Northern Rhone Flashcards
What is Northern Rhone’s climate?
Name two climatic threats in Northern Rhone?
Continental with great seasonal temperature shifts, more rainfall, and fewer annual hours of sunshine that Southern Rhone.
Wind and erosion.
The Mistral wind blowing down from the Massif Central, affects the Northern Rhone in winter and spring. The wind is strong enough to strip or lean the vines. It also dries the vineyards, preventing mold and mildew from taking hold.
In Côte-Rôtie, the vines are trained to help withstand the twin local dangers of wind damage and soil erosion, with pairs of vines staked to meet in a point, making the roasted slopes look as though they are covered in Christmas trees.
What soils are found in the Northern Rhone?
Côte-Rôtie, Condrieu and Hermitage- Heat-retaining granitic and schistous soil.
St-Joseph, Crozes-Hermitage, and St-Péray-soils become heavier with clay.
Topsoils of fine sand and loess throughout prone to erosion, threat partially mitigated by terrace construction.
What is arzelle?
Thin topsoil of rich powdery, decomposed mica found in the most favorable vineyards in Condrieu.
What is Syrah from the Northern Rhone typically aged in?
Large oak foudres (French term for a large cask of indefinite size; typically vary in capacity from 20-120 hectolitres), although some producers are now experimenting with new barriques
Tablas Creek reference “At Tablas Creek we follow the Châteauneuf-du-Pape tradition of maturing our red wines in 1200 gallon (4500 liter) French oak foudres rather than in the more familiar 60 gallon (225 liter) oak barrels”
What are the eight Northern Rhone appellations (N-S), their encépagement, and which side of the river they are on?
Côte-Rôtie AOP- 80% Syrah/20% Viognier; (may only produce red wine), west side (right bank)
Condrieu- 100% Viognier, west side (right bank)
Chateau-Grillet 100% Viognier (within Condrieu), west side (right bank)
St-Joseph AOP- 90% Syrah/plus Marssane and Roussanne, west side (right bank)
Crozes-Hermitage- (85% Syrah; 15% combined Marsanne Roussanne), east side (left bank)
Hermitage- (85% Syrah; 15% combined Marsanne Roussanne), east side (left bank)
Cornas- (100% Syrah; may only produce red wine), west side (right bank)
St-Peray- White still and sparkling only made from Marsanne and Roussanne, west side (right bank)
What are the benefits of co-fermentation in Northern Rhone of red and white grapes?
Stabilizing red wine color and moderating tannin extraction.
What degrees incline is found in Côte-Rôtie/”roasted slope?
On parts of the slope, the gradient is a precipitous 55° or more.
Who is the largest producer in Côte-Rôtie?
E. Guigal from Ampuis
What are the two famous slopes found in Côte-Rôtie? What are aspect, soils and flavor profiles?
—Côte Brune (north) SW facing, “brown slope”- dark/iron rich schist (stronger and assertive)
—Côte Blonde (south)- south facing; pale granite and schist (softer, alluring), gneiss
***The two slopes are nearest Ampuis and both considered the heart of the appellation.
Name three producers making wine out of La Ladone?
E. Guigal
Rene Rostaing
Jeanl-Michel Gerin
What are the top three wines from Guigal?
What was the first vintage of each?
Referred to as the La La’s. La Landonne (only officially recognized plot), La Mouline and La Turque (both Guigal created brands)
—La Landonne- First vintage 1978; 2 hectares on Cote Brune; biggest, most tannic and sturdiest. Also expresses most minerality 100% Syrah
—La Mouline- First vintage 1966 (EMP has it on their list for $12000); usually harvested first, slightly warmer, precocious, micro climate, 1 hectare on Cote Blonde, 89% syrah / 11% viognier
—La Turque- First vintage 1985, steepest of all vineyards (60/70 degrees in some parts) 93% Syrah 7% Viognier. Youngest wines of all three; produced on Cote Brune, not far from La Landonne. Somewhat a combination of the other two. Bigger than Mouline, darker, denser and more tannic. But La Turque lacks the power, structure, weight and tannin found in La Landonne. It is higher on the slope versus La Mouline and La Landonne being steeper vineyards closer to the base of the cliff.
Earned the right to be called the world’s most consistently high quality wines.
Best vintages: 2016, 2015, 2012, 2010, 2009, 2007, 2005, 2003, 2001, 1999, 1998, 1997, 1995, 1991, 1990, 1989, 1988, 1985, 1983, 1982, 1978, 1969 and 1966.
Name the four dominant producers of Hermitage.
Jean Louis Chave —Negociants: Delas M. Chapoutier Jaboulet
Who is Gaspard de Stérimberg and what bottling is connected to him?
Legendary Crusader-turned-hermit who lived a life of asceticism atop the hill of Hermitage in a hillside Chapel. Jaboulet’s Hermitage Blanc “Chevalier de Stérimberg” (65% Marsanne, 35% Roussanne) is named after him.
Ironic, they don’t own the vineyards around the chapel, but they do own the chapel.
Name Important climats of Hermitage (6)
L'Hermite Beaume Le Méal- "la ME-al" Bessards "BIZ-za" Gréffieux "greh-few" (r is rolled) Péléat "PAY-lee-ah" first of Chave's vineyards to be harvested
What do each of the climats of Hermitage bring to a wine and why?
Name several of the Hermitage climats known for lighter wines?
Why?
—Beaume and L’Hermite- adds lightness and (most) aromatics because of higher elevation
—Les Greffieux-adds elegance and aromatics
—Peleat-adds flesh
—Le Meal- adds density and power, lower slope and steeper
—Bessards-adds (most) tannins and ageability; particularly granitic climat; lower slope and steeper
What producer owns the most Les Greffieux?
Chapoutier
What is gore?
Naked granite soil found in Cornas. This soil magnifies the sun’s warmth of the soil and helps Cornas to be amonst the warmest in Northern Rhone.
Who is the standard-bearer for the wines of Cornas?
Name two other big names of Cornas?
August Clape
—He avoids destemming in preference for whole cluster fermentation and subs new oak barriques for the old demi-muids (600 L french oak) of the region.
Jean-Luc Colombo (who has experimented with heavy oaking) and the talented Thierry Allemand are the most famous Cornas producers.
