Provence, Corsica, and Languedoc-Roussillon Flashcards by Chris Dunaway

What is the principal white grape of Côteau d’Aix-en-Provence? What are the top four complimentary varietals?

Vermentino is the principal white variety.

Clairette, Grenache Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, and Ugni Blanc are the top complimentary varietals.

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May Côteau d’Aix-en-Provence AOP wines be single varietal?

No they must be a blend of at least two grapes.

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What styles are produced under the Côteaux d’Aix-en-Provence AOP?

Dry still red, white, and rosé

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Where Les Baux de Provence AOP located in relation to Côteaux d’Aix-en-Provence?

Located adjacent and west in between the Rhône River and Côteaux d’Aix-en-Provence AOP.

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What styles of wine are produced in Les Beaux de Provence AOP?

Dry still red, white, and rosé

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What are the principle white and red grapes for Ajaccio AOP?

White: Min 80% Vermentino

Red/Rosé: Min 40% Sciaccarello (Mammolo)

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What are restanques?

south-facing terraces that the best vines of Bandol grow on

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What are the main grapes of Bandol?

Red: Mourvedre, Syrah, Carignan, Cinsault, and Grenache

White: Bourboulenc, Clairette, Ugni Blanc, and Sauvignon Blanc

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What are the aging requirements for Bandol Rouge?

Min 18 months in wood and may not be released until May 1 of the second year following harvest

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What is the minimum percentage of Mourvedre in Bandol Rouge?

Min 50%

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Due to the high percentage of Mourvedre in Bandol what is a constant concern for production of these wines? How is this remedied?

Reduction

Aerating the wine, copper fining, or even dropping a copper coin into a glass

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What are 3 top producers of Bandol?

Chateau de Pibarnon
Chateau Pradeaux
Domaine Tempier
Gros Noré
La Bastide Blanche

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What are the top appellations for France’s best Vin Doux Naturels?

Banyuls AOP and Banyuls Grand Cru AOP

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Non-fortified wines produced in Banyuls carry what AOP>

Collioure AOP

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What is the minimum percentage of Grenache for Banyuls AOP and Banyuls Grand Cru AOP respectively?

Min 50% for Banyuls AOP

Min 75% for Banyuls Grand Cru AOP

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In what appellation is Domaine Trevallon located? Why are these wines IGP and not AOP for red wine?

Les Beaux de Provence AOP

Trevallon may not use the appellation since it uses more than 20% Cab in its red wines.

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What are the grape requirements for Les Beaux de Provence AOP red wines?

Min 60% combined GSM plus max 20% Counoise, Cinsault, Carignan, and Cabernet Sauvignon

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White wines in Les Beaux de Provence are made from what grapes?

Clairette, Grenache Blanc, and Vermentino are the principal grapes plus Marsanne and Roussanne are also permitted.

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What are the styles produced in Les Beaux de Provence AOP?

Dry, still white, red, and rosé wines.

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What are the colors, styles, and sweetness levels produced in Bellet AOP?

Dry, still red, white, and rosé

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What are the principal red and white grapes for Bellet AOP Rouge and Blanc respectively?

Vermentino (Rolle) is the main grape for white plus Chardonnay and Bourbelenc

Folle Noire is the main grape for reds combined with Braquet, Grenache, and Cinsault

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What is the principal grape of Bellet AOP rosé wines?

Braquet

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Why is rosé traditionally bottled in clear glass?

So many consumers purchase rosé based on the color and the wines are rarely designed for long bottle aging so concern over light strike is not much of a worry.

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What is the main white grape of La Clape white wines?

Bourboulenc

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What grape varietals are planted in Cabardes AOP?

