bandol terraces
Restanques
“balcony overlooking the sea”
* necessary to make the steep hillsides suitable for vines
* prevent erosion / natural regulation of water
Bandol yields etc?
Min. 5000 vines/ha
Max 40hl/ha
“one vine, one bottle” is the unofficial yield
Mourvedre in Bandol
Late-ripener - needs a hot, dry climate
*very susceptible to mildew and cold temps
*wood is necessary to soften tannin structure
*reductive tendencies in winemaking - needs oxygen to avoid off smells
Was Provence’s most planted until phylloxera. Wasn’t easy to graft/revive
Bandol’s coop?
Moulin de la Roque
Cotes de Provence AOP subzones (5)
Sainte-Victoire
Fréjus
La Londe
Pierrefeu (added 2013)
Notre-Dame des Anges (added 2019)
Principal varieties for Cotes de Provence (5)
Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre
Cinsault
Tibouren
En Vrac
“from a pump”
Cellar door sale when you bring your own container
OR
referring to wine not packaged to be sold as bulk
Coteau d’Aix en Provence AC grapes/styles
Vermentino-based blanc
GSMC = principal rosé/red varieties
*all Provence appellations authorize blanc, rosé, rouge
Les Baux-de-Provence AOP
Blanc: Clairette, Grenache Blanc, Vermentino + 10 - 30% Roussanne
Rosé/Rouge: min. 50% comb. GSM + C for rosé
*est 1985 - former sub-app of Coteaux d’Aix en Provence
*Dom de la Hauvette, Mas de Gourgonnier
** Dom. de Trevallon labels as Alpilles IGP
Soon to be 100% organic
Palette AC
- white grapes
- rose/red grapes
48ha in Provence
Blanc: min. 55% Picardin, Clairette, Clairette Rosé, Bourbelenc
Rosé/Rouge: min. 50% Grenache, Mourvedre (at least 10%) Cinsault
- max 4gl for W/R; 3gl for red
*ages 18 months in wood (like Bandol)
*Chateau Simone owns 1/2 the AC
*Henri Bonnaud is another must try
Cassis AC
- styles/grapes
- soils
Only Provence AC where whites dominate production
*Blanc: Min. 60% combined Marsanne (30 - 80%) + Clairette. Plus Bourboulenc.
* Rosé/Rouge: min. 70% CGM
Limestone soils
Coteaux Varois en Provence AC
2285ha - #2 planted Provence AC
Blanc: Vermentino, Grenache Blanc, Clairette
Rosé/Rouge: GSMC
*Dom. de Triennes is here but labels as
Bastide
farmhouse
Largest Bandol winery?
Chateau Bunan
Domaine de Triennes
Jeremy Seysses x Aubert de Villaine
(with Parisian Michel Macaux)
*labels IGP Mediterranee
*located in Coteaux Varois en Provence AC
Bellet AOP
Alpes-Maritime dept / Nice
*48ha
*Vermentino-based whites
*min. 60% Braquet + Fuella Negra based reds and rosé
Pierrevert AC
Only Provencal AC that allows varietal wine (for rosé and I think possibly red)
*kind of an extension of Luberon AC
Blanc: Grenache, Vermentino
Rosé: GSC - can be varietal
Red: Grenache, Syrah
Provence 1955 Classification
- structure
- name 5
Only AOP outside of BDX with classed estates
- never revisited or revised
- originally 25, now 18
- based on history, cellar reputation, winemaking, vyd quality
- unlike BDX, new vyd land cannot carry classification
Club des Crus Classés de Provence est 2000 w “charter of excellence” - 14 of 18 are members
Ch. Minuty
Ch. Ste Marguerite
Ch. de Saint-Martin
Clos Mireille (Dom. Ott)
Ch. de la Selle (Dom. Ott)
Clos Cibonne
Name 5 Grand Cru des Provence
- Château Minuty (Gassin)
- Château Sainte Marguerite (La Londe-les-Maures)
- Clos Cibonne (Pradet)
- Château de Saint-Martin (Taradeau)
- Clos Mireille (La Londe-les-Maures, part of Domaine Ott)
- Château de Selle (Taradeau, part of Domaine Ott)
Varietal wines in Provence?
