Rhone Pt 1 - General & Viticultural History

Question 1

Where does the Rhone River begin?

Answer 1

As a glacial melt in Switzerland. It is the 4th longest river in France. It is 338 ml long in French territory.

Question 2

Which French river joins the Rhone at Lyon?

Answer 2

The Saone augments the Rhone flow when it joins at Lyon and pours towards the Mediterrenean.

Question 3

In geological terms, what happens at the Rhone.

Answer 3

The granite and schist of the Massif Central (west) collide with the sedimentary soils of the Alps and its foothills to the east.

Question 4

Where does the Rhone ranks as producer in France?

Answer 4

It is the second largest AOC producer with 2.8 million hl.

Question 5

How much of the Rhone’s production is labelled Cotes du Rhone (CDR) AOC?

Answer 5

Almost 50%.

Question 6

Which tribes occupied Rhone first?

Answer 6

Probably Gallic/Celtic tribes.

Question 7

Which tribes brought viticulture to the Mediterranean coast and used the Rhone for transport?

Answer 7

The Phocaens (Greeks) arrived in Marseille in 600 BCE. They used the Rhone for transporting commerce including wine.

Question 8

When did the Romans arrive in the Rhone?

Answer 8

Around 121 BCE and began planting vineyards further inland.

Question 9

How has the roman influence continued in the Rhone valley.

Answer 9

They firstly built and planted the terraces on the steep slopes of the Northern Rhone valley.

Question 10

Why did the Romans plant the lowlands of the Rhone after the valleys?

Answer 10

In their experience the lowlands were frost pockets.

Question 11

How did the Rhone gain more commercial and political importance after the Roman era ended?

Answer 11

The church maintained the vineyards and in the 14th century the popes located to Avignon. From 1309 to 1376 seven french popes lived there.

Question 12

Which area near Avignon was considered by the popes to be special?

Answer 12

An obscure village area 11 ml north of Avignon.

Question 13

What did Pope John XXII do for the wine area of Rhone?

Answer 13

He built a summer residence 11 ml north of Avignon. This was named the Chateauneuf-du-Pape. This became the name of the village itself.

Question 14

How were the wines of Chateauneuf originally known?

Answer 14

Vins du Pape.

Question 15

Which church-held administrative area in the Rhone became famous for its wines in the 1600’s?

Answer 15

Vicariate of Uzes.

Question 16

What did Vicariate of Uzes earn fame for?

Answer 16

Its growers began calling their wines Coste du Rhone. They were regulated in 1650 to guarantee origin and quality to protect their renown.

Question 17

What did Louis XV do in 1737 for wines of Uzes?

Answer 17

In an effort to combat fraud and control quality all Coste du Rhone barrels had to be branded with “CDR”.

Question 18

How successful was Louis XV edict of 1737 for Uzes wines?

Answer 18

Not very. Copying continued by neighbouring vineyards without punishment.

Question 19

When was Les Cotes du Rhone begun?

Answer 19

In the 19th century the Coste du Rhone became Les Cotes du Rhone. It was extended to include vineyards on the left bank of the Rhone.

Question 20

What is the difference between Cotes du Rhone AOC and Les Cotes du Rhone?

Answer 20

Les Cotes is a very large sub-region and the AOC is one of many appellations within that.

Question 21

Which two natural events changed the viticultural industry in the Rhone?

Answer 21

Phylloxera in 1870’s;
The great freeze of 1956.

Question 22

Which grape variety was almost wiped out by phylloxera in the 1870’s? Why?

Answer 22

Mourvedre. It proved difficult to get a suitable rootstock partner. Other more easily grafted varieties took over.(Grenache and Syrah)

Question 23

What % of plantings is Mourvedre in the Rhone?

Answer 23

Around 4% of Cotes du Rhone production zone. It was 33% pre-phylloxera.

Question 24

What did the great freeze of 1956 do to the agricultural landscape of the Rhone?

Answer 24

The winter temperatures dropped to -15C for three weeks. It was compounded by the frigid Mistral which blew at 60 mph and devastated the olive and fruit trees. Vines were the main survivors. They became the focus of farmers from then on.

Question 25

What brought the Rhone wines to the fore of world recognition in the 1900’s?

Answer 25

Major wine publications championed the wines. Robert Parker et al.

Question 26

What are “Rhone Rangers”?

Answer 26

Californian producers who produced Rhone-styled blends.

Question 27

Which Rhone-style wines did Australia produce?

Answer 27

Inexpensive Cote-Rotie-styled with Syrah and Viognier