Northern Rhone

Question 1

Please state whether the following appellations of the Northern Rhone lie to the left, right, or on both banks of the Rhone River.

a) Cornas - 
b) St Joseph - 
c) Hermitage - 
d) Croze-Hermitage -  
e) Cotes du Rhone -
f) Cote-Rotie -

Answer 1

a) Cornas - Left
b) St Joseph - Left
c) Hermitage - Right
d) Croze-Hermitage - Right
e) Cotes du Rhone - Both
f) Cote-Rotie - Left

Question 2

What is the difference between a foudre and a demi-muid?

Answer 2

Demi-muids, meaning ‘half wagon load’ are 600 liter wooden casks and foudres, french term for a cask of indefinite size, are larger with a capacity of 4500 liters.

Question 3

Please name the department(s) of the following appellations.

a) St Joseph - 
b) Cote-Rotie - 
c) Chateau Grillet - 
d) Clairette de Die - 
e) Cornas -

Answer 3

Please name the department(s) of the following appellations.

a) St Joseph - Loire, Ardeche
b) Cote-Rotie - Rhone
c) Chateau Grillet - Loire
d) Clairette de Die - Drome
e) Cornas - Ardeche

Question 4

If I were traveling from Ampuis to Tain l’Hermitage , in what direction would I be headed and how long would it take me by car to get there assuming 60 mph speed?

Answer 4

35 minutes south

Question 5

What northern Rhone appellation would be the closest to Lyon?

Answer 5

Cotes du Rhone

Question 6

Describe the soils of the Cote Brune and Cote Blonde.

Answer 6

Cote Brune - Heavier and darker Clay, iron rich soils

Cote Blonde - Lighter soils of limestone, granite laced sand.

Question 7

Please name two outstanding vintages from the 1970’s in the Northern Rhone.

Answer 7

1971 & 1978

Question 8

. The maximum yield for Hermitage vin de paille is _______ than that of Hermitage Blanc.

  a) 3 times greater
  b) 3 times less
  c) 2 times greater
  d) 2 times less
  e) They stay the same

Answer 8

B - 3 times less

Question 9

. Match the following cuvees with the producer -

 1. Coteau de Vernon          a) Paul Jaboulet Aine
 2. Le Grand Place                   b) Rene Rostaing
 3. La Chappelle                      c) George Vernay
 4. Ex Voto                           d) Jean Michel Gerin
 5. Cote Blonde                         e) E. Guigal
 6. Celeste                                     f) J.L. Chave

Answer 9

1. George Vernay - Coteau de Vernon
   
   2. Jean Michel Gerin - Le Grand Place
   3. Paul Jaboulet Aine - La Chapelle
   4. E. Guigal - Ex Voto
   5. Rene Rostaing - Cote Blonde
   6. J.L. Chave - Celeste

Question 10

What are two industrial innovations from the early to mid 1800’s in the Northern Rhone that revolutionized trade and its logistics?

Answer 10

Steamed powered ships and a railway line connecting Lyon-Avignon-Marseilles.

Question 11

From which of the following importers (to the U.S.) would I find the largest Northern Rhone portfolio?

  a) Robin Yapp 
  b) Michael Skurnik
  c) Palm Bay
  d) Kermit Lynch
  e) Robert Chadderdon

Answer 11

D - Kermit Lynch

Question 12

Name 3 lieux-dits in St Joseph

Answer 12

Les Oliviers, Vigne de l’Hospice, Dardouilles, Lautaret, Paradis to name a few.

Question 13

The vineyard acreage of Condrieu ________ since the early 1980’s.

  a) Decreased by 10 times
  b) Increased by 10 times
  c) Doubled in size
  d) Stayed the same

Answer 13

B - Increased by 10 times

Question 14

What is the likely price of the following wines on a restaurant wine list assuming a 3-time mark up from wholesale?

  a) A. Clape Cornas 2009,  
  b) J.L. Chave Hermitage Blanc 2010, 
  c) Yves Cuilleron "La Cote" Condrieu 2009 (.375ml),
  d) Domaine Clusel Roch Cote Rotie La Grand Place 2009

Answer 14

a) A. Clape Cornas 2009, $200-210
b) J.L. Chave Hermitage Blanc 2010, $900-1000
c) Yves Cuilleron “La Cote” Condrieu 2009 (.375ml), $80-90
d) Domaine Clusel Roch Cote Rotie La Grand Place 2009 $300

Question 15

True or False - Jean Louis Chave is a specialist in producing single cru, Hermitage bottlings.