Pierrevert Rosé is the only AC/Style that allows it
All Provence AC’s allow blanc, rosé, rouge as styles - nothing else. The rest require at least 2 varieties for all styles
What single event allowed Languedoc-Roussillon to compete with the northern vineyards?
Construction of the railways in 19th century
Fitou AOP
- lay of the land
- grapes/styles
Fitou Maritime: coastal clay, limestone around saltwater lagoons
Fitou Montagneux: 24km inland; schist. Pyrenees foothills
*rosé, red blends based on Carignan and Grenache (min. 20% each; comb. for 60% total).
** Syrah is preferred blender in the Montagne; Mourvedre in vineyards closer to the sea
*nested within the Corbieres AC
Corbieres AC - styles, principal varieties?
Blanc: Grenache Blanc, Marsanne, Roussanne, Macabeu, Vermentino
Rosé/Rouge: Grenache, Lladoner Pelut, Mourvèdre, Syrah; plus Carignan
Blanc/Rosé/Rouge
Min 2 varieties for all styles
Corbieres-Boutenac AC
- grapes, styles
- rules
RED ONLY: Min. 70% comb Grenache, Mourvèdre, Carignan. none more than 80%
[Carignan = 30 - 50% encepagement]
Carignan is a defining feature here. Must be hand-harvested.
Hot, dry, 100M. Sandstone, shale soils. Fontfroide hills block southerly winds/oceanic breezes.
Minervois AC - styles, varieties?
Blanc: Bourboulenc, Grenache Blanc, Macabeu, Marsanne, Roussanne, and Vermentino
Rosé/Rouge: min. 50% combined Grenache, Mourvèdre, Syrah, Cinsault and Carignan
*blanc, rosé, rouge - min. 2 varieties
Lies north of Corbieres at the foot of the Montagne Noire Massif
Étang
lagoon
Minervois-La Livinière AC
- terrain
- grapes/styles
TERRAIN: foot of Massif Noire. Located in the Le Causse area of the larger Minervois AC - a high, flat area with poor, dry soils characterized by garrigue (limestone scrubland)
RED ONLY: min 40% G/S/M/LP + Car/Cin (all must total 80%+)
[former subzone of Minervois, est 1999. The soils and definitively unique climate zone known as Le Causse sets it apart]
Cabardès AC
Languedoc-Roussillon
[Rhone meets BDX]
Min. 40% combined Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot; min. 40% combined Grenache and Syrah
(Rose, reds)
Malepère AC
Languedoc-Roussillon
[Rhone meets BDX]
Cab Franc-based rosé
Merlot-based reds
Saint-Chinian AC
Languedoc
R/R/W - all blends, min 2 varieties
Subzones: Berlou, Roquebrun (reds only)
Whites - GB, Mar, Rous, Verm
Reds - G, S, M, Llad Pel
Égrappage
de-stemming
cepages ameliorateurs
“improver varieties”
ex: GSM in Languedoc to make Carignan more appealing
Faugères AC
- location
- terrain/soils
- grapes/styles
- WHERE: adjoining Saint-Chinian to the east.
- TERRAIN: covers the S slopes of hills just a few miles inland. Schist slopes.
- CLIMATE: classically Med. The hills block cold Massif Central influence. Even Mourvedre ripens here.
White, Rosé, Reds - min. 2 varieties
W: Roussanne-based + Gren, Mars, Vermentino
R/R: min. 50% G/S/M/CIN/CAR
Leon Barral
Limoux AC
- where
- styles of wine
Pyrenees-foothills south of Carcassone, east of Corbieres. Higher, cooler and further from the Med.