Depending on where you are the grape varietals can vary. Western part: Bordeaux varietals (Cab, Cab Franc, Merlot, Cot, Fer Servadou) Eastern part: Mediterranean varieties (Syrah, Grenache, Cinsaut)

What are the 5 geographic designations for Côte du Roussillon-Villages? Which is the youngest?

``` Caramany Lesquerde Tautavel Latour-de-France Les Aspres (Youngest; 2017) ```

Which Côte du Roussillon-Villages geographic designation must be a min of 3 grapes?

Les Aspres; the rest are only required to be a min 2 grapes.

What is the appellation of Domaine d'Aupilhac?

Languedoc AOP but more specifically in the geographic designation of Montpeyroux

What is Cartagène?

Traditional mistelle or vin de liqueur of the Languedoc-Roussillon that is produced with traditional grapes of the area though there are no regulations stipulating what grapes are and are not allowed.

What protects Cassis AOP from Le Mistrale?

the Cap Canaille, one of the highest cliffs in France

What is the most important style of wine produced in Cassis AOP?

Dry, still white wines produced from Marsanne and Clairette (min 60% combined)

Red and rosé wines from Cassis AOP are generally produced as a blend of what three principal red grapes?

Mourvèdre Cinsault Grenache

What is the Clairette appellation of the Languedoc? What are the two AOP for Clairette in the Rhône Valley?

Languedoc: Clairette du Langedoc Rhone: Clairette de Die AOP Clairette de Bellegarde AOP

What styles are produced in the Clairette du Languedoc AOP?

Dry, still white and sweet, still rancio wines from exclusively Clairette.

La Clape is particularly well-suited to producing what grape that must make up a min 30% of the blend in its white wines? What two other grapes are commonly found in the blend with it?

Bourboulenc; Viognier and Grenache Blanc make up the other two principal grapes

What are the colors, styles, and sweetness levels produced in La Clape AOP?

Dry, still red and dry, still white

What are the colors, styles, and sweetness levels produced in Collioure AOP?

Dry, still, red, white, and rosé

What are the maximum yields for Collioure AOP?

Max 40hl/ha

Mourvèdre vinified in Banyuls AOP carries what appellation?

Collioure AOP as Mourvèdre is not permitted for the production of Banyuls AOP wines and thus is grown expressly for these dry, still wines produced in the same boundaries as Banyuls AOP

The Fitou AOP forms two enclaves within what larger AOP?

Corbierès AOP

What are the colors, styles, and sweetness levels of wine produced in the Corbières AOP?

Dry, still, red, white and rosé wines.

What style of wine is produced in the Corbières-Boutenac AOP?

Dry, still red only.

What percentage of Carignan is required in the wines of Corbières-Boutenac AOP?

30-50%

What are the 5 principal red grapes of Corbières AOP?

``` Grenache Syrah Mourvèdre Carignan Lladoner Pelut ```

Corsica is influenced by 5 different wind currents. What are they and what are the sources of them?

``` Mistral (Provence) Cool Libeccio (Gibraltar) Brings Rain Tramontane (Alps) Cold and Dry Gregale (Apennines) Damp Sirocco (Sahara) Warm and Dry ```

What are the 3 main viticultural hazards in Corsica?

Downy Mildew Powdery Mildew Flavescence Dorée (cicadelles are the vectors)

What are the three most important grape varieties of Corsica (2 red, 1 white) that account for 2/3 of production there?

Red: Niellucciu (Sangiovese) Sciacarellu (Mammolo) White: Favorita (Vermentino)

What is the top appellation in Corsica for the production of Niellucciu-based wines? What is the prized soil type here?

Patrimonio DOC Calcareous Clay

What is the minimum % of Niellucciu present in Patrimonio DOC Rouge? Rosé?

Min 90% for Rouge; Min 75% for Rosé

What is the grape of Patrimonio DOC Blanc?

100% Vermentino (Malvoisie de Corse)

What is the minimum percentage of Sciacarellu that must be present in Ajaccio Rouge and Rosé?

Min 40%

What is the minimum % of Vermentino for Ajaccio AOP whites?

min 80%

What is the prized soil type of Ajaccio AOP?

Granite

What percentage of Corsica's total production is made by cooperatives?

70%

What is the regional IGP of Corsica?

IGP de I'Île de Beauté

What are the 5 subzones of Vin de Corse AOP?

``` Côteaux du Cap Corse Calvi Sartène Figari Porto-Vecchio ```

What body of water separates Corsica from Sardinia?

Straight of Bonifacio

What style of wine is the most produced in Corsica?

Dry, still, rosé

What are a couple top growers in Patrimonio AOP?

