Rhone Flashcards
What path does the Rhone River take?
This river begins its life as a torrent of glacial meltwater high up in the Alps in the south of Switzerland. It pours into Lake Geneva near Montreux, then exits again, traveling southwest into France through the Jura Mountains en route to the city of Lyon.
At Lyon, the Rhone is joined by another great river, the Saone, and pivots southward. It streams through the narrow gorges of the Northern Rhone and then sweeps out onto the plains of the Southern Rhone as it flows toward the Mediterranean Sea.
What distance does the Rhone River fall and how far does it span on its journey?
From its headwaters to its delta, this river falls 6,000ft/1,800m in the span of 505mi/813km.
Which other rivers is the Rhone connected to?
Through a network of canals and water ways, this river links to:
* Rhine River
* Seine River
* Loire River
* Saone River
These rivers connect the Mediterranean with Northern Europe.
Which city is the culinary heart of France?
Lyon
Here, the cuisine au beurre (butter-based cooking tradition to the north) mixes with the cuisine a l’huile (southern olive oil-based cooking).
There are more Michelin-starred restaurants in this French city than in any other outside of Paris.
How is it that east meets west in the Rhone?
The granite and schist of the Massif Central (west) collide with the sedimentary soils of the Alps and its foothills (east).
Which region is the second-largest AOC wine producer in France?
Rhone Valley
2.8 million hl in 2018
How much of Rhone’s wine production is bottled under the regional Cotes du Rhone AOC?
Almost half
This wine is impressively consistent in quality and offers tremendous value for money.
How much have Rhone export sales risen over the past decade?
64%
For the same period, export volume increased just 9%. This is because the general consumer is drinking more expensive bottlings, which can be explained by villages within the Cotes du Rhone Villages appellation earning enough distinction to graduate to the Cotes du Rhone Village + named village category (“terroir reveals”).
How have sales in Rhone changed over the past decade for red and rose wines?
Red wine sales have fallen (88% => 79%)
Rose wine sales have trended upward (11% => 19%)
What is the meaning behind the Chateauneuf-du-Pape name?
This means “new castle of the pope,” and was the name of the summer residence of Pope John XXII and later became the name of the village.
The wines of this area were first called “Vins du Pape” but were later referenced as Chateauneuf-du-Pape.
Why is it that Mourvedre only represents about 4% of the red plantings within the Cotes du Rhone zone of production?
After phylloxera hit in the 1870s, it took decades to find a proper rootstock partner for this grape.
Grenache & Syrah took easily to grafting and came to dominate while Mourvedre lost ground.
Before the louse, this grape represented one-third of the vineyard plantings in the Southern Rhone.
How did the winter freeze of 1956 impact the Rhone Valley.
Temperatures dipped to 5°F (-15°C) for 3 consecutive weeks and was compounded by the frigid Mistral which blew through the valley at 60mph/96kpm.
The majority of the region’s olive & fruit trees perished
However, most vines survived. Farmers turned to viticulture for their new livelihood.
What are the “Rhone Rangers”?
California winemakers who made Rhone-styled blends in the 1990s.
This contributed to the surge in popularity for wines from Rhone.
Where is the Rhone Valley located?
This region is situated in southeastern France and is bordered by:
* Lyon & Beaujolais to the north
* Languedoc & Provence to the southwest & southeast (respectively)
* The Prealps to the east
* The mountains of the Massif Central to the west
The Rhone Valley is located at what latitude?
Between the 44th and 45th parallels north.
Oregon’s Willamette valley lies roughly at the same latitude.
Paul Jaboulet Aine produces a wine called “Parallele 45,” asserting the significance of the area’s placement on this latitudinal line. This point is halfway between the equator and the pole.
How large is the Rhone Valley?
The Rhone River runs the length of the entire region, 120mi/192km from Vienne to Nimes.
The wine-producing area consists of almost 300 villages spanning six French departements.
What are the 3 sub-divisions in the Rhone Valley?
- Northern Rhone: extending from Vienne to Valence
- Southern Rhone: extending from Montelimar to Nimes
- Les Cotes du Rhone: extending from Vienne to near Avignon, excluding all non-cru appellations.
Describe the landscape in the Rhone Valley.
- Northern Rhone: most vineyards are situated on the steep and narrow banks of the Rhone
- Southern Rhone: the landscape flattens and the vineyards stretch far, wide and away.
How are vines planted in the Rhone Valley?
- Northern Rhone: Syrah dominates and requires being tied to stakes (echelas) due to the high Mistral winds and the grape’s weak canes; ideally on south- or southeast-facing slopes to minimize wind exposure
- Southern Rhone: sturdy vines with upright canes, such as Grenache, are often untrellised and trained close to the ground for wind protection
When did the Mistral wind register a record speed in the Rhone Valley?
On April 6, 2003
Speed of: 72mph/116kph
(1.25mph/2kph less than hurricane force)
What area of the Rhone Valley does Northern Rhone cover?
This begins 20mi/32km south of Lyon and stretches for 45mi/72km between Vienne and Valence.
How much area do the vines in Northern Rhone cover?
10,000ac/4,044ha
This represents 4% of the total production area of the entire Rhone Valley.
What is the climate in the Northern Rhone?
Continental with some Mediterranean influence.
- Spring: there can be fog & frost
- Autumn: sunny, warm and dry in good years, allowing for rain-free harvest with no disease pressure; there can be hail
- Winter: snow
How much sunshine does Northern Rhone receive?
2,350 hours per year
What type of varieties are planted in Northern Rhone?
Early-ripening, due to the small window of good ripening conditions; such as:
* Syrah
* Viognier
How steep can the gradients in Northern Rhone get?
Up to 60°
What soil types are found in Northern Rhone?
- Largely characterized by granite subsoils with a fine topsoil of decomposed crystalline mica schist & granitic sands and pockets of limestone
- Crozes-Hermitage: pockets of galets, clay & loess/molasse (windblown sediment)
- Hermitage: some clay & sand
Which grape varieties are planted to which soil types in Northern Rhone?
- Syrah: stony soils radiate the heat they have trapped during the day back to the vine as the sun starts to set; this keeps photosynthesis going slightly longer & boosts ripeness
- White varieties: Limestone, clay & sandy soils
Name the white grape varieties of the Northern Rhone.
- Viognier
- Marsanne
- Roussanne
What does the Viogner grape contribute to Syrah wines?
When co-fermented, this aromatic white variety:
* Adds life & perfume
* Helps set colour: it has compounds that tend to hold pigments in suspension and boost colour intensity, without which the anthocyanins would precipitate out
What role does the Marsanne grape variety play in Northern Rhone?
- Typically blended with Roussanne to make white blends (considered higher quality of the two, due to its high extract levels)
- Co-fermented with Syrah in certain appellations to add aromatic complexity & soften tannins
What role does Roussanne play in Northern Rhone?
Adds perfume when incorporated into the red & white wines
Name the red grape variety of Northern Rhone.
Syrah
This is the sole variety of this sub-region.
Why must care be taken with the Syrah grape variety?
It is reductive in nature and can sometimes exhibit excessively gamey, barnyard notes.
Why are unterraced vineyards in Northern Rhone so labour intensive?
These vineyards require an annual repositioning of pebbles and stones that wash to the bottom of the hill with the yearly rains.
Each fall, after harvest, the vignerons strap buckets to their backs and cart their vineyard “topsoil” back up the slope.