W: Chard, Mauzac, Chenin (must ferment in oak)
R: 30 - 70% Merlot + G / S / Cot, CS, CF min. 3 varieties
Vin Mousseux
- Methode Ancestrale: 100% Mauzac
- Blanquette de Limoux: traditional method - min. 90% Mauzac + Chard, Chenin
Limoux Methode Ancestral
100% Mauzac
*hand-harvested, no must enrichment
*2 months on lees
*min 3 bars
*no tirage or dosage
Blanquette de Limoux
- min. 90% Mauzac + Chenin, Chard
*traditional method, min. 3.5 bars pressure, hand harvested, 9 months on lees
*claims to be oldest intentionally sparkling wine in France
Cremant de Limoux AC
Blanc, Rosé
90% comb. Chardonnay (min. 50%) and Chenin Blanc (10-40%)
plus max. 20% combined Mauzac and Pinot Noir (max. 15%)
Traditional method, 3.5 bars min., 9 months on lees
(counter to 100% Mauzac for PetNat and 90% Mauzac for Blanquette)
Languedoc AC subzones elevated to AC status?
La Clape (2015)
Terrasses-du-Larzac (2014)
Muscat AC’s of the Languedoc
- Muscat de Frontignan: most planted/common, VDN or VDL (185g/l)
- Muscat de Lunel
- Muscat Saint-Jean-de-Minervois: highest VDN RS - 125 g/l
- Muscat de Mireval
**all 100% MPG
*Lunel, Saint-Jean do Muscat de Noel (bottle by Dec 1)
*all 110g/l RS except VDL and Saint-Jean
Rivesaltes Grapes/Styles
- Grenat = 100% Grenache Noir (reductive); age 1 year, bottled by June 30 of 2nd year
- Ambré, Tuilé, Rosé can be varietal or any combo of:
Grenache (Noir, Gris, and Blanc), Maccabéo, Tourbat, Muscat of Alexandria, and Muscat à Petits Grains - Ambre, Tuile = oxidative styles; age until March 1 of 3rd year after harvest
- Hors d’Age = Sept 1 of 5th year
- Rancio
Min. must weight for all Rivesaltes styles? Min. RS?
Min. ABV?
min 45 g/l RS
min 252 g/l must weight
min 15% ABV (21.5% potential)
4000 vines/ha / 30hl/ha
Rivesaltes hors d’age requirement?
Tuilé or Ambré styles only
Ages until at least Sept 1 of 5th year after harvest
Muscat de Rivesaltes
VDN Blanc, VDN Blanc Muscat de Noel
* Muscat Blanc a Petits Grains + Muscat of Alexandria ONLY
* min 100 g/l RS (vs 45 for the rest of Rivesaltes)
history of VDN
Rivesaltes is the birthplace
*Arnaud de Villeneuve, 13th century physician, created mutage as a means of medicinal elixir-brewing
Maury AC - grapes/styles
DRY REDS: 60 - 80% Grenache +Carignan, Syrah, Mourvedre
VDN Grenat/Tuilé: varietal or majority Grenache
VDN Blanc/Ambré: Grenache Blanc/Gris, Tourbat, Macabeu
**Grenat/Blanc are reductive/vintage dated
- earliest release May 1 of next year, bottled by June 30 of 2nd year
** Tuile/Ambre are oxidative – age in glass until March 1 of 3rd year
Hors d’Age (Sept 1 of 5th yr)
Rancio
*min. 45g/l RS, minn 15% ABV
Southernmost AC in France?
Banyuls AOP
Maury AC soils?
