France: Southern Rhone Flashcards
Châteauneuf du Pape important Lieu Dits
La Crau
Bois de la Ville
Les Escondudes
Montpertuis
Chapouin
Beaucastel
Saumade
Font du Loup
Mont Redon
Montolivet
134 total
Appellations for vin doux naturel southern Rhone
Rasteau
Muscat de Beaumes de Vinise
Rasteau AOP
communes of production
grapes
communes:
VDN: Cairanne, Rasteau, Sablet
Unfortified Reds: Rasteau only
Grenache blanc, gris, noir + accessory varieties
dry red wines from min 50% grenache, min 20% Mourvedre and Syrah, + accessory
dry reds authorized since 2010, and is vast majority of production.
Rasteau AOP
aging
Blanc & Grenat: released May 1st yr following harvest, must be bottled by June 2nd yr following harvest at latest
Rose: bottled by Dec 31 yr following harvest
Ambre & Tuile: min 3 years aging
Hors d’Age: min 5 years aging
rancio: deliberately oxidative
Rasteau AOP
RS
ABV
vdn - all min 45 g/l RS
15% (21.5% potential)
Rasteau - where is it? Communes of production?
NE of CdP, next to Ouveze river
VDN: Cairanne, Rasteau, Sablet
Unfortified Reds: Rasteau only
Muscat de Beaumes de Venise-
grapes and styles
RS
abv
soil
Muscat VDN in white, rose, and red styles. Encépagement: Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains and Muscat Rouge à Petits Grains (rose can have both)
min 100 g/l RS
Min 15% actual, 21.5% potential
miocene sand, clay, limestone soils
Chateauneuf du Pape communes of Production
Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Orange, Bédarrides, Courthézon, Sorgues
Gigondas AOC
grapes
styles
whites - min 70% clairette
rose and red: min 50% grenache, with at least one of Syrah, Mourbedre
Ouveze River
Gigondas soils
Stony red clay alluvium/limestone
river in Gigondas
Ouveze
Tavel
grapes
RS
soil
Rosé only AOC! communes: Tavel, Roquemaure
Grenache Noir must be present.
Also: Grenache Gris, Grenache Blanc, Bourboulenc, Clairette, Clairette Rosé, Cinsault, Mourvèdre, Piquepoul Blanc, Piquepoul Gris, Piquepoul Noir, and Syrah
max 4g/l
soils: Lausses- white calcareous + galets
What grapes is Chateau Rayas Blanc made from?
50/50 grenache blanc, clairette
red wine only AOCs of the southern Rhone
Beaumes de Venise (grenache, syrah)
Vinsobres (min 50% grenache + another)
What styles of wine are made in Côtes du Rhône Villages?
Blanc
Rosé
Rouge
Côtes du Rhône blanc- grapes allowed?
min 50% principal varieties: Bourboulenc, Marsanne, Roussanne, Viognier, Clairette, Grenache Blanc
Côtes du Rhône rouge- grapes allowed?
Rosé/Rouge: Grenache and either Syrah or Mourvèdre must be present. Principal (GSM) and complementary varieties must account for at least 60% of the blend.
Vineyards north of Montélimar are excused from these requirements, but must contain at least one of the principal and complementary varieties.
best recent vintages southern Rhone
2016
2015
2010
2009
2007
2005
2001 - great, hot and dry
2000
worst recent vintages southern Rhone
2021- frost, low yields, mixed quality
2014: difficult. rain, humidity, disease
2013 - cold, wet spring
2008 - cool, wet, humid
2002 - real bad, rain
white only appellations in southern Rhone
Clairette de Bellegarde- 100% Clairette
CDP soil types
limestone base + red clay (argillaceous), sand (siliceous), and marl (molasse).
Excerpt From: Jon Bonne. “The New French Wine.” Apple Books. https://books.apple.com/us/book/the-new-french-wine/id6443038450
In the north and northwest, galets roulés are common. large round stones comprised of quartzite and silica are the remnants of retreating Alpine glaciers from thousands of years ago, polished smooth by the Rhône River. They help retain daytime heat and moderate temperatures in the vineyard.
