Rhone Flashcards
Volume of Rhone?
66000 ha in South
<4000 ha in North
60% is from Cotes du Rhone/Villages
Describe Syrah?
Vigorous - needs careful training
Trellising not possible in Northern Rhone - tied to poles
Prone to reduction
Susceptible to mites/botrytis/Syrah decline (leaves turn red + vine dies)
Medium/Pronounced violet/plum/black pepper/herbal
Describe Grenache?
High yielding (bush vines control vigor)
Accumulates sugar quickly
Needs warm climate
Ripens late
Prone to coulure/downy mildew, phomopsis/botrytis/bacterial blight
Prone to oxidation/loss of color in winery
Low tannin and acidity
Describe Mourvedre?
Late budding
Late ripening
Warm/hot climates needed
Low yielding
Prone to mites/leafhoppers/sour rot
Prone to reduction
High alcohol, high tannin
Describe Cinsault?
Late budding
High yielding
Drought/heat resistant
Prone to chlorosis, escap, eutypa, mites, moths
High alcohol, low tannins
Describe Viognier?
Early budding
Needs trellising
Low, unpredictable yields
- poor flowering/fruit set (coulure)
Accurate picking needed - rapidly gains sugar if overripe
Describe Marsanne?
Late budding
Vigorous
Prone to powdery mildew, mites, botrytis
Low intensity wine, oily texture, full bodied, high alcohol
Describe Roussanne?
Late budding
Poor resistance to wind, difficult to grow
Powdery mildew, botrytis, mites
Pear, herbal notes, Med/M+ acid, Med/High alc
Describe Grenache Blanc?
Early budding
Good wind resistance
High alcohol, low acid, ripe green fruit, floral
Describe Clairette?
Ripens late
Vigorous - prune short and remove excess buds
Oxidizes easily
High alcohol, low acid
Fennel, floral, apple, grapefruit
Describe Bourboulenc
Late ripening
Loose bunches
Thick skins
Warm, dry
Med+ acid, Med alc, lemon notes
Winemaking for red Rhone wines?
Concrete preferred
Hand harvested - high quality; machine - expensive
Warm temps (flash detente/thermovinification for inexpensive)
20-30 days pumpover/punch down for high quality
Winemaking for Tavel?
Short maceration - 12-48 hours
Saignee method - but all juice is for rose
Aged in neutral oak or concrete
Climate of Northern Rhone?
Moderate continental
Adequate rainfall
Cold Mistral winds from North - decreases vigour and fungal disease
Steep slopes
Northern Rhone appellations North to South?
Cote Rotie AOC
Condrieu AOC
Saint-Joseph AOC
Hermitage AOC
Crozes-Hermitage AOC
Cornas AOC
Saint-Peray AOC
Collines Rhodaniennes IGP
Describe Cote Rotie?
Small (250ha)
Red wine only
Up to 20% Viognier permitted, must be cofermented if used
High planting density, low yields (40)
Steep, East and SE slopes
Sheltered from mistral
High sunlight/heat, rapid drainage, poor, stony soils
Guyot with 1-2 poles (echalas)
Profile: Pronounced aromas, softer and less full-bodied
Describe Condrieu:
Small (197ha)
100% Viognier
Low yields (41)
South facing slopes
Steep, low fertility, rocky slopes
Includes single estate AOC, Chateau Grillet (3.5ha)
Typically MLF
10-12 months on lees with stirring
Describe Saint-Joseph:
Long appellation (50kilometers)
Key producer Jean-Louis Chave
90% red wines
Low yields (40)
Marsanne/Roussanne allowed, rarely used
Describe Hermitage:
Small (137ha)
1/3 white wine
South facing
Thin, stony soils, erosion constant problem
Low yields (40 red, 45 white)
Old vines common
Reds: stem inclusion, warm fermentation
Whites: Primarily Marsanne with some Roussanne blends; 10-12mo lees
Vin de Paille made in very ripe years
Describe Crozes-Hermitage:
Largest (1700ma)
Alpine influences and strong Mistral influence
Long growing season, high diurnal
Deep, fertile soils
Low/mod yields (45)
Reds: destemming, wines made for early drinking
Whites: 9% of production, Marsanne + Roussanne
Describe Cornas:
Small (145ha)
South/East facing amphitheatre
Warm mediterranean
Only reds - 100% Syrah
Low yields (40)
Known for tannic intensity, wines for aging
Producer: Auguste Clap
Describe Saint-Peray:
White wines only
Limestone, granite soils (water holding and good drainage)
Mostly Marsanne, some Roussanne
45hL/ha
10-12mo lees
What is Collines Rhodaniennes?