Schist
Banyuls Grand Cru
- grapes/styles
- aging
- sugar requirements
VDN Rouge + Hors d’Age, Rancio
* Min. 75% Grenache + Grenache Blanc/Gris, Macabeu, MGP, MPA, Tourbat
* min 45 g/l RS
* 30 months in barrel, earliest release June 1 of 3rd year
*hors d’age - Sept 1 of 5th yr
[broadly resembles standard Banyuls; though regular Banyuls mandates 50% Grenache and the 30m in barrel requirement is the 2nd big distinguishing factor]
Banyuls AC
- grapes/styles
- aging
- RS rules
*VDN Blanc (vintage dated): Grenache Blanc/Gris, Macabeu, Tourbat
*VDN Rimage (vintage dated): Grenache w max 10% accessories
^ earliest release May 1 of year after harvest w 3 months in bottle
- VDN Ambre: Grenache Blanc/Gris, Macabeu, Tourbat
- VDN Traditionnel: min. 50% Grenache + Grenache Gris
^March 1 of 3rd year for release
Hors d’Age: Sept 1 of yr 5
Min 45 g/l RS/15% ABV for all
Banyuls vs Banyuls Grand Cru
Grand Cru:
* min 75% Grenache; Rouge only - Hors d’Age / Rancio
* AGING: min 30 months in barrel - earliest release June 1 of 3rd year post harvest
Hors d’Age also Sept 1 of 5th year
RS, ABV, everything else looks similar.
So basically - varietal choice, aging for VDN Rouge
Unfortified Banyuls wines?
Collioure AOP
White, Rosé, Rouge
Main color released as Cote de Roussillon AC?
Rosé
Cotes du Roussillon Villages AOP
- villages (5)
- styles/grapes
REDS only
* the Villages:
Caramany
Latour-de-France
Lesquerde
Tautavel
Les Aspres
- GSM + Carignan
All blends
What IGP covers the whole of Languedoc-Roussillon?
Pays d’Oc IGP
La Clape AOP
WHITE & RED - blends
* Bourbelenc-based whites, GSM-based reds
* Limestone soils
* elevated from subzone of Languedoc AC in 2015
Pic-Saint-Loup AC
- location/terrain
- grapes/styles
Takes name from the 658M Pic St Loup mountain at center. Montagne de L’Hortus is a 1km-long limestone ridge. Mountainous topography - 18m inland from ocean. Variety of elevations/microclimates.
ROSÉ + ROUGE
* min 2 varieties
* Min. 30% Syrah + Grenache, Mourvedre (and then accessories)
Terrasses du Larzac AC
REDS only - min. 3 varieties, principals must make up 75% of blend
* Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre, Carignan
* elevated from Langeudoc AC subzone in 2014
Grand Roussillon AC
VDN Blanc, Rose, Rouge, Rancio
Bergerac AC
WHITE ROSE RED - blends
White: Sauv Blanc/Gris, Semillon, Muscadelle,
Reds: Cab Sauv/Franc, Cot, Merlot
*Dordogne River runs through
*rosé max 10gl RS
Cotes de Bergerac is this but with higher min. ABV
Sweet wines AC’s of Bergerac?
Monbazillac AOP
Saussignac AOP
Rosette AOP
Haut-Montravel AOP
Côtes de Montravel AOP
Pécharmant AC
Bergerac (region)
REDS ONLY - min. 3 varieties
Merlot, Cab Sauv, Cab Franc, Cot
Styles & principal varieties for Monbazillac AC?
Blanc (min 45g RS) & SGN (min 85g RS)
Principals:
- Sauvignon Blanc
- Sauvignon Gris
- Muscadelle (loves the sandy soils)
- Semillon
*must account for 80% of blend
*may be botrytised, must harvest in tries
(accessories: Chenin, Odenc, Ugni Blanc)
Montravel
Montravel: 16m from St. Em - on the Dordogne
- Montravel AC = dry red blends with some Merlot, dry white blends with some proportion of Sauv Blanc/Gris/Semillon
- Haut-Montravel AC = Botrytised, Semillon-based sweet wines. Sauternes-esque
- Cotes de Montravel AC = late-harvest sweet wines w min. 30% Semillon
Cahors AOP
- grapes/styles
- major geographical features
REDS ONLY
Min. 70% Cot + Merlot, Tannat
*along the Lot River (connects to Garonne)
** Only Cab Sauv/Franc-free SW AOP
2 growing areas:
1) Les Causses: limestone plateau; most powerful wines
2) gravelly slopes between plateau and Lot River = fruitier, more approachable wines
[a causse is an occitan word for a limestone plateau. Les Causses are a series of limestone plateaus in the Massif Central]
Synonyms for Malbec in Cahors?