Antoine Arena Antoine-Marie Arena Jean-Baptiste Arena Yves Leccia

What is the top red grape variety that must account for a minimum 40% in Ajaccio Red and Rosé wines?

Sciaccarello

What appellation claims the highest altitude vineyards in Corsica at up to 1600ft.?

Ajaccio AOP

What is the appellation and grape variety of Rappu wines?

This historic wine style of the Cap Corse is made from Aleatico grapes that have been dried on mats in the sun for 10 days prior to fermentation has no formal appellation.

What is the appellation of Clos Nicrosi?

Corse-Côteaux du Cap Corse AOP

What style of wine is produced in the Muscat du Cap Corse AOP?

Vin Doux Naturel from Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains

What is the appellation of Clos Canarelli?

Corse-Figari AOP

What are the colors, styles, and sweetness levels for wine produced in the Faugères AOP?

Dry, still, red, white, and rosé

What grape must be present in the white wines of Faugères AOP?

Roussanne

What is the main soil type of Faugères AOP?

Schist

The top vineyards of the Faugères AOP are located at high elevations on the foothills of what mountains?

Cevennes

Léon Barral is associated with what AOP?

Faugères AOP

What are the two unofficial subzones of Fitou AOP? What are the soil types associated with each?

Fitou Maritime: clay and limestone Fitou Montagneux: Schist

Domaine Maria Fitia and Domaine Bertrand-Bergé are both producing in what appellation?

Fitou AOP

What red wine appellation of the Languedoc may produce Rivesaltes and Muscat de Rivesaltes?

Fitou AOP

What two grapes must make up at least 60% of the blend in Fitou AOP?

Grenache and/or Carignan

What is the most important of the Languedoc Muscat appellations?

Muscat de Frontignan

Which of the four Muscat appellations of Languedoc is sometimes fermented so early during fermentation that it also qualifies as Vin de Liqueur?

Muscat de Frontignan AOP

What styles of wine are produced in the Grand Roussillon AOP? What is this appellation effectively represent?

Wines are sweet (min 45g/L) fortified still wines produced in red, white, and rosé styles from principally Grenache Blanc, Noir, and Gris as well as Tourbat (Malvoisie du Roussillon) and Macabeu plus Muscat (Blanc and Alexandria). This can also be made in an oxidative/rancio style. This appellation is effectively for declassified Rivesaltes wines.

What is the appellation of Chateau de la Negly?

La Clape AOP

What is the newest subzone of Cotes de Provence?

Notre-Dame des Anges (2019)

Triennes is a project between what two producers?

Aubert de Villaine of DRC and Jeremy Seysses of Triennes

Grange des Peres releases their wine as Vin des Pays but in what appellation's boundaries are they located? What Vins de Pays IGP is it bottled under?

Terrasses du Larzac AOP; Vins de Pays de l'Herault IGP

What does "rimage" indicate on a bottle of Banyuls?

Vintage-Dated

What is the largest sweet wine appellation in France?

Muscat de Rivesaltes

In Cassis, what is La Grande Tete?

Highest sea cliff 400m

In what century is mutage introduced in France? Where? Who invented it?

13th century; Rivesaltes Arnaud de Villeneuve

Which two AOP produce Muscat de Noel? What is this?

Muscat de Lunel AOP Muscat de Saint Jean de Minervois AOP This is a special cuvée Muscat Vin Doux Naturel that is bottled fresh from tank and served as the first Muscat of the year during Christmas. Must be bottled before December 1 and cannot be sold until the Third Thursday of Novemeber. (marketing strategy to stimulate sales similar to Beaujolais Nouveau)

What complimentary varietals can make up 50% of the blend in Bandol Rouge? What about Blanc?

Rouge: Cinsault and Grenache Blanc: Ugni Blanc and Bourbelenc

What are the geographic designations of the Côtes du Roussillon Villages AOP?

``` Caramany Lesquerde Tautavel La Tour de France Les Aspres ```

In what vintage did Les Aspres move to the Côte du Roussillon Villages AOP?

2017

Which Côtes du Roussillon Villages AOP requires a minimum of 3 varieties instead of 2 like the rest?

Les Aspres