Dentelles de Montmirail
ridge of Jurassic limestone in the southern Rhone
Beaumes de Venise- lies to the south
Gigondas- at the base and on the slopes on the western side
Vacqueyras- lies to the SW of the hills
Vacqueyras AOP
white, rose, red
white blends: Bourbelenc, Clairette, Grenache Blanc, Marsanne, Roussanne, Viognier (no single variety may account for more than 80%)
red blends: min 50% grenache, must have at least one of Syrah / Mourvedre
rose: Grenache, Cinsault, Syrah, and Mourvèdre (no single variety may account for more than 80%)
Cairanne AOP
styles
river
soil
southern Rhone. was previously a village of Côtes du Rhône villages, promoted to AOC in 2016 (most recent)
red, white
Aigues river passes right through Cairanne on its course to meet the Rhône river just west of Orange.
limestone and alluvial soil
CdP max yields
Rendement de Base: 35 hl/ha
Maximum Yield including Râpé: 42 hl/ha
what is le râpé?
in CdP, producers must declassify 2% of harvest to table wine
CdP minimum planting density
depends how vines are planted
“En Ligne” (line): 3,000 vines per hectare
“Au Carré” (square): although not explicitly stated, the vine spacing corresponds to 2,500 vines per hectare
Where is CdP? Size?
southern Rhone- Orange to north, Avignon to south
river to west
3,231 hectares planted, 1700 in the commune of CdP itself
first AOC in France
Roquefort Cheese was awarded the first-ever AOC in 1925
wine- all on the same day in 1936:
Arbois
Cassis
Chateauneuf du Pape
Cognac
Monbazillac
Tavel
Chateau Rayas
based in CdP
top wines:
Pignan (Châteauneuf-du-Pape): Pignan means “pine tree” in French, and references the surrounding trees at the estate. Produced from younger vines, 100% Grenache.
Réservé Rouge (Châteauneuf-du-Pape): 100% Grenache.
Réservé Blanc (Châteauneuf-du-Pape): Clairette and Grenache Blanc.
Pialade (Côtes du Rhône): 80% Grenache, 15% Cinsault, 5% Syrah.
holdings include: Château Rayas, Château des Tours and Château de Fonsalette
Chateau de Beaucastel
based in Courthézon
top wines
Châteauneuf-du-Pape (Blanc and Rouge)
Hommage à Jacques Perrin: prestige cuvée, only produced in the best years; made from low-yielding vines. Inaugural vintage 1989.
Roussanne Vieilles Vignes: from a 3-ha plot of vines over 75 years old. Inaugural vintage 1986.
Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe
where?
bottlings
other property
based in Bédarrides
ALL holdings are in the lieu dit La Crau
top wines:
Châteauneuf-du-Pape (Blanc and Rouge)
Télégramme (Blanc and Rouge): from young vines (less than 25-30 years)
Domaine les Palliers- in Gigondas
Domaine du Vieux Telegraphe - Lebanon property
Massaya
Domaine de Pegau
based in CdP
top wines:
Cuvée Réservée (Blanc and Rouge): Inaugural vintage 1985.
Cuvée Laurence: Inaugural vintage 1983.
Cuvée a Tempo: 1/3 each Clairette, Grenache Blanc & Roussanne fermented in a combination of oak and steel. Aged in barrique. No Malo. First vintage 2014
Cuvée Da Capo: Old vine selection from 3 terroirs - La Crau, Les Escondudes and Montpertuis. Produced in just seven vintages to date. Inaugural vintage 1998.
Cuvée Inspiration: Utilizes 13 varieties from 2 terroirs - La Crau and Les Escondudes. Only bottled in magnum. First and only released vintage is 2010
Chateau la Nerthe
based in Sorgues, CdP
top wines:
Châteauneuf du Pape (Blanc and Rouge)
Cuvée des Cadettes: Sourced from old vines. Inaugural vintage 1970.
Clos de la Granière: A second wine prouduced from younger vines.
Clos de Beauvenir: A blend of Roussanne and Clairette, aged in new, French barriques.
Bois de la Ville
oldest CdP lieu dit- first mentioned in 1344
Brun Argente synonym
Vaccarese, Camarèse
accessory grape allowed in Côtes du Rhône
Côtes du Rhône principal red grapes
Grenache and either Syrah or Mourvèdre must be present. Principal and complementary varieties must account for at least 60% of the blend. Vineyards north of Montélimar are excused from these requirements, but must contain at least one of the principal and complementary varieties.
modern crossings allowed in Côtes du Rhone?
Couston (Grenache x Aubun)
Marselan (Grenache x CS)
Caladoc (Grenache x Malbec)
Côtes du Rhone principal white grapes
Min. 80% combined Marsanne, Roussanne, Bourboulenc, Grenache Blanc, Clairette, and Viognier
Côtes du Rhone principal rose grapes
same as for rouge: Grenache and either Syrah or Mourvèdre must be present. Principal and complementary varieties must account for at least 60% of the blend. Vineyards north of Montélimar are excused from these requirements, but must contain at least one of the principal and complementary varieties.
