Rhone

Question 1

What is the climate of the Northern Rhone?

Answer 1

Moderate and continental - similar to that of Beaujolais

• Mistral (sites on lateral valleys to the Rhone protected from this)
• temperatures notably cooler than the southern Rhone

Question 2

Which black varieties are allowed in the Northern Rhone?

Answer 2

Only Syrah.

Question 3

Is the Northern Rhone warm enough for Syrah?

Answer 3

Only just. Is at its northerly limit. Consequently prime sites are the south-facing steeper hillsides.

Question 4

Describe red wines of Northern Rhone.

Answer 4

Deeply coloured

• medium to high levels of tannin
• black fruit aromas
• sometimes black pepper or floral aromas
• some markedly oaked, others not

Question 5

Talk about fermenting Syrah with white varieties.

Answer 5

A tradition that is now rarely seen.

• addition of white grapes helps stabilise the colour extraction from the red grapes
• can add aromatic intensity, Viognier in particular

Question 6

Talk about Viognier in Northern Rhone.

Answer 6

• full-bodie white wines with aromas of blossom and apricots and other stone fruits
• low acidity and high alcohol (because signature aromas do not develop until late in season when the grapes are very ripe with high sugar)
• have to be carefully handled in winery so that oily character does not overwhelm
• new oak increasingly used but must be careful not to overwhelm
• small number of wines made in off-dry style from late harvested grapes

Question 7

What are the three white varieties of Northern Rhone>

Answer 7

Viognier
Marsanne
Roussanne

Question 8

Talk about Marsanne and Roussanne in Northern Rhone.

Answer 8

Usually blended together.
- Marsanne has richness and weight
- Roussanne brings acidity and perfume
Neither have the aromatic intensity of Viognier BUT can age well and develop complex hazel nut characteristics

Question 9

List the regions of Northern Rhone from north to south.

Answer 9

Côte Rotie
Condrieu
Grillet
Saint-Joseph
Hermitage
Crozes-Hermitage
Cornas

Question 10

Talk about Côte Rotie.

Answer 10

The most northerly appellation

• around town of Ampuis
• translates as ‘roasted slope’
• only red produced
• a little Viognier blended in sometimes (actually 20% allowed)
• deeply coloured, full-bodied and the best have an aromatic, floral freshness elegance that distinguishes them from Hermitage

Question 11

Talk about Condrieu.

Answer 11

Only white. Solely Viognier.

• area under vine has increased in recent years; best comes from the old low-yielding vines on steep terraces
• vineyard area shrank to 12 hectares by 1960s but now over 164 hectares due to international demand for Condrieu
• best if sheltered from cool north wind at flowering time
• best vineyards have a powdery, mica-rich topsoil known locally as arzelle
• ‘one of the very few luxury-priced whites which should be drunk young’

Question 12

What is ‘arzelle’?

Answer 12

The local name for the powdery, mica-rich topsoil which is a feature of the vest vineyards in Condrieu.

Question 13

Talk about Château-Grillet.

Answer 13

Appellation and enclave within Condrieu.

• 3.8 hectares
• now belongs to François Pinault who owns Château Latour in Paullac
• ages better in bottle than most Condrieu

Question 14

Talk about Saint-Joseph.

Answer 14

‘The temptation to stretch a good name to breaking point long ago overtook St-Joseph’ [Johnson/Robinson Atlas]
- entirely west bank
- 40 miles in length
- 6 communes originally but since 1969 allowed to expand into 26
- now more than ten times the acreage
- original 6 communes are
Glun
Mauves
Tournon
St-Jean-de-Muzols
Lemps
Vion
Best wines have a flavour intensity and structure comparable to Hermitage
- a lot of production is of lighter wines, from flatter, fertile sites of valley floor, often use some carbonic maceration
- these wines among the lightest bodied of the northern Rhône, expressing pepper-perfumed aspects of the Syrah grape

Question 15

Talk about Hermitage.

