Northern Rhone Flashcards
Northmost & Southmost part of the Rhone Valley?
North: Cote Rotie
South: Avignon
What is the Mistral? Explain its significance?
The Mistral Winds define the climatic element of the Rhone Valley & Provence, blowing down from the Massif Central and affecting the Northern Rhone in Winter & spring.
During the growing season it cools down the vines, helping the grapes retain acidity. However, they can be voilent and rip apart the vines.
What is the soil type of Northern Rhone?
Granite and Schist.
A specific top-soil in the Condrieu?
Arzelle. The thin topsoil is rich with powdery decomposed Mica.
What are wines typically fermented and aged in?
Large Oak Foudres. Foudre a generic French wine term used to describe a large wooden vat, which is between 20-120 hectolitres in size
Name all the major appellations of Northern Rhone.
Cote Rotie ( Cote Brune and Cote Blonde) Condrieu Chateau Grillet Saint Joseph Crozes-Hermitage Hermitage St. Peray
What are the five Northern Rhone appellations for Syrah?
Cote-Rotie Hermitage Crozes-Hermitage Cornas St. Joseph
Only Northern Rhone AOP with 100 % varital syrah?
Cornas
What is Syrah blended with in Cote Rotie?
Viognier (up to 20%)
What appellations allows for blending of up to 15% Marsanne and Roussane to Syrah?
Crozes-Hermitage & Hermitage
What appellations allows for 10% blending of Marsanne and Roussane with Syrah?
St. Joseph
What is the advantage of Co-Fermentation?
Stablizing red wine color and moderating tannin extraction. (Syrah & Viognier)
What does Cote-Rotie mean?
The Roasted Slope.
What town is home to E Guigal?
Ampuis
What two slopes nearest to Ampuis are considered to be the heart of Cote-Rotie?
Cote Brune (Clay) Cote Blonde (Schist, limestone and silica)
What town is at the bottom of the Hermitage hill?
Tain l’Hermitage
What direction does Hermitage hill face?
South
Name the top four producers of Hermitage.
Paul Jaboulet, M Chaputier, Jean-Louis Chave and Delas
What is Jaboulet’s premier wine?
La Chapelle
The chapel of Hermitage is located within what climat?
L’Hermite
What are the important Climats of Hermitage?
Le meal, Les Bessards, Greffieux, Beaume, Peleat, L’Hermite
How many appellations are in the Northern Rhone?
12
What is the naked granitic soil in Cornas known as?
Gore
Smallest red wine appellation of Northern Rhone?
Cornas
Cornas is divided into what four lieux-dits?
Les Reynards, La Cote, Les Chaillot and Les Mazards
Who is the standard bearer for traditional wines of Cornas?
Auguste Clape
What are the barrels used in Cornas called?
Demi-muids.A French term for 600-liter capacity oak barrels, typically used in the Rhône Valley.
What AOP is north of St. Joseph?
Condrieu
What are the two red wine only appellations of the Northern Rhone?
Cote-Rotie and Cornas
What is the largest appellation of the Northern Rhone?
Crozes-Hermitage
What are rivers that run in the Northern Rhone?
Rhone River and Valence.
Wahat grapes are used in St. Peray?
Marsanne and Roussane (80% sparkling)
What dessert wine may be made in Hermitage?
Vin de Paille (Straw Wine)
What Northern Rhone appellations may produce sparkling wine?
St. Peray, Clairette de Die, Crement de Die
What is the white wine appellation south of Cote-Rotie?
Condrieu
What are some of the top Condrieu producers?
Georges Vernay, Yves Cuilleron, Andre Perret
What AOP is a monopole within Condrieu?
Chateau Grillet
The four minor appellations in the southern portoin of Northern Rhone lie on what tributary of the Rhone River?
Drome
What is the grape of Coteaux de Die AOP?
Clairette
What is the grape of Crement de Die AOP?
Clairette
What is the grape of Clairette de Die AOP when made Methode Tradionalle?
Clairette
What is the grape of Clairette de Die AOP when made Methode Diose Ancestrale?
Muscat a petit grains
What is the maximum amount of residual sugar for Methode Traditionale Clairette de Die AOP wines?
15 g/l
What is the maximum amount of residual sugar for methode dioise ancestrale Clairette de Die AOP?
35 g/l
How long must Clairette de Die AOP age on lees?
9 months
How long must Methode Dioise Ancestrale Clairette de Die AOP wines age of lees?
4 months
What AOP is east of Clairette de Die AOP?
Chatillon-en-Diois
What is the primary grape for Chatillon-en-diois?
Gamay
Other grapes produced by Chatillon-en-Diois?
Chardonnay and Aligote
What are E. Guigal’s three famous Vineyards in Cote-Rotie?
La Mouline, La Turque and La Landonne
What is the largest climat of Hermitage?
Les Bessards
What two famous sites in Hermitage will almost always determine the character of a producer’s Hermitage?
Les Bessards and Le Meal
