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French Wine Scholar > Rhône Valley > Flashcards

Rhône Valley Flashcards

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1
Q

What are the important turning points in the viticultural history?

A

Viticulture begins in 600 BC.
Romans arrive 2nd century BC and develop vineyards in the upper valley.
14th century - Papal Palace moves to Avignon (70 year stay)
17th century - growers started calling their wines Cote du Rhône and regulations were introduced
19th century - Regional moniker of Les Cotes du Rhône is introduced, stretching from Vienne to Avignon

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2
Q

What was the edict that King Louis XV issued in 1737?

A

All CdR wine barrels had to be branded ‘CDR’

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3
Q

What are the names of the northern CdR and the southern CdR?

A

Septentrionales

Méridionales

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4
Q

What is the CdR in relation to the Les Cotes du Rhône?

A

CdR is the regional AOC of the wider region.

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5
Q

What is the history behind the name Chateauneuf du Pape?

A

It means “the new castle of the pope” and refers back to when Pope John XXII built a summer residence in the town because he loved it so much back in the 14th century. The name then became the name of the village.

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6
Q

What were Vins de Médecine?

A

Rhône wines sold to burgundy to add colour, tannin and ripe fruit.

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7
Q

When phylloxera struck, how did this change the landscape?

A

1/3rd of plantings were Mourvedre but as this wasn’t easily grafted, they were replaced with Grenache and Shiraz.

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8
Q

How did the appellation system in France get its start?

A

It was decided in 1924 that the vine growers of CdP were going to delineate the zone of production and set production standards. A year later, Baron Pierre Le Roy de Boiseaumarié (who was championing this), found out that cheese producers had been granted appellation protection for Roquefort. In 1935, the Baron helped create the first AOC system and founded the INAO.

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9
Q

Why did viticulture take off post 1956?

A

The freeze, along with the Mistral, destroyed most the region’s olive and fruit trees. Farmers mostly turned to viticulture for their new livelihood.

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10
Q

Who are the Rhône Rangers?

A

Californian winemakers making Rhône-style blends.

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11
Q

What are the impacts of the Mistral on viticulture?

A

Vines in the S.R. are trained low for protection from the wind. In the N.R. ideal vineyards have a SE aspect to minimise their exposure to it.
The Mistral does help prevent frost and chases away humidity. It can however break shoots and rip off leaves.

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12
Q

What are the impacts of the Rhône River?

A

The river moderates temperatures and equalises diurnal and seasonal tempererature swings. This aids bud break and helps reduce frost.

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13
Q

Does the river impact the N.R. or S.R. more?

A

The N.R. as the majority of vineyards flank the steep and narrow river banks.

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14
Q

What is the climate of the N.R?

A

Continental

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15
Q

What are the seasons like in the N.R?

A

Springs: variable
Summers: hot and sunny with some rain
Autumns: dry and windy with risk of hail
Winters: cold with light snow

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16
Q

What are the main soils of the N.R?

A

Granite sub-soils with schist top-soils.

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17
Q

What is the climate of the S.R.?

A

Mediterranean

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18
Q

What are the seasons like in the S.R.?

A

Springs: dry with clouds
Summers: very hot with cool nights
Autumns: Warm, sunny and windy
Winters: Cool and rainy

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19
Q

What are the principal soils of the S.R?

A 
Galets (rounded river stones)
Shingle clay
Limestone
Red sandstone
Loess/Molasse (windblown silts and sands)
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20
Q

What are the main red grapes of the S.R.?

A

Grenache, Syrah, Mouvedre, Carignan, Cinsault

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21
Q

What are the main white grapes of the S.R?

A

Grenache Blanc, Clairette, Viognier, Bourboulenc, Roussanne, Marsanne, Muscat, Piquepoul and Ugni Blanc

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22
Q

What are the borders of the N.R.?

A

Vienne to Valence

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23
Q

What are the borders of the S.R?

A

Montélimar to Nimes

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24
Q

What are the borders of Les Cotes du Rhône?

A

Vienne to Avignon.

25
Q

What are the grapes of the N.R.?

A

Red: Syrah
White: Viognier, Marsanne & Roussanne

26
Q

Which N.R. Cru produces sweet Vins de Paille?

A

Hermitage

27
Q

What is an échalas?

A

Tee-pee like arrangement of trellising with 2 vines at the centre.

28
Q

Where is the Diois located and what grapes are grown there?

A

25 miles SE of Cornas

Clairette, Muscat, Chardonnay, Aligoté, Gamay, Pinot Noir & Syrah

29
Q

What is the traditional vine training method in the S.R.?