Marselan
grenache x CS
recently allowed in Bordeaux- climate change.
also in China
also in CdR rouge
Caladoc
grenache x malbec
allowed in CdR rouge
AOCs for Clairette
Clairette de Bellegarde (southern rhone)
Coteaux de Die (northern rhone)
Rhone IGPs
Regional
IGP Mediteranée
IGP Comtes Rhodaniens
Department
IGP Gard
IGP Drome
IGP Vaucluse
IGP Ardeche
CdP- most planted red
Grenache
Syrah
Mourvedre
Cinsault
CdP- most planted white
Grenache Blanc (35%)
Clairette (32%)
Roussanne (16%)
Bourbelenc (15%)
Henri Bonneau
based in CdP
top wines:
Réserve des Celestins
Cuvée Marie Beurrier
Cuvée Spéciale: Inaugural vintage 1990.
Chapoutier - southern Rhône
All labeled CdP:
La Bernadine Blanc- mostly grenache blanc (negoce)
La Bernadine Rouge- blend, spends time in barrel (negoce)
Barbe Rac- 100% grenache, very old vines
Croix du Bois - 100% grenache, very old vines
CdP bottles without papal crest
La Nerthe
Beaucastel - has their own
Rayas - nothing
Galets roulets
Large round quartzite/silica stones left by retreating Alpine glaciers. In the north/northwest part of CdP
mutage
adding alcohol to stop fermentation. 96 proof is used
Gigondas producers
Chateau de Saint Cosme
Famille Perrin
Domaine Santa Duc
Moulin de la Gardette
Domaine Des Bosquets
Côtes du Rhone villages upgraded to AOC
Gigondas (1971)
Vacqueyras (1990)
Beaumes-des-Venise (2005)
Vinsobres (2006)
Cairanne (2016)
garrigue
low scrubland in the mediterranean, esp southern france, on limestone soils. It is often composed of kermes oak, lavender, thyme, rosemary, and white cistus.
notable lieu dits of CdP
Bois de la Ville
L Crau
Les Escondudes
Montpertuis
Chapouin
Beaucastel
Font du Loup
Mont Redon
Montolivet
Côtes du Rhône bottlings - $100 or more
Ch de Fonsalette
Rayas la Pialade
Rayas Ch des Tours
Domaine Gramenan, Cuvée Pascal
Ch Grillet
J. Vidal Fleury
CdR Villages- notable villages
22 in total
Saint Maurice
Sablet
Valreas
Plan de Dieu
Seguret
southern rhone AOCs making white, red, rose
Costieres de Nimes
CdR Villages
Cotes du Vivarais
Duché d’Uzès
Gigondas
Grignan les Adhémar
Lirac
Luberon
Vacqueyras
Ventoux
rhone appellation allowing high % Ugni Blanc
Luberon - up to 50%
rhone appellation allowing high % Vermentino
Luberon - it is a principal variety
Cotes du Vivarais AOP
southern rhone
Blanc: blend of grenache blanc, marsanne, clairette
Rouge: Min. 40% Syrah, min. 30% Grenache
Rosé: 60-80% Grenache
Viognier in the southern rhone
Duché d’Uzès - min 40% in white blends
Grignan les Adhémar- min 30% encepagement
Largest producers in CdP
Negociant / Co-ops: Brotte, Guigal
Estates: Mont Redon (100 ha), La Nerthe (90 ha)
Cuvée Inspiration
Domaine de Pegau CdP bottling
Utilizes 13 varieties from 2 terroirs - La Crau and Les Escondudes. Only bottled in magnum. First and only released vintage is 2010
$1000 retail average
Cuvée da Capo
Domaine de Pegau CdP bottling
Old vine selection from 3 terroirs - La Crau, Les Escondudes and Montpertuis. Produced in just seven vintages to date. Inaugural vintage 1998.
$400 retail
Hommage a Jacque Perrin
Beaucastel CdP
prestige cuvée, only produced in the best years; made from low-yielding vines. Inaugural vintage 1989.
$380 retail
Cuvée XXL
Dom de la Janasse CdP bottling
Grenache with Mourvedre (whole cluster and aged in demi-muid) from the lieu dits of Beaucastel, La Crau, and Saumade. Produced in (2007, 2016, and 2019).