Answer 15

False - His wines are always blends of different climats of Hermitage.

Question 16

Please state whether the following villages of the Northern Rhone lie on the left or right bank of the Rhone River.

 a) St. Cyr-sur-Rhone - 
 b) Ampuis - 
 c) Tournon-sur-Rhone- 
 d) Gervan - 
 e) Tain l'Hermitage - 
 f) Mauves -

Answer 16

a) St. Cyr-sur-Rhone - Left
b) Ampuis - Left
c) Tournon-sur-Rhone- Left
d) Gervan - Right
e) Tain l’Hermitage - Right
f) Mauves - Left

Question 17

What is La Bise?

Answer 17

Prevailing winds from the north, known as mistral in the southern Rhone.

Question 18

Please name a producer making a 100% roussanne. In what appellation are they based?

Answer 18

Only two producers make 100% roussanne. Domaine Chauboud and Domaine de Tunnel, both in St. Peray

Question 19

Match the soil descriptions to the appropriate climat.

 a) Decomposed rock, mica, and schist, aka arzelle.  1) L'Hermite
 b) Clay-Chalk, loess        2) Vernon
 c) Rotted, oxidized granite aka gore.                3) Les Picaudieres
 d) Rocky, highly weathered granite on steep hillsides 4) Bessards

Answer 19

a) Vernon
b) L’Hermite
c) Les Picaudieres
d) Bessards

Question 20

True or False - Vendange Tardive is an acceptable term to denote on a label of sweet Condrieu

Answer 20

False - Moelleux and Passerillage are acceptable terms.

Question 21

Exactly where does the Rhone river start and where does it end?

Answer 21

From the Swiss Canton of Valais to Marseilles, flowing out to the Mediterranean.

Question 22

Name three tributaries (in the Northern Rhone) to the Rhone River.

Answer 22

Isere, Drome, Ardeche, Durance, Saone

Question 23

. Describe the Raisin Entier technique of fermentation. How does this differ from carbonic maceration?

Answer 23

Whole clusters of grapes macerate to initiate fermentation within their skins. It is different from carbonic maceration in that it does not use carbonic gas for intracellular fermentation. It is now the common method of fermentation in the Northern Rhone to encourage greater fruit extraction, without the harsh tannins.

Question 24

From which of the following appellations would you most likely see an intentional early harvesting to preserve acidity?

 a) Cornas
 b) Hermitage 
 c) Cotes-du-Rhone
 d) St. Peray
 e) St. Joseph

Answer 24

D - St. Peray

Question 25

In which direction would I be headed if going from:

  a) Cotes Blonde to Cotes Brune - 
  b) Les Meal to Les Bessards - 
  c) Les Cotes to Les Mazards -

Answer 25

a) Cotes Blonde to Cotes Brune - East
b) Les Meal to Les Bessards - West
c) Les Cotes to Les Mazards - North

Question 26

Please name the two outstanding vintages of the 1980’s for Northern Rhone.

Answer 26

1983 & 1985

Question 27

True or False: Botrytis is common in Hermitage vin de paille

Answer 27

False, producers look for a passerillage effect, not botrytis.

Question 28

Please describe the changes in soil as one moves from northern Cote Rotie to the southern part. Hint: Think about Condrieu directly to the south.

Answer 28

Northern Cote Rotie is composed mostly of gray blue schist, with mica. As one moves south, there’s softer granite, in a decomposed state with quartz and white mica, often referred to as arzelle.

Question 29

What do the cuvees “Les Deux Cs” and “Conversation” have in common?

Answer 29

They are cuvees made with the joint cooperation of both California and Condrieu producers, by blending Condrieu with California Viognier. These cuvees resulted with the disastrous vintage of 2003 in Condrieu when its producers lost over half of their crop.