Northern Rhone

Question 1

How far north of Avignon is the Northern Rhone?

Answer 1

75 miles

Question 2

Describe the climate differences between the Northern and Southern Rhone

Answer 2

Northern Rhone experiences greater seasonal temp shifts, more rainfall, fewer annual hours of sunshine than the southern appellations

Question 3

What prevents mold and mildew in the Northern Rhone?

Answer 3

The mistral wind’s drying effects

Question 4

Soils that define the northern appellations

Answer 4

Granitic and schistous soils
Cote-Rotie, Condrieu

Question 5

Soil in Condrieu

Answer 5

Arzelle- rich soil with decomposed mica- good for resisting erosion

Question 6

Southern N. Rhone soil type and affected appellations

Answer 6

Heavier clay soils
Saint-Joseph, Crozes-Hermitage, Saint-Peray

Question 7

Hermitage AOP cepage requirements

Answer 7

Blanc, rouge, vin de paille
B: Marsanne and/or Roussanne
R: 85% Syrah, combined 15% marsanne and roussanne
VDP: Marsanne and/or Roussanne

Question 8

Crozes-Hermitage AOP Cepage requirements and major lieux dits

Answer 8

Blanc: Marsanne and/or Roussanne
Rouge: Syrah plus a max. 15% combined Marsanne and Roussanne

Les Chassis (Yves Cuilleron)
Les Picheres (Ferraton)

Question 9

Cornas AOP cepage requirements and lieu dits

Answer 9

100% Syrah. Rouge only

Reynard (Clape)
Chaillot
La Côte (Yves Cuilleron)
Les Mazards
Thézier
Le Pigeonnier
La Ge(y)nale
Cayret
Sauman
Champelrose
Les Saveaux-Nord/Sud
Les Côtes
Patou (Ferraton Pere & Fils)

Question 10

Cote-Rotie cepage and lieux dits

Answer 10

Rouge only
Syrah plus a max. 20% Viognier

…

Question 11

Saint-Joseph cepage requirements

Answer 11

90% Syrah 10% Marsanne and Roussanne

Question 12

Location of the steepest vineyards in France
What’s the gradient?

Answer 12

Cote-Rotie
55 degrees

Question 13

Cote-Rotie top 3 producers

Answer 13

E. Guigal
Jamet
Renee Rostaing

Question 14

Who famously works the La Landonne vineyard? Where is it located?

Answer 14

Guigal, Rostaing
In the Cote Brune

Question 15

Hermitage faces _____

Answer 15

South

Question 16

Hermitage top 3 producers

Answer 16

Jean-Louis Chave
Delas
Chapoutier
Jaboulet

Question 17

Who produces La Chapelle?

Answer 17

Jaboulet

Question 18

Hermitage lieux dits

Answer 18

Les Grandes Vignes
L’Hermite
Varogne
Les Vercandières
Les Bessards
Les Diognières
Les Beaumes
Le Méal
Les Murets
La Croix
Péleat
Les Rocoules
La Pierelle
Les Greffieux
Maison Blanche
L’Homme

Question 19

Saint-peray production and cepage requirements

Answer 19

Blanc: Marsanne and Roussanne
Blanc Mousseux (Méthode Traditionnelle)

Marsanne and Roussanne

Question 20

Distinguish Marsanne and Roussanne

Answer 20

Rousanne: more delicate, more acid, waxy minerality
Marsanne: broader, oily texture, marzipan character

Question 21

Hermitage dessert wine. What is it called and who revived it? Cepage requirements?

Answer 21

vin de paille
Gerard Chave in the 70s and again by Chapoutier in 1990
Marsanne/roussanne. Minimum 45 day drying until must weight is 350 g/l

Question 22

Condrieu most famous monople

Answer 22

Chateau Grillet AOP

Question 23

Coteaux de Die requirements

Answer 23

still wines, 100% Clairette

Question 24

Cremant de Die AOP requirements

Answer 24

Min. 55% Clairette, min. 10% Aligoté, 5-10% Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains

Traditional Method Secondary Fermentation
The wines must spend a min. 9 months on the lees prior to dégorgement, and may not be released for a min. 12 months after the date of tirage
Min. 3.5 atmospheres of pressure

Question 25

Clairette de Die AOP requirements

Answer 25

Mousseux Blanc (Méthode Traditionnelle): Clairette
- 3.5 atm pressure
- 9 mo lees
Mousseux Blanc Méthode Ancestrale: min. 75% Muscat à Petits Grains plus Clairette
- 3 atm pressure
- 4 mo lees
Mousseux Rosé Méthode Ancestrale: min. 75% Muscat à
Petits Grains plus Clairette and Gamay (max. 10%)
- 3 atm pressure
- 4 mo lees

Question 26

Minimum g/l rs in Traditional Method and Method Ancestrale wines of Clairette de Die

Answer 26

15 g/l
35 g/l

Question 27

Chatillon en Diois AOP requirements

Answer 27

Still white, rose and reds
Blanc: Chardonnay and Aligoté
Rouge: min. 75% Gamay, plus Pinot Noir and Syrah
Rosé: min. 75% Gamay, plus Pinot Noir and Syrah