Northern Rhone

Question 1

How many AOP’s in the Northern Rhone?

Answer 1

12

Cote-Rotie
Condrieu
Chateau-Grillet
Saint-Joseph
Crozes-Hermitage
Hermitage
Cornas
Saint-Peray
Chatillon-en-Diois
Clairette de Die
Coteaux de Die
Cremant de Die

Question 2

What percentage of Viognier is allowed in Cote Rotie?

Answer 2

20%

Question 3

What is the soil-type of the Cote Blonde?

Answer 3

Gneiss and lighter-colored sandy soils and a limestone base

Question 4

What is the soil-type of the Cote Brune?

Answer 4

Mica-schistous rock covered with reddish-brown soils, enriched with iron

Question 5

Which is north, which is south: Blonde/Brune?

Answer 5

Brune is north

Blonde is south

Question 6

What elevation does the Cote Rotie reach?

Answer 6

330 meters

Question 7

What are the best sites of the Cote Rotie?

Answer 7

La Landonne
Cote Brune
La Turque
Cote Blonde
La Mouline

Question 8

What town are all of the best sites located around?

Answer 8

Ampuis

Question 9

What is “Luminescence?”

Answer 9

Late harvest dessert wine from Viognier in Condrieu produced by Guigal only in exceptional vintages.

In the 2015 vintage, 1/3 of the grapes were harvested and stolen

Question 10

What is the prized soil-type of Condrieu’s top vineyards?

Answer 10

“Arzelle” - a powdery, mica-rich topsoil

Question 11

How long is the Condrieu AOP?

Answer 11

Only about a 9-mile stretch

Question 12

What does the name “Condrieu” mean?

Answer 12

The name Condrieu derives from a French phrase meaning ‘corner of the stream’

Question 13

What are some important climats of Hermitage?

Answer 13

L'Hermite
le Méal
les Bessards
Gréffieux
Beaume
Péléat

Question 14

What are the four lieux dits of Cornas?

Answer 14

Les Reynards
La Côte
Les Chaillot
Les Mazards

Question 15

Who is the best known producer in Cornas?

Answer 15

Auguste Clape

Question 16

What style of wine is made in Saint-Péray?

Answer 16

Marsanne and Roussanne wines, which may be made in méthode traditionelle mousseux style

Question 17

What northern Rhone AOP allows for an elusive Vin de Paille?

Answer 17

Hermitage, from Marsanne/Roussanne

Min must weight = 170 g/l

Min potential ABV = 19.5% (12.5% acquired)

Grapes must be subject to drying for a minimum 45 days, after which they must have a minimum must weight of 350 g/l.

Question 18

What is the grape of Methode Dioise Ancestrale Clairette de Die?

Answer 18

minimum 75% Muscat a Petits Grains, plus Clairette

minimum 35 g/l rs

Question 19

Who is the producer of “Cuvée Ampodium?”

Answer 19

René Rostaing

Question 20

In which appellation did the Gentaz-Dervieux estate produce wine in?

Answer 20

Côte-Rôtie

Question 21

What are the two parent grapes of Syrah?

Answer 21

Dureza and Mondeuse Blanche

Question 22

What is passerillage sur souche?

Answer 22

Practice of leaving the grapes on the vine to dry out and concentrate the sugars. Sometimes used in Condrieu

Question 23

What requirement must a Condrieu SGN meet?

Answer 23

Wines claiming the appellation title AOC Condrieu Selection des Grains Nobles must be produced from grapes harvested in multiple passes through the vineyard (known as tries successives in French), beginning no earlier than eight days after the standard harvest

Question 24

What are the top vineyards of Condrieu?

Answer 24

Chery
Chanson
Les Eyguets
Cote Bonnette