Languedoc Roussillon et Provence

Question 1

What is the climate of the majority of Southern France?

Answer 1

Warm Mediterranean

Question 2

What is the greatest climatic challenge Southern France faces?

Answer 2

Drought

Low rainfall in this warm, dry climate of Southern France can lead to drought, although the area experiences less pressure from fungal disease.

Question 3

The rosé wines of Provence are typically made using what method?

Answer 3

Direct Press

Question 4

What are some of the major red/black grape varieties used in Provence?

Answer 4

Mourvèdre (predominant thanks to the most important AOP in Provence, Bandol)
Grenache
Syrah
Carignan
Cinsault

Question 5

What are some of the major white grape varieties used in southern France?

Which two are the most planted?

Answer 5

Chardonnay
Sauvignon Blanc
Viognier
Muscat
Grenache Blanc
Picpoul
Mauzac
Maccabeu
Rolle
Clairette

Question 6

What is the largest appellation in Provence?

Answer 6

Côtes de Provence AOP

The Côtes de Provence AOP is the largest appellation both in terms of production and geographic size.

Question 7

What is the primary red/black grape of the Bandol AOP?

Answer 7

Mourvèdre

Mourvèdre’s small berries and thick skins give Bandol AOP wines intense color and high tannins.

Mourvèdre is widely planted in Bandol because of the region’s south-facing slopes. This aspect gives the grapes enough warmth and sun exposure to fully ripen to produce dark, full-bodied red wines.

Question 8

What is unique about the phylloxera crisis of the late 1800s in the Languedoc region?

Answer 8

Languedoc was the first region in France replanted with American rootstocks and thus was the first region to be rebuilt after the phylloxera crisis.

Question 9

Picpoul de Pinet AOP:

What is the grape?
Quickly describe it.

Answer 9

Grape: Piquepoul
Piquepoul makes wines naturally high in acidity with citrus notes and green fruit flavors.

Question 10

Minervois AOP is known for making what color wines based on what grape variety?

Answer 10

Red blends based on Syrah.

Question 11

Which subregion of Minervois is considered to produce the best wines of the appellation?

Answer 11

La Livinière

The wines from this subregion are considered so good, Minervois-La Livinière has its own AOP.

Question 12

Is Minervois on the coast or is it inland?

How does its location affect the wines made there?

Answer 12

Inland

Wines made in Minervois vary in quality due to how the AOP is situated: on slopes of the Massif Central, which means there is altitude variation, exposure differences, and soil composition differences.

Question 13

Corbières AOP wines are mainly made from what grape variety?

Answer 13

Carignan

Question 14

Which AOP of the Languedoc is the largest geographically?

Answer 14

Corbières AOP

Question 15

Corbières is subdivided into 11 subregions. Which is considered the best subregion?

Answer 15

Boutenac, which is its own AOP.

Question 16

The inland vineyards of Corbières AOP are cooled by which wind?

Question 17

Which quality level of wine is produced more in the Languedoc-Roussillon region than any other region in France?:

PDO
IGP
Premier Cru
Grand Cru

Question 18

What factors are attributable to the success of the Pays d’Oc IGP?

Question 19

What are the département(s) within Languedoc?

What are the département(s) within Roussillon?

Question 20

What generic AOP covers the Languedoc and Roussillon wine regions?

Question 21

What are the 4 most widely used red/black grape varieties of the Languedoc AOP?

Question 22

Côtes du Roussillon and Côtes du Roussillon Villages are known for what style of wines?

What’s the geography like in these appellations?

Question 23

Where is Fitou AOP?

Describe the two distinct areas of Fitou.

Question 24

What is the name of the wind that has a major affect on the Roussillon winegrowing region?

Question 25

How does the Tramontane impact the Roussillon region?

Question 26

Does the Mistral affect Provence, Languedoc-Roussillon, or both?

Question 27

What are the similarities and differences between the Mistral and the Tramontane?

Question 28

What are some of the modern winemaking techniques that have generally improved the wines coming out of the South of France?

Question 29

Name the international varieties planted and used in the production of Pays d’Oc IGP wines

Question 30

The Banyuls AOP shares the same grape growing area as what other Roussillon appellation?

Answer 30

Banyuls AOP wines will always be fortified wines while Collioure AOP produces dry table wines.

Question 31

There are more of what kind of wine producers in Roussillon than any other region of France?

Answer 31

Roussillon has more organic and biodynamic wine producers than any other wine region in France.

Roussillon’s unique climate of warm days, low rainfall, and low disease pressure allow more viticulturists to practice organic and biodynamic farming than in other regions of France.

Question 32

What is Lledoner Pelut?

Answer 32

Lledoner Pelut is a red/black grape mostly grown in the Languedoc-Roussillon region of France. It is thought to be a mutation of Grenache Noir.

Question 33

What appellation in Roussillon is known for producing sweet fortified wines?

Answer 33

Rivesaltes AOP

Question 34

What are the sub-denominations of the Provence AOP?

Answer 34

Fréjus
La Londe
Pierrefeu
Sainte Victoire

Question 35

The wines of Malepère AOP must be made from a minimum of 50% what grape?

Answer 35

Merlot

Question 36

Which AOP in Provence is unique in that its production is over 75% white wine?

Question 37

How many estates are currently entitled to call themselves Crus Classés in Provence?

Question 38

The finest white wines from Provence are usually based on which two grape varieties?

Question 39

In terms of production, which AOP has the largest output of wine in Languedoc-Roussillon?

Question 40

What are the 3 major rivers of the Roussillon region?

Question 41

What are the names for the large glass jars used to age VDNs in Roussillon?

Question 42

Maury AOP produces what styles of wines?

Question 43

Oxidized Vins Doux Naturels that have been aged for at least 5 years may be labelled as what?

Question 44

Since what year has mutage been practiced in Roussillon?