Languedoc Rousillon Flashcards
what is Languedoc surrounded by?
Mediterranean Sea on coast line, south east is Rhone, Roussillon in the south, Massif Central in the north. Pyrenees in SW, Cevennes MTs in the north east.
what is Languedoc climate
Mediterranean
what is Episode CEvenol?
A weather phenomenon generally happening in autumn.
hot air coming over the mediterranean sea, to the cevenees to the mountains which blocks it. The cool clouds traps the hot air which causes heavy rain.
What is Languedoc’s 3 topgraphy areas?
- coastal plans, hillsides and mountains, atlantic corridor.
What area is the Costal plans
Flat land stretches between Narbonne, Beziers to Montpellier. AOCs include: Picpoul de Pinet, Muscat de Miravel, Muscat de Frontignan. Soils are fertial. high yielding grapes
What are is the Hillsides and Mountains area?
AOCs: Pic Saint-Loup, Minervois, Saint Chinian, Faugeres. Elevation and Soils are well drained
What area is the Atlantic Corridor
AOCs: Cabardes, Malepere and Limoux. hilly, and bordeaux varieties.
What is Garrigue?
a stoney earth that can only support growth of shrubs, oak, lavender. It actaully has three definitions in the south: Soil, Vegetation that grow on it, and the aromas of the herbs crushed.
What is the Via Domintia
It is an important road that the romans built to connect Gaul to Itally and Spain.
Wh
at is Occitania?
In the Middle Ages, the entire southern half of France – with the exception of the Basque Country and Roussillon – spoke Occitan or the Langue d’oc:
T/F the first sparkling wine was made in Languedoc?
True - is what is said. Apparently monks from Blanquette de Limoux made it in 1531
What is the Canal du Midi
Canal took over a decade to make, incrediable engineering to make it. UNESCO world hertiage site in 1996. Short cut between the Mediterraean to the Atlantic, by bypassing the Iberian Pennisula.
T/F - Languedoc was the first french wine region to plant on American rootstock after Phylloxera?
True
T/F - Languedoc had the first wine co op?
True - 1905 in Maraussan near Beziers
What happened in 1972?
Languedoc and Roussillon were offically joined in a single adminstrative region knows as Pays d’Oc IGP. IGP Pays d’Oc was created in 1987. The flexibility of this new IGP category – originally called Vin de Pays – allowed producers to plant popular international varieties, such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Chardonnay. Today, over 100 grape varieties are grown in Languedoc. The majority of these are IGP approved – a smaller list is AOC approved.
Which canal links the Mediterranean port of Sète to the Garonne River in Toulouse?
Canal de Garonne
Which is the main white variety in the wines of La Clape?
Bourboulenc
Which red grape is enjoying a surge in popularity in Languedoc?
Carignan
What is the vine training in Languedoc?
Traditionally was Gobelet, newer are trained in Guyot. Vineyards tend to be east - west facing maximum sun exposure.
Languedoc and organic?
As of 2019, Languedoc – and Roussillon combined – contained 38% of France’s – and 7% of the world’s – organic vineyards. There were also 47 certified biodynamic domaines.
Languedoc DGCs
only make red wines except for Cabrieres. It only makes Rose and Reds
Wines from AOC Languedoc
have to be blended at least two grape varietites. reds and roses are based on Grenache, Lledoner Pelut, Syrah and Mourvedre. Whites are Bourboulenc, Clairette, Grenache Blanc, Marsanne, Piqueopoul Blanc, Roussane, Tourbat, Vermentino.
Languedoc Red wine AOC
Fitou (carignan and Grenache), Minervois La Liviniere AOC, Corbieres Boutenac AOC, Terrasses du Larzac AOC
Languedoc White, Sparkling and Red AOC
Limoux AOC (Mauzac Blanc, Chardonnay Chenin Blanc, Merlot)
Languedoc Red and Rose wine AOC
Malepere AOC (cab franc, merlot), Cabardes AOC (cab, merlot, cab franc, Grenache, Syrah)
Languedoc White, Rose and Red AOC
Minervois AOC, Corbieres AOC, Saint Chinian AOC, Faugeres AOC, Pic Saint Loup AOC
What AOC is Blanquette de Limoux and Blanquette Méthode Ancestrale apart of?
Limoux (both wines are mostly made from Mauzac)
Languedoc White and Red AOC
La Clape AOC,
Languedoc White AOC
Picpoul de Pinet AOC
Languedoc white and semi sweet and fortified AOC
Claireette du Langwudoc AOC
T/F - Languedoc AOC also covers the Roussillon vineyard area.
True
Which is the largest non-regional appellation in the Languedoc?
Corbières
Fortified AOC in Languedoc
Muscat de Lunel - galets soil, harvest early in august.
Muscat de Mireval Med breeze, soils are clay/limestones and sprinkle of galet. Producers in Vic La Gardiole can label Muscat de Mireval or Frontignan
Muscat de Frontignan oldest, clay/limestone w/ sand. most powerful
Muscat de Saint Jean de Minervois AOC - higher sweetness 12.5, contentintal influence, very fragrant and floral.
Clairette du Languedoc AOC - makes dry and sweet
Three of the four Languedoc VDNs must have a minimum sweetness level of 11%/110 g/l R.S. The fourth VDN AOC requires a minimum of 12.5%/125 g/l R.S. – which AOC is that?