Answer 15

• on east bank of the river
• 136 hectares
• lieux-dits (or climats), not part of appellation system
• dominated by four producers:
  Domaine Jean-Louis Chave;
  Chapoutier;
  Jaboulet;
  Delas.

Question 16

Talk about Crozes-Hermitage.

Answer 16

‘Like most great wines, Hermitage has its shadow’ [Johnson/Robinson Atlas]
Crozes is the village round the back of the hill.
- 1,500 hectares of vineyard
- numerous small producers
- 20% of vineyards send their grapes to the Cave de Tain Hermitage co-op
- Two basic styles: youthful blackcurranty fruit for early drinking; more serious stuff, at its best able to mimic grandeur of Hermitage, and can keep for 10 years.
- some white is produced

Question 17

Talk about Cornas.

Answer 17

Can only be made from Syrah (unlike other appellations).

• by the far the warmest area of Northern Rhone
• deeply coloured, full-bodied and in a style similar to Hermitage

Question 18

What is the climate of the Southern Rhone?

Answer 18

Mediterranean with mild winters and warm dry summers.

• drought can be a problem
• in open plains there is less protection from the Mistral
• wind breaks are planted to counteract this
• Grenache bush trained low to the ground to offer protection from the wind and benefit from warmth of the soil
• Syrah benefits from trellising systems which give it wind protection

Question 19

How many varieties in the Southern Rhone?

Answer 19

Syrah, Grenache, Mourvèdre, Cinsault plus another ten or so.

- often complex blends

Question 20

Talk about Mourvèdre in Northern Rhone.

Answer 20

Along with Syrah plays a supporting role to Grenache.

• at northern limit of where it will ripen and thrives. (In more northerly parts of SR Cinsault takes its role)
• deeply coloured and high in tannins
• dense black fruit flavours, developing meaty gamey ones
• important element in Châteauneuf-du-Pape

Question 21

Talk about Cinsault in Northern Rhone.

Answer 21

Can play supporting role in red wine blends, bringing red fruit flavours rather than tannin or colour.
But best known as blending partner to Grenache in fresh, fruity rosés.

Question 22

Talk about white wine in Southern Rhone.

Answer 22

Not too much of it.
As in north Viognier, Marsanne and Roussanne are used but also
Clairette, Grenache Blanc and Bourboulenc.

Nothing made that is comparable to the Northern Rhone’s Condrieu or Viognier.

Best Southern Rhone whites are full-bodied, high alcohol with low to medium acidity and subtle fruit flavours. New oak rarely used.

Question 23

Outline the appellations system in Southern Rhone.

Answer 23

Three tiers: regional, village appellations and crus.

Côtes du Rhone accounts for more than half production in Southern Rhone - most of it red. Medium bodied fruity, simple wines. Rosés (7% of production) and white (4%) also made.

Côtes du Rhone-Villages. 95 communes (all in Southern Rhone) have right to call their produce this , and 17 can append their own name. Rules relating to min alcohol levels and limits to yields have to be observed, and greater % of blend must be Grenache, Syrah and Mourverdre. For the 17 all grapes must come from the village.

Question 24

Talk about Châteauneuf-du-Pape

Answer 24

On east bank of Rhone

• largest cru in Rhone Valley
• first place ever to have appellation contrôlée status
• notably flat
• wide range of soil types
• 13 varieties allowed
• Grenache dominates
• some wines 100% Grenache
• high alcohol
• some wines have the body and intensity to balance the alcohol others do not
• small quantity of white made

Question 25

Talk about Tavel.

Answer 25

Can only make rosé.
- with Lirac (which produces red and white too) makes rosé, mainly from Grenache and Cinsault which are full-bodied and capable of development in bottle (unlike Provence ones).

Tavel and Lirac the only two crus on the west bank.

Question 26

Talk about Gigondas.

Answer 26

Quality Grenache-led blends

- similar in style to Châteauneuf-du-Pape

Question 27

Talk about Vacqueyras.

Answer 27

Quality Grenache-led blends

- similar in style to Châteauneuf-du-Pape