France - Southern Rhone Flashcards
Who was the first estate bottler in CdP?
Château La Nerthe - 1785
Chateauneuf du Pape authorized grapes (13/18)
Grenache (Noir/Blanc/Gris) Mourvèdre Syrah Cinsault Counoise Picpoul (Noir/Blanc/Gris) Terret Noir Bourboulenc Clairette/Clairette Rosé Roussanne Vaccarèse Picardan Muscardin
What are two Southern Rhone appellations for Vin doux naturel?
Rasteau AOP, Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise AOP
Most planted grape in southern Rhone?
Grenache
Dominant wind of the southern Rhone?
The Mistral
What are galets?
Glacial deposits, “pudding stones,” are called galets. Made of quartzite and smoothed by the river, the galets store heat, releasing it to warm the vines at night.
Describe, in general, southern Rhone soils.
Alluvial soils deposited over limestone subsoil. Sand, gravel, and clay have been left in the river’s wake, and larger stones have been dumped in the valley’s mounds by post-ice age glacial melt. “Galets”
Name a CdP producer that uses all 13 varieties
Beaucastel, Mourvèdre dominant
What is râpé?
Required discard, i.e. 2% in DdP must be used for table wine or discarded
Northernmost appellation of the Southern Rhone? What was it formerly called?
Grignan-les-Adhémar AOP, changed in 2010 from Coteaux du Tricastin
Name a producer of Grignan-les-Adhémar AOP
Domaine de Montine
Describe the white wines of Grignan-les-Adhémar AOP
Bourboulenc and Clairette may not exceed a combined 50% of the blend - Viognier, plus Bourboulenc, Clairette, Grenache Blanc, Marsanne, Roussanne
Describe the red wines and rosés of Grignan-les-Adhémar AOP
Principal Varieties: Grenache and Syrah
Accessory Varieties: Bourboulenc, Carignan, Cinsault, Clairette, Grenache Blanc, Marsanne, Mourvèdre, Roussanne, Viognier, Marselan
Rosé: Principal Varieties form the majority of the blend, and white varieties may not exceed 20%.
Rouge: Principal Varieties form the majority of the blend, and white varieties may not exceed 10%.
What is the french term for Southern Rhône
Rhône méridionale
When did Chateauneuf-du Pape become an AOC?
1936
What are the principal red varieties of the Southern Rhone?
Grenache Syrah Mourvedre Cinsault Carignan
Cotes du Rhone - Villages AOP:
Red/white/rosé from 21 designated villages in the Southern Rhone.
What grapes are allowed in Cotes du Rhone Villages AOP blanc?
Principal Varieties: Min. 50% combined - Bourboulenc, Marsanne, Roussanne, Viognier, Clairette, Grenache Blanc
Accessory Varieties: Piquepoul Blanc and Ugni Blanc
What grapes are allowed in Cotes du Rhone Villages AOP rouge/rosé?
Min. 66% combined Grenache and at least one complementary variety (Syrah, Mourvèdre). Accessory Varieties: Brun Argenté (Camarèse/Vaccarèse), Carignan, Counoise, Cinsault, Muscardin, Piquepoul Noir, and Terret Noir
What are some of the high quality geographic designations under Cotes du Rhone Villages AOP?
Séguret, Sainte-Cécile, Valréas, Visan
Which former designated Cotes du Rhone Village was upgraded to its own AOP in 2016?
Cairanne AOP
When was Rasteau promoted to its own AOP?
2010
What grapes are allowed in Cairanne AOP rouge?
Min 50% Grenache, with Syrah, Mourvedre, Bourboulenc, Brun Argenté Noir (Vaccarèse), Carignan, Cinsault, Clairette Blanc, Clairette Rose, Counoise Noir, Grenache Blanc, Grenache Gris, Marsanne, Muscardin, Piquepoul Blanc, Piquepoul Noir, Roussanne, Terret Noir, Ugni Blanc, Viognier
Carianne AOP rouge min potential alcohol
12.5%
What flavor/texture does Cinsault provide in s. rhone blends?
Mostly used for finesse and freshness, bright fruit and acid. Used in rosé also.
When did Vinsobres receive AOP status?
2006
Which southern Rhone AOPs allow production of rosé?
Many! Tavel, Ventoux, Vacqueyras, Luberon, Lirac, Grignan-Les-Adhémar, Gigondas, Duché d’Uzès, Côtes du Vivarais, Côtes du Rhône-Villages, Costières de Nîmes
Which S. Rhone white wine appellation does not allow blending?
Clairette de Bellegarde AOP - 100% Clairette
Name a producer of Clairette de Bellegarde
Mas Carlot
Name 5 CdP producers
Beaucastel, Domaine de la Janasse, Domaine du Pegaü, Rayas, Vieux Télégraphe and Clos des Papes
What wines are made by Rayas?