$340 retail
Sanctus Sanctorum
Clos St Jean CdP bottling
100-year-old Grenache vines; sold exclusively to the US market
$291 retail
Deux ex Machina
Clos St Jean CdP bottling
60% Grenache (aged in tank) with 40% Mourvèdre (aged in new oak barrels); all from 100-year-old vines with yields that average 20 hl/ha
$130 retail
Châteauneuf du Pape important Vineyards
La Crau
Appellations for vin doux naturel southern Rhone
Rasteau
Muscat de Beaumes de Vinise
Rasteau AOP - grapes and styles
dry red wines from min 50% grenache, 20% Syrah and Mourvedre
Grenache blanc, gris, noir- for all VDN
vdn - all min 45 g/l RS
Ambre & Tuile: min 3 years aging
Hors d’Age: min 5 years aging
rancio: deliberately oxidative
Muscat de Beaumes de Venise- grapes and styles
Muscat VDN in white, rose, and red styles
min 100 g/l RS
Chateauneuf du Pape communes of Production
Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Orange, Bédarrides, Courthézon, Sorgues
Gigondas AOC- grapes and styles?
whites - mostly clairette
rose and red: grenache based: min 90% combined GSM
grenache - min 50%
syrah & mourvedre- min 15% combined
Tavel - grapes and styles
Rosé only!
required 30 to 60% combined Grenache Gris, Grenache Blanc, and Grenache Noir
up to 60% Bourboulenc, Clairette, Clairette Rosé, Cinsault, Mourvèdre, Piquepoul Blanc, Piquepoul Gris, Piquepoul Noir, and Syrah
up to 10% each Calitor and Carignan (blanc and noir)
What grapes is Chateau Rayas Blanc made from?
50/50 grenache blanc, clairette
Duche d’Uzes AOP
where?
grapes
southern Rhone
Blanc: Min. 40% Viognier, min. 30% Grenache Blanc, plus Clairette, Ugni Blanc, and a max. 20% combined Roussanne, Marsanne, and Vermentino
Rosé: Min. 50% Grenache Noir, min. 20% Syrah, plus Carignan, Cinsault, and Mourvèdre
Rouge: Min. 40% Syrah, min. 20% Grenache Noir, plus Carignan, Cinsault, and Mourvèdre
Muscat de Beaumes de Venise
mutage
Min. 96% neutral alcohol in 5-10% proportion to wine
Rasteau
mutage
Min. 96% neutral alcohol in 5-10% proportion to wine
Vinsobres AOC
where
grapes
southern rhone. rose and red
Min. 50% Grenache, and at least one complementary variety must be present in the blend.
Ventoux AOC
where
grapes
southern rhone
white, rose, red - all rhone blends
what causes the Mistral?
high pressure in the Bay of Biscay meets low pressure in the Gulf of Genoa, when the flow of air from high to low pressure zones brings cold air from the north
blows from north
Chene Bleu - what is it?
Located in Ventoux, labels as Vaucluse IGP, because they believe their higher altitude and unique geology doesn’t fit the AOPs
most planted red in CdP
Grenache (77%)
Syrah (12%)
Mourvedre (7%)
Cinsault (3%)
most planted white in CdP
Grenache Blanc (35%)
Clairette (32%)
Roussanne (16%)
Bourbelenc (15%)
All others 2%
first rhone wine in Place de Bordeaux
Beaucastel’s 2009 Hommage à Jacques Perrin (in 2011)
*this was the first non-Bordeaux French wine to be offered on the Place
Beaucastel - describe winemaking style
Beaucastel is considered a traditional producer: wines are de-stemmed and fermented in either cement or steel tank.
**Prior to fermentation, the red grapes are flash-heated for two minutes and then cooled—a process they have employed since the 1960s.
The wines are aged in old foudres for about 12 months and are bottled without filtering.
en vrac
“in bulk,” wine that is ready to drink but not yet bottled
when can CdP producers irrigate?
not officially allowed- producers can petition in extreme drought, but can’t irrigate after Aug 15
allowed for young vines not yet in production
Cairanne AOC
vielles vignes
vines min. 30 years
20 years for Syrah/Viognier
purpose of cover crop in southern rhone
due to concerns about climate change, cover crops help regulate soil temperature, combat drought, and improve soil health, especially in the face of increasingly hot summers in the region;
safres
compacted stone like sand soil, found in CdP, Gigondas, Vacqueyras
top producers CdP
Ch Rayas
Ch Beaucastel
Dom du Vieux Telegraphe
Dom du Pegau
Henri Bonneau
Clos des Papes
Chateau la Nerthe
Domaine Charvin
Pierre Usseglio
Dom de la Janasse
Le Vieux Donjon
