Rhône Flashcards
How was the Rhone wine region founded?
From 125AD, Romans sailed from Provence, up the Rhone, establishing vineyards
What are the northern and southernmost towns of the Rhone?
Vienne to the north, Avignon to the south
Between what years where the second popes established in Avignon?
1305-1429
Which Pope developed the vineyards of CDP?
Pope John XXII plants vineyards in CDP in 1317
What are the main climatic geological differences between the Northern and Southern Rhone?
NORTH
- Temperate continental climate
- Steep hills
- Granite & Schist
SOUTH
- Mediterranean climate
- Flat valleys
- Alluvium, sand, limestone pebbles
What are the main cities of the Rhone?
Lyon, Valence, Avignon
What is the AOP structure for the Rhone valley?
- Côtes-du-Rhône
- Côtes-du-Rhône Villages
- Côtes-du-Rhône Villages + village name
- Village AOP (E.g Cornas)
When was the CDR AOP established?
1936
For AOP C-D-R reds, what grape requirements are there?
For red and rose, must have minimum 70% grenache, syrah, mourvedre
For AOP C-D-R whites, what grape requirements are there?
Must be minimum 70% Bourboulenc, Clairette, Grenache Blanc, Marsanne, Roussanne, Viognier, Picpoul
How many village names can be added to the C-D-R village AOP?
21 villages
What are the requirements for AOP C-D-R Village reds?
Min. 65% Grenache
Mourvedre + Syrah min 25%
How many village AOPs are there in the north vs south Rhone valley?
8 North
9 South
Moving south, list the AOP villages of the Northern Rhone
Côte Rôtie
Condrieu
Chateau Grillet
Saint Joseph
Crozes Hermitage
Hermitage
Cornas
Saint Péray
What the AOP villages of the Southern Rhone
- Châteauneuf-du-papa
- Vacqueyras AOC
- Rasteau AOC
- Cairanne AOC
- Gigondas AOC
- Vinsobres AOC
- Lirac AOC
- Beaumes de Venise
- Tavel AOC
Describe the terroir and wines of AOP Côte Rôtie
- Only red Syrah-based wines
- May add up to 20% viognier (must be co-planted, co-fermented)
- Soil is granite and schist
- North part is cote brune (Granite, structured)
- South part is cote blonde (Schist, delicate)
Describe the terroir and wines of AOP Condrieu
- Only white wines
- 100% Viognier
- Sweet wines must be min. 45g/L RS
- Soil is granite on north part, Loess on southern part
- Vernay family resurrected the AOP in the 60s/70s after instability of the wines
Describe the terroir and wines of AOP Chateau-Grillet
- 3ha monopole located within AOP Condrieu
- Owned by winery Neyret-Gachet
- South facing amphitheatre on Sand, incredibly warm
Describe the terroir and wines of AOP Saint Joseph
- Steep, granite slopes
- Syrah, Marsanne, Roussanne
- 10% Mar/Rou can be added to reds if co-planted, fermented
Describe the terroir and wines of AOP Cornas
- Steep granite, sand, clay slopes
- Only red wines, exclusively syrah
- Cornas means ‘Burned earth’ in ancient Celt
Describe the terroir and wines of AOP Saint Péray
- Produces only white wines, still & sparkling
- In 1826, Louis-Alexandre Faure brought the traditional method and started producing sparkling wines
- Marsanne, Roussanne only permitted grapes
- Granite, limestone, loess
Describe the terroir and wines of AOP Crozes-Hermitage
- Soils are clay, pubbles carried by the river
- Mostly flat, at the northern base of the Hermitage Hill
- Syrah, Marsanne, Roussanne permitted
- Syrah can be co-planted with 15% Mar/Rou
Describe the terroir and wines of AOP Hermitage
- Named after a French Knight who became a hermit on the hill after the crusades in 1224
- Syrah, marsanne, roussanne
- Syrah can be co-planted w/ 15% Mar/rou
- Hand harvesting mandatory
- South facing granite slopes
- 70% red wines
- Hermitage Vin de Paille AOP - dessert wine allowed, min. 45 days sun dried grapes
What are the general characteristics of Southern Rhone?
- Region is more “Provençal” in terms of climate and influences
- Grenache is dominant grape
- Generally flatter vineyards
What are the characteristics of AOP Vinsobres?
- AOP since 2006
- 100% red wines
- Min 50% grenache, 25% mourvedre + Syrah
- Marl soils
- 30% organic vineyards
What are the characteristics of AOP Carainne?
- Most recent AOP promotion (2016)
- Min. 50% grenache, 20% syrah+mourvedre for REDS
- Min 30% clairette, 20% grenache B, 20% roussanne for WHITES
What are the characteristics of AOP Gigondas?
- At the foothills, north east of the dentelles de montmirail
- First CDR village AOP (1971)
- Min 50% grenache, 15% syrah+mourvedre for REDS
- Soils are heavy clay, loess, limestone
What are the characteristics of AOP Chateauneuf du pape?
- During the reign of John XXII, the village became the summer residence of the papacy
- Soil is sands, limestone, rolled sandstone pebbles
- One of the first AOC appellation established in 1936
- Allows dry red and white wines
What are the 13 permitted grapes of chateauneuf du pape?
- Grenache
- Syrah
- Mourvedre
- Cinsault
- Clairette
- Vaccarese
- Bourboulenc
- Roussanne
- Counoise
- Miscardin
- Picpoul
- Picardan
- Terret noir
What is the size of chateauneuf du pape?
3200 ha
What is the size of chateauneuf du pape?
3200 ha
What are the characteristics of AOP Muscat de baumes-de-venise?
- AOP since 1945
- Muscat grapes planted on sand and clay
- Fortified, minimum 15% alc
- Min sugar at harvest of 252g/L
Name some notable producers from the Rhone
- Chateau vieux telegraphe
- M. Chapoutier
- Paul Jaboulet
- Jean luc Jamet
- Auguste Clape
- Chateau Beaucastel