Chateau Rayas - Rouge, 100% Grenache; Blanc, grenache (50%) et clairette (50%)
Pignan - 100% Grenache
Château de Fonsalette - grenache (50%), cinsault (35%), syrah (15%)
Pialade - grenache (80%), cinsault (15%), syrah (5%)
Describe the terroir of the Rayas vineyards
Fine sand, surrounded by pine trees (Pignan) that regulates airflow in the vineyard
Name 3 important producers of Vacqueyras
Chateau des Tours (Rayas), Domaine Les Ondines, Domaine la Garrigue
Name a Grignan-les-Adhémar AOP producer
Domaine de Grangeneuve
Côtes du Vivarais AOP producer
Domaine du Belvezet
Where is Côtes du Vivarais?
extreme NW of southern Rhone - just to the west of Grignan-les-Adhemar, higher elevation in the foothills of the Massif Central
Styles of wine in Côtes du Vivarais?
rouge/blanc/rosé. Blanc: Min. 50% Grenache Blanc, min. 30% combined Marsanne and Clairette; max. 10% combined Viognier and Roussanne. Rouge: Min. 40% Syrah, min. 30% Grenache, max. 10% combined Marselan and Cinsault. Rosé: 60-80% Grenache
How is vin doux naturel produced?
Neutral grape spirit is added (mutage) to stop fermentation, leaving substantial RS, and now alcohol, in the finished wine
What grapes are allowed in Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise AOP? What wines are made?
Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains and Muscat Rouge à Petits Grains. Vin Doux Naturel blanc, rosé, rouge
Name 3 producers of Muscat de Beaumes de Venise:
Large coop of Vignerons de Beaumes-de-Venise produces about 90% of the wine. But also - Vidal-Fleury, Paul Jaboulet Aîné, Domaine de Durban
Primary soil types in Beaumes de Venise
Clay-limestone and Miocene sand
Minimum alcohol and rs in Muscat de Beaumes de Venise:
15%, 100g/l
Name 5 AOPs that were elevated from Cotes du Rhone Village status
Gigondas, 1971. Vacqueyras, 1990. Beaumes-de-Venise AOP, 2005. Vinsobres 2006. Cairanne, 2016.
What s. Rhone appellation was among the first to receive AOP status?
Chateauneuf-du-Pape, 1936
Where, and when, did phylloxera first appear in France?
Lirac, Château de Clary, 1863
Who was Baron le Roy?
Was at the head of Château Fortia in CdP, co-founded the INAO, and worked toward the creation of the AOC system
Southern Rhone appellation that only allows rosé production
Tavel AOP
What communes fall under Rasteau AOP?
Rasteau, Cairanne, and Sablet
Who produces Hommage à Jacques Perrin?
Chateau de Beaucastel, only in best vintages, first vintage 1989
Who makes Réserve des Célestins?
Henri Bonneau, sourced from La Crau vineyards
Who produces Cuvée Marie Beurrier?
Henri Bonneau
What are the names of Henri Bonneau’s top cuvées?
Marie Beurrier, Réserve des Célestins, Cuvée Spéciale
What is Bonneau’s Cuvée Spéciale?
limited release (only 2 vintages - 1990, 1998), barrels destined for Celestins, but have a few grams of rs.
What wine does Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe produce from their younger vines?
Telegramme
Who makes Cuvée Laurence?
Domaine du Pegau, first vintage 1983
Who makes Cuvée Da Capo?
Domaine du Pegau (1998, 2000, 2003, 2007, 2010, 2015, 2016)
Who makes Cuvée Inspiration?
Domaine du Pegau (2003, 2010 - only in magnum)
What are Pierre Usseglio’s top wines and first vintages?
1998 for Cuvée de Mon Aïeul; 2000 for Réserve des Deux Frères
Who makes Cuvée Chaupin?
Domaine de la Janasse - from the Chapouin lieu-dit
What is La Nerthe’s old vine cuvée?
Cuvée des Cadettes
Name one modern and one traditional producer in Chateauneuf du Pape:
La Nerthe - modern, Bonneau - traditional
What is the top cuvée of Clos du Mont Olivet
Cuvée du Papet
Who were the first peoples to make wine in the southern Rhone?
The Greeks, followed by the Romans (who expanded viticulture to the northern Rhone)
At what time of year does the Mistral affect the Rhone Valley?
Winter and spring - cold, fast wind, but also drying (removes worry of mildew in spring)
Minimum alcohol in CdP?
12.5%
Rasteau vin doux naturel may be produced in what colors? From which grapes?
blanc, rosé, rouge - grenache blanc, gris, noir
What does tuilé indicate?
Rasteau RED VDN wines displaying a more oxidative character and subject to at least three years of aging prior to release
What does ambré indicate?
WHITE and red VDN wines displaying a more oxidative character and subject to at least three years of aging prior to release
minumum aging for ambré and tuilé Rasteau VDN
3 years
Rasteau VDN Hors d’age min. age
5 years
What is Rasteau’s rancio VDN style?
oxidative and maderized style in which the wine is left in open barrels
Name 3 of the geographic designations for Cotes du Rhone Villages AOP?
Chusclan, Plan de Dieu, Sablet, Séguret, Valréas
Name 3 of the geographic designations for Cotes du Rhone Villages AOP?
Chusclan, Plan de Dieu, Sablet, Séguret, Valréas