Muscat de Saint Jean de Minervois AOC
How many IGPs?
20 IGPS including the regional Pays d’Oc IGP. Frances largest is Pays and covers all of Languedoc and Rousillon. Pays has 58 grapes,
What percentage of France’s varietal wines is produced as Pays d’Oc IGP?
92%
Which AOC is made up of two separate zones of production within the southern part of Corbières?
Fitou
Which two Languedoc AOCs are known for single-varietal wines?
Clairette du Languedoc
Picpoul de Pinet
Which grape variety is used to make Blanquette Méthode Ancestrale?
Mauzac
Which Languedoc AOC has Chenin Blanc as a Primary grape variety?
Limoux
The limestone outcrop known as the Falaise de l’Hortus (Cliff of Hortus) is found in which Languedoc AOC?
Pic Saint-Loup
Which Languedoc AOC is in the foothills of the Cévennes mountains?
Faugères
Which is the oldest and largest of the four Muscat VDN AOCs in Languedoc?
Muscat de Frontignan
As of 2020, how many DGCs are there in Languedoc AOC?
11
Languedoc terms for grape varietls:
Grenache: Garnacha
Mourvèdre: Monastrell
Carignan: Cariñena
Macabeu: Macabeao
What styles of wine are produced in Limoux AOC.
Dry white, Rose, Red, Sparkling White,
Which is unique about Languedoc Cabrières compared to all the other Languedoc DGCs?
It makes rosé wines as well as red
Rousillon climate?
Med but always windy. and has 8 different winds
how many winds impact Rousillon?
8 different winds, but Tramontane in the north desiccates the berries and incresing sugar concentration and reducing yields.
Difference between langudeoc and rousillon
R - intense pressure/bulking and more moutains - many vineyards on foot hills on the pyrenees.
L - mix area of vineyards from flat to hills
which three rivers cut through Rousillon
Agly (most fav vineyards are near it), Tet and Tech
What type of soil in Rousillon?
iron rich sandy clay soil but diverse. lower plans (alluvial) are planted with white and stoney sites higher up are red.
Which mountain range forms the northern boundary of Roussillon?
Corbières
What are Roussillon first three AOC
Rivesaltes, Banyuls and Maury
Later - Muscat de Rivesaltes 1956, than Banylus Grand Cru in 1962,
How much VDN does Roussillon make in French?
80% of white vins doux naturels
Roussillon was at one stage part of which island Kingdom?
Majorca
Which Treaty ceded Roussillon to France?
Treaty of the Pyrenees
What is the main grape variety used to produce white VDNs in Roussillon?
Grenache Blanc
What is the main grape variety used to produce red VDNs in Roussillon?
Grenache
Vine Training in Roussillon
Gobelet
What is Rancio Wines?
Oxidative methods turning dark brown or tawny and can be red, white or rose.
As of 2018, what percentage of Roussillon’s vineyards are farmed organically?
20%
In Roussillon – and Languedoc – which red grape variety is often fermented using carbonic maceration?
Carignan
How many regional AOCs does Roussillon have?
Roussillon has two regional AOCs – Languedoc and Côtes du Roussillon. Côtes du Roussillon AOC is Roussillon’s largest by volume – its wines are made in a variety of styles, from youthful and light to more complex and concentrated.
Roussillon Red AOC
Cotes du Roussillon Villages AOC (grenache, syrah, mourvedre, carignan) and Maury (sec) AOC (Grenache)
Which is the largest AOC in Roussillon?
Côtes du Roussillon
Rousillon white, rose and red AOC
Collioure AOC - grenache blanc, macabeu, marsane, roussanne, tourbat, vermetino
Rousillon fortified wine AOC
Muscat de Rivesaltes AOC (10%) covers most of R.
Muscat de Noel - marketed for christmas
Riversaltes - makes red, white and fortified wines (4.5 -15%) shares same zone as Muscat de Riversaltes except for Banyuls/Collioure
Roughly what percentage of Roussillon’s wine production was bottled as Languedoc AOC in 2019?
2%
Which of these VDNs is only made reductively?
Muscat de Rivesaltes
Which IGP is the most used in Roussillon?
Côtes Catalanes
Côtes Catalanes IGP can be used for rancio style wines – how long must these be aged for before being sold?
Until August 31 of the fifth year after harvest
Which of these rivers is in Roussillon?
Agly, tet, and tech
What effect does the Tramontane wind have on the vineyards?
Reduces humidity
What wine styles of wine can be made in Côtes du Roussillon Villages AOC?
Dry red only
Banyuls AOC shares the same area with which other Roussillon AOC?
Collioure
What are the large glass jars used for maturing VDN called?
Bonbonnes
Grenat and Rimage VDN
Reductive
Tuilé, Hors d’Age, Ambré, Traditionnel VDN
Oxidative
Rancio VDN
Very oxidative
In 2018 what was the most planted red grape in Roussillon?
Grenache
In 2018 what was the most planted white grape in Roussillon?
Muscat à Petits Grains Blanc
What style of wine does Banyuls Grand Cru AC produce?
Red VDN only
Banyuls makes red, rosé and white VDNs on steeply terraced slopes that are comprised of…what?
Schist
What term is used for a reductively aged red Banyuls?
Rimage
Côte Vermeille IGP covers the same area as…?
Banyuls/ Collioure
Maury AOC produces Fortified White and Fortified Red wines. What other style can also be produced here?
Dry red only
