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
What are the characteristics of Bourboulanc?
- lemon flavor
- medium (+) acidity
- medium alcohol
Does Bourboulenc ripen early or later?
The late ripening
Is Bourboulenc resistance to what disease?
botrytis noble rot, since they have thick skins, necessary for late ripening
How is reduction prevented for syrah production at the winery?
- pump over
- aged in oak to provide gentile oxidation
What are the process of of Red Cru wines?
- Harvested by hand
- Transported in small crates
- Grapes are destemmed
- cold soak for 1 - 3 days
or - whole bunches ( or partially destemmed)
- Fermented in stainless steel, large concrete tanks or open top fermenters
- culture yeast or ambient yeasts
- Fermentation temperature is usually warm
- maceration of skins lasts for 20-30 days
- maturation period for 12 -24 months
What are the process of inexpensive, high volume Rhone wines?
- Usually machine harvested
- Flash detente or Thermovinification to gain a low tannin, fruity style quickly
- Cultured yeasts
- Fermentation temp - mid range
- maceration period may be kept short
- stored in stainless steel for a few months
What are the process of rose wines?
- a short cold maceration for 12-48 hours (Sagnee)
What are the process of white wines?
- fermented in mid-range temperatures
- aged in large old oak or stainless-steel vessels
- lees stirring is sometimes avoided
- some wines are matured in oak
What positive effects may the Mistral wind have on vines in the Northern Rhône?
- It may reduce the incidence of fungal disease as the canopy will dry out quicker in wind.
- It may also decrease vine vigour which can reduce the potential yield.
- Decreased yields can lead to higher concentration of flavours/aromas in the grapes.
Which of the Northern Rhône appellations is permitted to blend in 20% Viognier with Syrah?
Cote Rotie
Which winemaking technique must be used to incorporate Viognier in with a Syrah blend in the Northern Rhône.
co-fermentation
Order the hierarchy of Southern Rhône appellations from most premium to most basic.
- Individual cru villages
- Cotes du Rhone Village AOC + names village
- Cotes du Rhone Village AOC
- Cotes du Rhone AOC
What are the tasting note of standard red Cotes du Rhone AOC wines?
- medium intensity ruby
- medium intensity red plum, blackberry, no oak
- medium tannin or low tannin (if made by carbonic maceration)
- medium alcohol
- good quality and inexpensive in price
AOC with 50% of the blend must be Grenache Noir, and Syrah or Mourvèdre must be used.
Gigondas, Vacqueyras, Vinsobres, Rasteau
AOC with 40% of the blend must be Grenache Noir, and Syrah or Mourvèdre must be used.
Cairanne AOC
AOC with 50% of the blend must be made up of Grenache Noir and Syrah.
Beaumes-de-Venice AOC
AOC with 60% of the blend must be Grenache Noir, Syrah and Mourvèdre.
Cotes du Rhone AOP
No stipulations on percentages but can be made from any or all of the 13 permitted varieties.
Chateauneuf-du-Pape
AOC with 90% of the blend must be Grenache Noir, Mourvèdre, Syrah and Cinsault.
Lirac AOC
AOC with 12 permitted grape varieties. One variety must not make up more than 60% of blend
Tavel AOC
Which tow grape varieties which are frequently used in the Northern Rhone are not permitted in Southern Rhone AOC wines?
Marsanne & Viognier
What is the name for the large pebbles in Châteauneuf-du-Pape that radiate heat at night, adding to the warming effect of the soils?
Galets Roules
What are the tasting note for red Chateuneuf-du-Pape?
- medium ruby in color
- medium (+) to pronounced intensity of ripe red plum and blackberry fruit with spice notes, and sometimes new oak notes
- medium acidity
- high alcohol
- medium (-) tannin to high
- good to outstanding in quality
- mid-priced to super-premium
Who is the significant producer of Cote Rotie and their single vineyards?
E Guigal, La Mouline and La Landonne
Who are the highly regarded producers of Saint-Joseph?
Jean-Louis Chave and Domaine Gonon
Who is Gaspard de Sterimberg?
The hermit of Hermitage
Who are the dominant negociant and co-op of Hermitage?
- Chapoutier and Jaboulet
- Cave de Tain
- Jean-louis Chave
The pioneers of Crozes-Hermitage
Jaboulet’s Domaine de Thalabert
What is the climate of Coronas?
A warm Mediterranean climate, good protection from cold winds and the excellent aspect
Who are the significant producers of Coronas?
Domaine Alain Voge, Domaine Vincent Paris, Domaine Auguste Clape
What are the soils of Saint-Peray AOC?
limestone and granitic soils, ensuring good water-holding capacity and drainage
What is the elevation of Gigondas?
up to 600m
What is the name of mountains in Gigondas?
the Dentelles de Montrirail mountains, reducing the temperature in the mornings
What is the elevation in Vacqueyras?
up to 440m, giving diurnal variation but not threatening ripeness
What is the elevation in Vinsobres?
South and south-facing slope of 200-500m, resulting in good sunlight interception, good drainage and some protection from Mistral
What styles of wines produced in Rasteau?
Red wine and a small amount of Vin Doux Naturel
Where did Chateauneuf-du-Pape get the name?
Their original fame to being the summer residence of the Pope in the 14th century when the papacy had been relocated to the nearby city of Avignon
Who is responsible for creating the prototype for the first AOC in France?
In 1923, Barondu Roy of Chateau Fortia. The rule delimited the region, stipulated the use of 13 grape varieties and a minimum alcohol level of 12.5% without chaptalization
