France - Northern Rhone Flashcards
Name 5 top producers of Cote Rotie:
Guigal, Ogier, Clusel-Roch, Jamet, Rene Rostaing
Name 3 lieux dits of Cote Rotie:
Cote Brune, Cote Blonde, La Landonne
Where does La Turque come from?
A plot inside Cote Brune lieu-dit
How much Viognier may appear in a bottle of Cote Rotie?
20% max (usually less than 10% is used)
Which LaLa sees no Viognier?
La Landonne is 100% syrah
Describe Guigal’s La La wines, including blends:
Côte-Rôtie “La Mouline”: 89% Syrah, 11% Viognier; sourced from a plot of the same name on the Côte Blonde, average vine age is 60 years
Côte-Rôtie “La Landonne”: 100% Syrah; average vine age is 20 years
Côte-Rôtie “La Turque”: 93% Syrah, 7% Viognier; sourced from an extremely steep plot on Côte Brune, planted in 1980
What communes make up Cote Rotie AOP?
Ampuis, Saint-Cyr-sur-Rhône, Tupin-Semons
Which Cote Rosie lieu-dit does Jamet bottle every year?
Cote Brune
What was Jamet’s first Cote Rotie vintage?
1976
What is the northernmost AOP of the Rhone?
Cote Rotie
Describe the aspect of Cote Rotie vineyards
SE, more south facing than much of Rhone
What two main soil types are found in Cote Rotie?
northern part of appellation, including Cote Brune: schist with mica, sometimes blue-grey - firmer, structured wines. southern part of appellation, including Cote Blonde: crumbly granite soils and gneiss: more open and floral wines.
What is Serine?
According to Jancis, a synonym for Syrah in N Rhone. Massale selection with small berries. Some growers think is distinct variety.
What IGP covers the Northern Rhone, and who uses it?
IGP Collines Rhodaniennes, MANY producers use it - Delas, Jamet, Ogier, etc
What major geological features of France have influenced the construction of the Rhone Valley?
The Massif Central, to the west (granite). The Alps, to the east. The Rhone river.
Name 4 important producers of Condrieu:
Georges Vernay, André Perret, Francois Villard, Guigal, Rostaing
Primary soil type of Condrieu
decomposed granite and arzelle ( powdery chalk/flint/mica)
Who makes a classic, dry Condrieu?
Vernay, Perret
Who makes a botrytized, oaked Condrieu?
Villard
Who purchased Chateau Grillet in 2011?
François Pinault (LVMH)
In an average year, will Condrieu or Grillet age better?
Chateau Grillet
What grape is found in Condrieu and Chateau Grillet AOPs?
Viognier 100%
Which AOPs overlap on the right bank of the Northern Rhone?
Condrieu (white) and St-Joseph (rouge)
Name two top lieux-dits (and producers) of Condrieu:
Vernon - Georges Vernay, Chéry (S facing) - Andre Perret
Before the Pinault purchase, who owned Chateau Grillet?
The Neyret-Gachet family, since 1825
Which two AOPs of northern Rhone are found on the left bank of the river?
Hermitage and Crozes-Hermitage
Who are four top tier producers of Hermitage rouge?
Chave, Chapoutier, Jaboulet, Delas
Who are four top tier producers of Hermitage blanc?
Chave, Chapoutier, Jaboulet, Guigal (ex-voto blanc)
Name 3 important lieux-dits (describe soil types and growers) within Hermitage?
Les Bessards - Granite soils for intense Syrah, Delas/Chave/Jaboulet. Le Méal - glacial stones and loose soil lend warm and open Syrah, Jaboulet. L’Ermite - mixed soils of granite and Alpine deposits; Syrah, also Marsanne and Roussanne, Delas and Chapoutier’s “L’ermite”
What styles of white are allowed in Hermitage
Blanc, rouge, vin de paille
3 producers of Hermitage Vin de Paille
Chave, Chapoutier, Grippat
What is Cuvee Cathelin?
Rare Chave hermitage bottling
What years was Cuvee Cathelin made?
1990, 1991, 1995, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2009 and 2010
what about 2015 or 2016?
What is the large co-op producer of Hermitage?
Cave de Tain, controls about 20% of vineyards
Describe the soils of Hermitage
Granite in the west, and more Alpine influence in the east - clay and brown stones “poudingue”
What was a historic export location for Hermitage?
England (via Bordeaux), also Russia
When did phylloxera arrive in the northern Rhone?
1874
What is the encepagement for Hermitage Rouge?
Syrah, plus max 15% of Marsanne/Roussanne
How long much grapes dry for Hermitage Vin de Paille?
45 days
What is the minimum rs for Hermitage vin de Paille?
not specified
What region of France would blend in Syrah from hermitage and n rhone, esp. during 19th century
Bordeaux
What is the blend for Chave’s Hermitage Blanc?
85% Marsanne/15% Roussanne - 100% barrel fermentation
Principal soils of Crozes-Hermitage AOP?
North: Granitic slopes, similar to Hermitage
South: Alluvial soils of glacial origin
Name two top tier bottlings of Crozes-Hermitage:
Jaboulet’s Domaine de Thalabert, Alain Graillot, Yann Chave, Domaine du Colombier
Who is responsible for bringing Hermitage vin de Paille back to the public eye?
Gerard Chave in the 70s
Which requires more Syrah, Hermitage or St-Joseph?
St Joseph (90%)
How much Marsanne/Roussanne may appear in St-Joseph?
