France - Rhone Valley Flashcards
What are the climate of Northern and Southern Rhone?
Northern: Continental
Southern: Mediterranean
What are the main varieties of Northern Rhone?
- Viognier
- Marsanne
- Rousanne
- Syrah
What are the main varieties of Southern Rhone?
- Grenache Noir
- Syrah
- Cinsaut
- Mourvedre
What is a diseased called Syrah decline or disorder?
The leaves turn red and the graft point breaks up and the vine dies
What are the characteristics of Northern Rhone Syrah?
- Deep ruby color
- pronounced intensity aroma
- Flavors of violet, plum, blackberry with black pepper and herbal notes
- Acidity and tannins range from medium to high
- Syrah adds structure, fruit and color to Southern Rhone blends
Does Grenache Noir ripen early or late?
It ripens late
Is Grenache Noir resistance of what and prone to what?
It is resistance to draught
It is prone to coulure and to the fungal diseases downy mildew, phomopsis, botrytis bunch rot, bacterial necrosis or bacterial bright
Does Mourvedre bud and ripen early or later?
It buds late and ripens late. It needs warm to hot climate to thrive. It needs high temperatures at the end of the season to ripe fully
What pests and diseases Mourvedre prone to?
- Mites, leafhoppers and sour rot ( a disease that affects ripening bunches due to insect or bird damage to grapes, which then become prone to bacteria and fungi)
- in the winery, it is strongly prone to reduction
What are the characteristics of Grenache Noir?
- Pale ruby color
- ripe red fruit; strawberry, red plum, red cherry
- spicy and herbal notes
- high alcohol
- low to medium tannins
- low acidity
What are the characteristics of Mourvedre?
- deep ruby color
- intense aroma of blackberries, blueberries, violets
- high alcohol
- high firm tannins
Does Cinsault buds early or late? Is it drought and heat resistance?
It buds late. it is good drought and heat resistance
What pests and disease Cinsault prone to?
Esca and eutypa, to mites and grape moths
Does Viognier bud early or later? Is it high or low yield variety?
it buds early. Yileds tend to be low and unpredictable, due to poor flowering and fruit set (coulure) reducing returns.
What are the characteristics of Viognier?
- medium lemon
- pronounced aroma
- flavors of honeysuckle, apricot, peach
- medium to high alcohol
- low acidity
Is Marsanne early or late budding variety? Is it vigorous and productive?
It is a late-budding variety. It is vigorous and productive
What pests and disease Marsanne prone to?
Powdery mildew, mites, and botrytis bunch rot
What are the characteristics of Marsanne?
- medium lemon to gold
- low intensity honeysuckle, lemon and apricot fruit
- oily texture
- medium acidity
- full bodied
- medium to high alcohol
Does Rousanne bud early or later? What soils is it suitable to grow on?
A late budding variety that grows on low fertility, well-drained soils
What pests and diseases Roussanne susceptible to?
- Powdery mildew
- botrytis bunch rot
- mites
What are the characteristics of Roussanne?
- medium lemon to gold
- medium to medium (+) intensity
- Pear with herbel notes
- Medium to medium (+) acidity
- medium to high alcohol
Does Grenache blanc bud early or later? Is it good wind resistance?
early, good wind resistance
What are the characteristics of Grenache Blanc?
- Low intensity
- ripe green fruit and floral note
- high alcohol
- low acidity
What soils does Clairette grow well in?
- low fertility
- dry soils
What are the characteristics of Clairette?
- for blends, it adds freshness and fruit
- white flower, fennel, apple, grapefruit notes
- high alcohol
- low to medium (-) acidity