“Hills of the Rhone”
Used for wines outside of AOCs in Northern Rhone
Higher yields (80)
No grape varietal rules
White, red, rose
Climate of Southern Rhone:
Warm Mediterranean
Adequate rainfall
Flat land - little protection from Mistral
Low, bush trained vines
Heirarchy in Southern Rhone:
Cotes du Rhone AOC
Cotes du Rhone Villages AOC
Cotes du Rhone Villages AOC + named village
- 22 current villages
Cru: CDP, Gigondas AOC, etc
Describe Cotes du Rhone:
2nd largest appellation after Bordeaux
Covers all vineyard land in Southern Rhone (technically Northern Rhone as well, but rarely)
51hL/ha
Red/rose: GSM min. 60% total; Grenache min. 30%, Syrah/Mourvedre min. 20% combined
White: Bourboulenc, Clairette, Grenache Blanc, Marsanne, Roussanne, Viognier min. 80% combined
Describe Cotes du Rhone Villages:
44hL/ha, or 41 hL/ha for named village
Min. 66% of Grenache + either Syrah or Mourvedre
Describe Cotes du Rhone/Village profile:
Med ruby
Med intensity red plum/blackberry
Med acid
Med tannin
Med alc
No oak flavor
List AOCs in Southern Rhone:
Cotes du Rhone/Villages AOC
Gigondas AOC
Vacqueyras AOC
Vinsobres AOC
Rasteau AOC
Cairanne AOC
Beaumes-de-Venise AOC
Chateauneuf-du-Pape AOC
Lirac AOC
Tavel AOC
Describe Gigondas, Vacqueyras, Vinsobres:
Min. 50% Grenache, at least Syrah or Mourvedre
Gigondas - higher elevation
Vinsobres - all red wines
Describe Chateauneuf-du-Pape:
13 varieties, 18 with color variants
More than 90% red
1923 - first set of rules, prototype for AOC’s in France
No varietal % restrictions - Chateau Beaucastel is single varietal
Large (+3000ha)
Galets roules (large pebbles) radiate heat at night
Average yields under 30hL/ha
Profile of a red Chateauneuf-du-Pape?
Medium ruby
Med+/pronounced intensity
Ripe red plum, blackberry, spice, new oak
Med acid
High alc
Varied tannin levels
Describe Tavel:
Solely rose from 12 varietals (black and white)
Must include Grenache Noir
No varietal >60%
Max yield 46hL/ha
Med Pink Orange, full body, med alc
Satellite Rhone appellations?
7 total
Dominated by co-ops
Ventoux AOC
Costieres de Nimes AOC
Luberon AOC
Grignan-les-Adhemar AOC
Describe Southern Rhone IGP:
Can include Rhone varieties and international
- Merlot and Cab Sauv important
Irrigation laws in Rhone:
Must get permission to irrigate
Proof of water stress needed
No irrigation after veraison
Can never be used to increase yields beyond maximum
Wine business in Rhone:
Large negociants operate in both North and South - Guigal, Jaboulet, Chapoutier
Co-ops important in South - Cellier des Princes
33% export - US, UK, Belgium
Movement towards growers making/bottling their own wines
