France - Rhone Valley & South France Flashcards
Where was the Appellation d’Origin Contrôlèe laws conceived and first ratified?
The Rhone Valley
What is the major body of water that runs from north to south through the Rhone?
The Rhone River
What are two major areas of the Rhone Valley?
Northern Rhone - Rhone septentionale
Southern Rhone - Rhone mèridionale
What is the only red grape legally allowed in the appellations on Northern Rhone?
Syrah
What is the main red grape of Southern Rhone?
Grenache Noir
Note:
Grenache came to France when the Spanish where it is called Granacha, the Spanish crossed the Pyrenees Mountains and brought the grape with them to plant
What is the climate type of the Northern Rhone?
Warm - Continental
Where is the Rhone located?
Southern France
What is the main white varietal in Northern Rhone?
Viognier
What is the most famous region in Rhone where Grenache is used?
Châteauneuf-du-Pape ( new castle of the pope)
What is the most popular grape used to make Rośe in the Rhone Valley?
Grenache
What is the appellation that is known for their Rośe in the Rhone Valley?
Tavel
What region in Northern Rhone is allowed to produce 100% Viognier?
Condrieu
Chateau - Grillet - single monopole
True or False
Viognier is used for red blends in the southern Rhone?
True - Viognier is used in red blends in the southern Rhone to add aroma and complexity to the wine
How are the Vineyards set up in Northern Rhone?
On terraces due to the steepness of the hills. Most Vineyards set right off the Rhone River
What is the climate type of Southern Rhone?
Mediterranean
Due to the warmth is Southern Rhone, what allows for grapes to be grown in this region?
Le Mistral - a powerful wind that blows north from the Mediterranean where it flows through the Southern Rhone cooling down the grapes during the heat of the day in the summer months
What is soil type in the Rhone Valley?
Sand
What are the smooth rocks that make up part of the soil in top Vineyards in the Rhone Valley?
Galets - they help to absorb energy from the sun during the day and then release it in the form of gentle heat to the Vines in the evening
Which of the two regions of Rhone is the largest?
Southern Rhone, Northern Rhone only makes up like 10% of Southern Rhone
3 white grape varietals in the Northern Rhone?
Viognier - Main Grape
Roussane - Secondary Grape
Marsanne - Secondary Grape
In the Northern Rhone which direction does the Vines face?
South, so that they can maximize direct sunlight and ripeness
What does Côte - Rôtie translate to and why?
Roasted Slopes due to the steep hillside with a southern exposure that gets roasted by the sun
What region produces only red wines made from Syrah and up to 20 percent of the white grape Viognier
Côte - Rôtie
What are the names of the 3 single Vineyards that are produced by Guigal in Côte - Rôtie?
La Landonne
La Mouline
La Turque
What is the name of the two sub designations in Côte Rôtie?
Côte Brune - More Tannic and Powerful
Côte Blonde - More elegant and racy
Note: named after a feudal lords daughters hair colors.
What is Hermitage named after?
Gaspard de Stèrimberg a retired to the region in the 1200’s to live in solitude as a hermit
What type of wines does the region of Hermitage produce?
Red and white wines
What direction does the Vines face in Hermitage?
South - to maximize the Vines exposure to the sun to increase ripeness
What region produces wines that has syrah with max 15% Rousaane and Marsanne and produce white wines made of Marsanne and Rousanne?
Hermitage
What is the largest appellation in the Northern Rhone?
St. Jospeh
What appellation in the northern Rhone produces wines with Syrah and a max of 15% Marsanne and Roussane?
Hermitage and Crozes - Hermitage
What regions in the northern Rhone make red and white wines?
Hermitage
Crozes - Hermitage
Saint Jospeh
What regions in the Northern Rhone produce 100% Syrah?
Cornas
What is the largest appellation in the Rhone Valley?
Côte-Du-Rhone
- Makes up nearly half of the Rhone Valley total production
True or False
Côte - du - Rhône wines can be produced from any of the important red varietals grown in the Southern Rhone?
True
Côte-du-Rhone wines are usually a blend of what grape?
Grenache
What is the AOC subregion of Côte-du-Rhone?
Côte-du-Rhône - Village
Note:
- located near important winemaking villages in the Southern Rhone, their standards are stricter and the quality is often better
What is the major city that is located in the region of Châteauneuf-du-Pape?
Avignon
How many approved grapes are allowed in Châteauneuf-du-Pape?
13
Note:
Red Grapes: Cinsault, Counoise, Grenache, Mourvèdre, Muscardine, Syrah, Terret Noir, and Vaccarèse
White: Bouboulenc, Clairette, Grenache Blanc, Picardin, Picpoul and Roussanne
What is the soil type of Southern Rhone?
Rock Based, clay, sandy, limestone or gravel
What is Châteaneuf - Calcernier?
The original name of Châteauneuf-du-pape
True or False
Châteanuef-du-paper are only red wines?
False - they can be whites or rośe as well
What role does Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre in Châteauneuf-du-pape?
Grenache: Sweet ripe, and taste like homemade jam taste
Syrah: Deepens the color and adds spice
Mourvèdre: Structure
True or False
Châteanuef-du-pape is aged in new oak barrels
False
No it’s fermented in large oak barrels called foudres
The northern region of Southern Rhone is?
Girgondas
Grenache, Mourvèdre, Carigan grapes originally came from what country?
