Rhone: Northern Rhone Appellations Flashcards
What percentage of wine production in Northern Rhone is red or white?
- 81% red
-
19% white
(2019)
No cru is authorized to make rose.
Name the appellations of Northern Rhone.
- Cote Rotie AOC (1940): 9% of total production in Northern Rhone
- Condrieu AOC (1940): 5%
- Chateau-Grillet AOC (1936)
- Saint-Joseph AOC (1956): 35%
- Cornas AOC (1938): 4%
- Saint-Peray AOC (1936): 3%
- Hermitage/L’Hermitage/Ermitage/L’Ermitage AOC (1936): 3%
- Crozes-Hermitage/Crozes-Ermitage AOC (1937): 41%
All vineyard area in the Northern Rhone is covered by 1 of 8 AOCs, each one is considered a cru, and all lie within the Cotes du Rhone zone of production.
Which appellation in the Northern Rhone translates as “roasted slope”?
Cote Rotie AOC
Due to the long hours of sunlight it gets from its southeast-facing aspect.
Where are the vineyards of Cote Rotie AOC planted?
On steep slopes on the right bank of the Rhone Valley.
What style of wine is produced in Cote Rotie AOC?
Red
Which grape varieties are permitted in Cote Rotie AOC?
Syrah is the primary grape.
Viognier, by law, may be added up to 20%, but in practice it typically constitutes 5% or less, if used at all. If used, Viognier is co-planted, co-harvested and co-fermented with Syrah.
Where are the vineyards of Condrieu AOC planted?
These terraced vineyards are located on the right bank of the Rhone Valley; most face east.
What styles of wine are produced in Condrieu AOC?
- Dry White
- Sweet White: min. 4.5% (45g/l) RS (uncommon)
Although 90-95% of these wines are vinified dry today, most of these wines were sweet in the 18th and 19th centuries.
What is the only permitted grape variety in Condrieu AOC?
Viognier
What are the characteristics of wines from Condrieu AOC?
Medium- to full-bodied wines of moderate to low acidity.
Which appellation is located within the boundary of southern Condrieu?
Chateau-Grillet AOC
These grapes are grown on steep terraces and cover only 8.6ac/3.5ha.
This very small AOC represents 1 of only 2 monopoles outside Bourgogne (the other being Coulee de Serrant in the Loire Valley)
What style of wine is produced in Chateau-Grillet AOC?
Dry White: made only from Viognier
Made in the same style as Condrieu.
Wines are aged for 2 years in oak barrels or tanks and can continue to age for 10 or more years.
What styles of wine is produced in Saint-Joseph AOC?
- Dry White: Marsanne and/or Roussanne;14% of production
- Red: Syrah may co-ferment up to 10% Marsanne and/or Roussanne; 86% of production
What contributes to the variability of the wines from Saint-Joseph AOC?
- This appellation covers a long (37mi/60km) and narrow stretch
- varying aspects
Some wines are concentrated and structured, while others are softer and more fruit-forward.
How do the wines of Saint-Joseph AOC compare to the other appellations in Northern Rhone?
These wine mature more quickly than the wines of the other Northern Rhone Crus.
Which appellation in Northern Rhone is Celtic for “burned earth”?
Cornas AOC, referring to its warmth.
This is a steep, southeast-facing terraced slope of granite which forms a natural amphitheater protecting the vines from cold winds.
Jean-Luc Colombo describes it as “an island of the south in the north.”
What style of wine is produced in Cornas AOC?
Red: 100% Syrah
Which appellation in Northern Rhone is Celtic for “burned earth”?
Cornas AOC, referring to its warmth.
This is a steep, southeast-facing terraced slope of granite which forms a natural amphitheater protecting the vines from cold winds.
Jean-Luc Colombo describes it as “an island of the south in the north.”
Where is Saint-Peray AOC located?
This is the most southerly of the Northern Rhone Crus. It is situated on the right bank.
What styles of wine are produced in Saint-Peray AOC?
- Dry White: [P] Marsanne, Roussanne
- Sparkling White: very little is produced here today, despite being produced since 1825
What are some important facts surrounding Hermitage AOC?
- One of the oldest vineyards in France still under cultivation
- It yields one of the longest-lived and most collected wines in the Rhone
- Numerous lieux-dits, which may appear on the label
- Reds are long-lived
- Whites possess almost the same staying power as reds
- Both wine need a few years in bottle to mature
What styles of wine are produced in Hermitage AOC?
- Dry White: Marsanne and/or Roussanne; one-third of production
- Red: Syrah may be co-fermented with up to 15% Marsanne and/or Roussanne; two/thirds of production
- Vin de Paille
Which appellation is the largest of the Northern Rhone Crus?
Crozes-Hermitage AOC
Its soils are varied, incorporating many sedimentary elements.
What styles of wine are produced in Crozes-Hermitage AOC?
- Dry White: Marsanne and/or Roussanne
- Red: Syrah may be co-fermented with up to 15% Marsanne and/or Roussanne
How doe the wines of Crozes-Hermitage AOC compare to Hermitage AOC?
- Produce the same wine styles (with the exception of Vin de Paille)
- Use the same grape varieties and the same proportions
- Crozes-Hermitage are lighter, faster-maturing renditions of Hermitage and can represent excellent value
Name the appellations of the Diois.
- Clairette de Die AOC (1942)
- Cremant de Die AOC (1993)
- Coteaux de Die AOC (1993)
- Chatillon-en-Diois AOC (1975)
What styles of wine are produced in Clairette de Die AOC?
- Sparkling White
- Sparkling Rose
2 wines are made under this appellation:
* Clairette de Die: a traditional-method sparkling wine made from 100% Clairette
* Clairette de Die Methode Dioise Ancestrale: a sweet sparkling blend of Muscat & Clairette; Muscat dominates the blend; can be made as white or rose depending on the colour of the varieties used
Which grape varieties are permitted in Clairette de Die AOC?
White:
* [P] Muscat a Petits Grains Blanc, Clairette
Rose/Gris:
* [S] Clairette Rose
Red:
* [S] Gamay, Muscat a Petits Grains Rouge
What percentage of the Diois’s entire production comes from Clairette de Die AOC?
96%
Most of this is bottled as Clairette de Die Methode Dioise Ancestrale.
What style of wine is produced in Cremant de Die AOC?
Sparkling White: traditional method made mostly from Clairette, Aligote & a small portion of Muscat a Petits Grains Blanc
What style of wine is produced in Coteaux de Die AOC?
Dry White: made from Clairette
This small appellation only has 2.5ac/1ha planted.
What styles of wine are produced in Chatillon-en-Diois AOC?
- Dry White: A blend of Chardonnay & Aligote (no specific proportions)
- Rose: Based on Gamay
- Red: Based on Gamay
Secondary red grapes include:
* Syrah
* Pinot Noir