A

Gobelet.
Newer vineyards are often trellised for better sun exposure, to facilitate pruning and harvesting and to eliminate humidity build up.

30
Q

How much of the CdR production comes from the S.R?

A

95%

31
Q

What are the names of the other Rhône Valley AOCs?

A

Clairette de Die, Cotes du Vivarais, Duché d’Uzes, Costieres de Nimes, Clairette de Bellegarde, Grignan-Les-Adhémar, Ventoux & Luberon

32
Q

What are the main grape varietals in the CdR AOC? What are unique attributes of the AOC?

A

Red and rosé from S.R.: Grenache dominant
Red from N.R: Must be 100% Syrah
The CdR AOC produces 65% of the total Rhône Valley production.
The CdR blending formula relates to the percentages of vines planted in the ground, not grapes in the bottle.

33
Q

What are the main grape varietals in the CdR Villages AOC? What are unique attributes of the AOC?

A 
All villages (95) that can produce CdRV are located in the S.R.
The blend here is a mandated blend in the bottle. The blend must be >50% Grenache plus >20% Syrah and/or Mourvedre with additional optional red grapes and <20% white grapes.
34
Q

Describe the CdR V + named village AOC

A

20 villages.
The blend is the same for CdRV.
Lower yields and higher abv.

35
Q

What are the Crus of the N.R. from north to south?

A

Cote Rotie, Condrieu, Chateau-Grillet, Saint-Joseph, Crozes-Hermitage, Hermitage, Cornas & Saint-Peray

36
Q

Describe the wines of Cote Rotie

A

100% red

Syrah with <20% Viognier (co-planted and co-fermented)

37
Q

Describe the wines of Condrieu

A

100% white
Viognier
Mostly dry with a little sweet wine made

38
Q

Describe the wines of Chateau-Grillet

A

100% white

Viognier

39
Q

Describe the wines of Saint-Joseph

A

Red dominant
Syrah with <10% Marsanne/Roussanne
Some whites from same grapes

40
Q

Describe the wines of Crozes-Hermitage

A

Red dominant
Syrah with <15% Marsanne/Roussanne
Some whites from the same grapes
Largest of northern Crus

41
Q

Describe the wines of Hermitage

A

Red dominant
Syrah with <15% Marsanne/Roussanne
Some whites from the same grapes

42
Q

Describe the wines of Cornas

A

100% Red

Syrah only

43
Q

Describe the wines of Saint-Peray

A

100% white

Still and sparkling Marsanne/Roussanne

44
Q

Name the S.R. Crus from north to south

A

Vinsobres, Rasteau, Cairanne, Gigondas, Vacqueyras, Beaumes-de-Venise, Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Lirac & Tavel

45
Q

Which of the S.R. Crus are on the right bank?

A

Lirac & Tavel

46
Q

Which is the newest Cru of the S.R.?

A

Cairanne

47
Q

Which wines are made in Beaumes-de-Venice?

A

Dry reds

48
Q

Describe the appellation of CdP and the wines

A

Largest of the southern Crus.
Driest growing region in the CdR.
13 grapes authorised

49
Q

Which S.R. Cru is renowned for rosé?

A

Tavel from Grenache

50
Q

What are the 2 VDN appellations in the S.R?

A

Rasteau and Muscat de Beaumes de Venise

51
Q

Which grapes go into Rasteau VDN and what are the associated VDN terms?

A

Grenache Noir/Gris/Blanc
Red VDNs are reductive (grenat) or oxidative (tuilé)
White VDNs are reductive (blanc) or oxidative (ambré)
Hors d’Age refers to 5 years oxidative ageing
Rancio refers to 12 months oxidative ageing in barrel or in bonbonnes outside in the sun
Min abv 15% and 4.5% RS

52
Q

What grapes go into Muscat de Beaumes de Venise VDN and what are the requirements?

A

Muscat a Petits Grains Blanc

Min abv 15% and 10% RS

53
Q

Which is the largest producer amognst the non-CdR AOCs?

A

Ventoux

54
Q

Which non-CdR AOC is famous for rosé?

A

Luberon

55
Q

Which is the coolest & wettest non-CdR AOC?

A

Cotes du Vivarais

56
Q

Which is the only non-CdR AOC for 100% white wine?

A

Clairette de Bellegarde

57
Q

Which non-CdR AOC is the warmest and driest?

A

Costieres de Nimes

58
Q

How long will the Rasteau VDN last for?

A

8 years

French Wine Scholar (15 decks)

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