Cot
Auxerrois
Regions by the Dordogne River
Monbazillac
Bergerac
Madiran AC
- grapes, styles?
REDS ONLY
Min. 50% Tannat + plus Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Fer
Techniques to tame Madiran’s tannins
- De-stemming
- barrel maturation
- gentle pressing - avoid pip tannins
- Micro-oxygenation - promotes tannin polymerization
Madiran AOC
- terrain/location
- main river
- soils
- top producer
- TERRAIN: transitional area between Pyrenees foothills and the Landes. Madiran lanscape is 5 large parralel ridges that run roughly N-S. Temperate climate with Atlantic and Pyrenees influence.
- RIVER: Adour River
- SOILS: Limestone-rich clays and silts - product of the Pyrenees, washed down by rivers
Alain Brumont
Chateau Bouscasse, Chateau Montus, Chateau Segondine, La Roche Brumont
* La Tyre = top vineyard
* Hero of Madiran
Alain Brumont
Madiran
Chateau Bouscasse, Chateau Montus, Chateau Segondine, La Roche Brumont
*La Tyre = top vineyard
*Hero of Madiran
Microbullage vs. Cliquage
Patrick Ducurneau, 1991 in Madiran
Purpose: control aeration of wine in tank
Benefits:
- during early fermentation, can build yeast population/help avoid stuck ferments
- mimics barrel maturation. An efficient, cost effective alternative
- stabilizes color
- softens tannin
- moderates green/vegetal character
Cliquage: used for wine aging in barrel - mimics racking with a larger dose of oxygen at once
Pacherenc du Vic-Bilh AOP
- styles / grapes (4)
Madiran’s dry/sweet white wine counterpart
*Principal varieties: Courbu, Petit Courbu, Gros Manseng and Petit Manseng
* min. 4g/l = Sec; min. 45 g/l RS for sweets & must harvest in tries
Jurançon AOP
- principal grapes (2)
- styles / RS
Principals: Gros Manseng (best for dry whites), Petite Manseng (best for sweet passerillage)
Blanc Sec: max 4gl RS
Blanc: min. 40gl RS
VT: min 55gl RS
[rolling landscape of the Pyrenees foothills. Soils are clayey with high stone content. Poudigne de Jurancon is a pebbly limestone mix often showing as a stony clay topsoil]
foehn
a dry wind that blows down from the upper slopes of mountainous regions
Irouléguy AOP
- styles/main varieties
WHITE
* Whites: Courbu, Petit Courbu, Gros Manseng, Petit Manseng
[same as Jurancon, Bearn]
Rosé/Red:
* Cab Franc and/or Tannat-based reds. Rosé + Cab Sauv
* Basque Country’s answer to Madiran
Gauillac AC
Est. by Gauls in 1st cent BC
* WHITES: Mauzac, Muscadelle, and Len de l’El
* ROSÉ/RED: Duras, Fer, Syrah, and Prunelard
*Rouge premier = 100% Gamay
* Blanc Doux/Vin Mousseux/Methode Ancestral
Methode Ancestral = Mauzac, Mauzac Noire. Starts in tank (variant of proper pet nat)
Marcillac AOP
min. 90% Fer
Fronton AOP
Negrette-based red/rosé
Les Fenouillédes
“country of hay”
* Upper Agly Valley - an unofficial subzone that takes in part of Maury and Cote-de-Roussillon villages Caramany, Lesquerde, Latour de France
* hot dry, Tramontane-influenced
* Carignan and Grenache territory on schist, granite, limestone - clay soils
Had an IGP named for the area but it became Cotes Catalanes