10% (90% Syrah)
Describe the soils of St Joseph
schist and gneiss on granite bedrock
Describe the unique vine training of Cote Rotie
Vines are trained along pairs of stakes that meet in a point
Describe vine training in Hermitage
Gobelet with 3 spurs, and trained along a single upright stake
5 quality producers of St-Joseph AOP?
Jean-Louis Chave, Yves Cuilleron, Jean Gonon, Bernard Gripa, Jean-Louis Grippat
5 quality producers of Cornas AOP?
Auguste Clape (the icon of Cornas) with Jean-Luc Colombo, Durand, Robert Michel, Domaine du Tunnel, Thierry Allemand
What is the best climat of Cornas?
Reynards
Name a top commune of Crozes-Hermitage
Gervans
Why might a St Joseph be more tannic than a Crozes-Hermitage?
More likelihood of granite soils, lending more structered wines. But very hard to generalize, as both terroirs are exceptionally varied
Name 3 principal villages of St Joseph
Tournon, Mauves, St-Jean-de-Muzols
What challenges exist for quality wine production in St Joseph
Mostly, the large and varied geography. AOP enlarged in 1969 from 6 villages to 25, spread across 40 miles! 97 hectare in 1971 to 990 in 2005
Name another important agricultural crop in the northern Rhone
Apricots
3 producers of a St Joseph blanc
Guigal, Gonon, Domaine faury, Dard & Ribo
Why is it easier to ripen Syrah in Cornas than in nearby Tournon (St Joseph)?
Warm air current from the south
What are the soils of Cornas?
Granite based
What grapes are allowed in Cornas?
Only rouge is bottled - 100% syrah
What village is Noel Verset associated with?
Cornas - last vintage 2006
What village is August Clape associated with?
Cornas
What styles of wine may be produced in Saint Peray AOP?
Blanc and mousseux (Méthode Traditionnelle)
What is unique about the soils of St Peray compared to other northern Rhone appellations?
Presence of limestone
Discuss terroir of Saint Peray
granite soils near Cornas, limestone and clay toward the south and east of appellation
What grapes are allowed in Saint Peray AOP?
Marsanne and Roussanne
Who bottles a still St Peray?
Jaboulet, Clape, Villard
Who bottles a sparkling St Peray?
Alain Voge, Guy Darona, Jean-Louis Thiers
Where is Seyssuel and what appellation does it fall under?
Village to the north of Cote Rotie, IGP Collines Rhodaniennes
Two producers of wine from Seyssuel
Villard and Yves Cuilleron
Cremant de Die AOP
Sparkling wine appellation on the Drome river E of Rhone. Min. 55% Clairette, min. 10% Aligoté, 5-10% Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains
Châtillon-en-Diois AOP
Mixed quality appellation for red, white, rosé. To the east of northern Rhone appellations on the Drome river.
Blanc: Chardonnay and Aligoté
Rouge: min. 75% Gamay, plus Pinot Noir and Syrah
Rosé: min. 75% Gamay, plus Pinot Noir and Syrah
What are the two styles of Clairette de Die AOP
1) Method Traditionelle Mousseaux - 100% Clairette, max max. 15 g/l RS, min 3.5 atmospheres pressure, 9 months lees aging
2) Méthode Dioise Ancestrale - min 75% Muscat Blanc a Petit Grains plus Clairette, min. 35 g/l rs, 3 atmospheres pressure, 4 months lees aging
What is arzelle?
Local term in Condrieu and southern Cote Rotie for sanded gravel topsoil
What is La Bise?
N Rhone term for prevailing northern wind
Cremant de Die minimum lees aging
9 mo. on lees/12 mo. total from date of tirage
Cremant de Die pressure and sugar
Min. 3.5 atmospheres of pressure
Max. 15 g/l of residual sugar
Name a Cremant de Die producer
Poulet et Fils
Name a Clairette de Die producer
Jean-Claude Raspail
In which northern Rhone AOP do you find Gamay based reds?
Chatillon en Diois
What is the first vintage of each La La?
La Mouline: 1966
La Lalandone: 1978
La Turque: 1985
Name 4 lieux-dits of Cornas
La Cote
Les Messards
Les Chaillot
Les Reynard
What is the smallest red wine appellation of the northern Rhone?
Cornas
Name the 3 sparkling wine appellations of the Northern Rhone:
Saint Peray
Cremant de Die
Clairette de Die
Who are three producers of La Landonne?
Guigal, Rostaing, Delas
Which lieux-dits provide grapes for Chave’s Hermitage blanc?
Maison Blanche, Rocoules
What northern Rhone winemaker is also bottling a wine from Morocco?
Allain Graillot (of Crozes-Hermitage)
Who inherited the Dervieux/Gentaz vineyard holdings?
Rene Rostaing - in Cote Rotie
What are Allemand’s two Cornas bottlings?
“Chaillots” and “Reynards”
What is Alain Graillot’s top Crozes-Hermitage cuvée?
La Guiraude - only in best vintages (2007, 2013, 2015)
Name a producer that bottles single lieu-dit wines from Hermitage?
Chapoutier - i.e. “L’Hermite” rouge and blanc, “Le Méal” rouge and blanc, “Le Pavillon” rouge
What are Stephane Ogier’s top Cote Rotie bottlings?
“Lancement” and “La Belle Hélène”
What is the top wine from Georges Vernay?
Condrieu “Coteau du Vernon”
What are Jaboulet’s two Hermitage blanc bottlings?
“La Chapelle” and “Chevalier de Stérimberg”
