Rhone Flashcards
What is The Rhone Brand?
1 internationally, more than Bordeaux or Champagne.
Who established vinyards in the Rhone?
The Romans who from 125BC sailed the Rhone River as a trade route.
How far north did they sail?
As far north as the City of Vienne.
What is in Donzere in the southern valley?
Villa du Molard, the largest winery and vineyard in antiquity.
When does it date from?
80-50bc
How large were the vineyards?
300 ha.
How much production was there?
250,000 litres per year.
A dispute in the Catholic church lead to…?
9 Popes residing in Avignon
Over what time period?
1305 - 1429 AD
During this period what happened?
Wine consumption was as high as 2 1/2 letres per day.
Who was the first Pope to plant vineyards?
Pope Clement V.
Where did he plant them?
At the foot of Mount Ventoux.
What did Pope John XXII do?
He built a summer palace in a village north of Avignon.
What else?
He planted vineyards in the area now known as Chateauneuf-du-Pape (New Chateau of the Pope).
When?
1317 AD
Who built the Pope Palace in Avignon?
Pope Benoit XII
When did he first reside there?
1335 AD
What happened in 1375 AD?
It was expanded into the Pope Palace you see today (Palais des Papes d’Avignon).
Who initiated white wine production in the area?
Pope Innocent VI.
Who brought Muscat?
Pope Urbain V who was from Champagne.
What do we see at the end of the Middle Ages?
Reference to “Cote du Rhone.
Who first designated the brand “Cote du Rhone
Louis XV.
When?
1737.
How?
By decreeing that Cote du Rhone be on all wine barrels production coming from the Rhone Valley
What is this?
The Very First “Proof of Origine”
How does it diff from toaday?
Its Cote du Rhone, singular, vs. today its Cotes du Rhone, plural.
What struct the Village of Lirac in 1863?
Your old friend “Phylloxera”.
What City was it near?
Avignon.
What are the Fun “Facts & Figures”?
Keep reading!!!
Who was appointed to establish the AOC system?
Pierre Baron Le Roy.
What did he own?
Chateau Fortia in Chateauneuf-du-Pape.
What year was he appointed to establish the AOC’s.
1936.
How does the Rhone Valley stack up in volume?
It’s the 2nd largest wine producer by volume in France.
How does it stack up in terms of vineyard ha?
2nd with 66,402 ha.
Do people in the world like the wine?
Yes, its France’s most popular wine export.
How does vineyards and wine production figure in the economy of the Rhone Valley?
Its the #1 direct and indirect employer with 50,000 jobs.
How many voneyards are organic?
30% with another 20% in conversion.
Color makeup?
75% Red, 15% Rose, 10% White
What is the climate like?
Warm.
But with what special thing?
The Mistral, a cooling wind from the mountains to the north.
What is the Rhone Valley?
Its 2 distinct Regions.
What are they?
The North and the South.
What describes the climate of the north?
A Temperate Continental climate, No sea influence, very cold winter, very hot summer.
What describes the north’s geography?
Steep slopes of granite and schist.
What describes the climate of the southern Rhone?
Mediterranean, gentle in winter, not extremely hot in summer.
What is the geography
Flat with soils of sedimentary rock deposited by the river, pebbles and loess.
What is the soil of Chateauneuf du Pape?
Pebbles.
What do they do?
Retain heat during the day and emit it at night to assist in ripening of the grapes and warming the vines.
What grape does this type of “Pebble” soil work best for?
Grenache because it ripens a lot and produces wines with higher alcohol (Châteauneuf du Pape 15% ABV levels)
What are the 3 largest cities of the Rhone Valley?
Lyon in the north, Valence ( still in the north but in the lower part) and Avignon ( in the south)
What was the first AOC (now AOP) of the Rhone Valley?
Cotes-du-Rhone.
When was it designated?
1937
What is this?
It’s the regional or 1st level AOP.
What percentage of AOP wines in the Rhone Valley does it represent?
48%
What are they?
Still wines of Red, Rose and White.
What is the maximum yield ?
48 Hl/ha.
What are the main white grapes?
Bourboulenc B, Clairette B, Grenache B, Marsanne, Roussanne, Viognier B
hat are the main red grapes?
Grenache N, Mourvedre N, Syrah.
What must the red and rose wines be?
A blend of at least 70% of the main grapes.
What must white wines be?
A blend of at least 80% of the main grapes.
What must the balance of the red, rose or white wines be ?
From the other allowed grapes
BUT…?
Max 5% of white grapes in Red wines and max 20% of white grapes in Rose
End of Slide 9
No Kidding and time for a cocktail!!!!!