Spain - the grapes were bought over from Spain over the Pyrenees into Rousillion
Muscat de Beaumes -de-Venise produces what type of wine from the Muscat Grape?
Vin Doug natural - Sweet fortified wines
What is the main soil of Côte Rotie
Schist
What direction do the slopes face in Côte Rotie
Southeast and are protected from the cold northerly winds
Côte Rôtie wines require how long to reach full maturity
10 years
What type of wines do they make in Condrieu AC
White wines
What is the main grape of Condrieu
Viognier
What are some characteristics of Viognier from Condrieu
- fruit flavors of apricot and peach
- golden in color
- dry and spicy
- best drunk young up to 5 years
What is the name of the single vineyard from Condrieu
Château Grillet
St Joseph is located on what side of the Rhône River
Western side
Hermitage is located on what side of the Rhône River
Eastern side
What town sets in Hermitage
Tain
What is the soil type of Hermitage
Granite
Hermitage is surrounded by what AC
Crozesf - Hermitage
The white wines of Hermitage and Crozes - Hermitage are a blend of what grapes
Marsanne and Roussanne
If a is made under the Vin de Paille in Hermitage, how is it labeled
Hermitage Vin de Paille AC
What is Le Mistral?
A howling icy, northern wind. It’s good for keeping the Vines cool
In Northern Rhone
Cornas sets inbetween what two AOCs
St Joseph and St Péray
What is the southern most Appellation in Northern Rhone
St Péray
What type of wines do they make in St Péray
White wines ⚪
Sparking wines 🍾🥂
What are the main grapes in St Péray
Marsanne ⚪
Rousanne ⚪
What method is used to make the sparkling wine from St Péray
Méthode Traditionnelle
Méthode Tradionalle Mousseux
What is the name of the small area east of St Péray on the river Drôme
Clairette de Die
What type of wine do they produce in Crémont de Die
Sparkling wine from the Clairette Grape
How can a wine be labeled Clairette de Die Tradition AC
- Minimum 75% Muscat à Petits Grains
- plus some optional Clairette
- made in the Mèthode Dioise Ancestrale
What is the permitted minimum abv in Châteaneuf - du - Pape
12.5%
For the best estates in Châteaneuf du pope what is the typical age of maturity to drink this wine
20 years
Château Beaucastel - ( a complex blend of 30% Grenache plus most if not all of the other 12 permitted varieties)
Château Rayas - (100% Grenache)
Domaine du Vieux Telegraph
Château La Nerthe (first to call wine Châteaneuf du pope)
These are popular estates where in France
Châteaneuf - du - Pope
Grenache Blanc ⚪
Bourboulenc ⚪
Clairette ⚪
Roussanne ⚪
These are best white grapes used to make wines in what AOC
Châteaneuf du pope
What are the names of the two famous slopes in the Côte-Rôtie?
Côte Brune - More tannic and powerful
Côte Blondes - More elegant and racy
The names come from the two daughters of a aristocratic feudal lord.
What is the main grape of Southern Rhone
Grenache
In Gigondas AC what is the grape requirements
80% Grenache maximum in red and rosè wines, with a minimum 15% Syrah and Mourvèdre
What is the alcohol apv in Girgondas AC
12.5%
What is this main grape of Vacqueras AC
Grenache
What is the grape requirement for Vacqueras AC
50% minimum Grenache in the red and rosé blends
What is the name of the Large District that is between Côtes-du-Rhone AC and the Côtes du Lubéron AC
Côtes du Ventoux AC
What type of wines does Côtes du Ventoux
Red 🔴
White ⚪
Rosé 🔴⚪
What is the only French AC that is for rosé wines only
Tavel AC
What are the main grape varietals for Tavel AC
Grenache 🔴
Cinsault 🔴
Morvèdre 🔴
Picpoul Noir 🔴
What are the grape varietal requirements for Tavel AC
No grape can exceed 60% of a blend
What is the apv for Tavel AC
Maximum 13.5%
What is the typical color of Tavel AC
Pelure d’ Oignon (onion skin)
What type of wines does Lirac AC produce
Red 🔴
White ⚪
Rosé 🔴⚪
What is the grape requirements for the wines of Lirac AC
For red wines:
Minimum 40% Grenache plus 25% Morvèdre and Syrah, the rest made up of Côtes - du - Rhone varietals
What is the main grapes of Coteaux du Tricastin
Grenache 🔴
Syrah 🔴
Carignan 🔴
Mourvèdre 🔴
Cinsault 🔴
What type of wines are made in Côte du Lubéron AC
Red 🔴
White ⚪
Rosé ⚪🔴
What is the grape requirement for Côtes du Lubéron
For red and rosé
Minimum 60% Grenache and Syrah
The rest is made up from the same grapes as southern Côtes du Rhone
Where does Muscat de Beaumes de Venice get its name
From the village with the same name Beaumes de Venise
What makes Muscat Beaume de Venice different from any other wine in Southern Rhone
The wines are naturally sweet
They are produced by adding a grape spirit (brandy) to the fermentation to stop it
To ensure that plenty of unfermented sugar remains in the wine
What type of wine is Muscat de Beaumes de Venise
Vin Doux Natural
What is Vin de Natural
A fortified wine, that has been muted during fermentation, after it has achieved between 5 to 8 percent alcohol