Rhone Valley Flashcards
What are the Subregions of the Northern Rhone from North to South
Cote Rotie Condrieu St.Joseph Crozes-Hermitage Hermitage Cornas St Peray
What is the monopole vineyard of Condrieu
Chateau Grillet
Which white wine is permitted for blending with Syrah in Cote Rotie? and what is the percentage?
Viognier
20%
What are the two white wines that are permitted for blending in St. Joseph
10% Marsanne and Rousanne
Where does the hermitage get its name from?
From the Chevalier de Sterimberg, who upon returning from the crusades lived as a hermit in a Chapel in the area known as hermitage today.
What is the topography of the Northen Rhone
Steep granite vineyards
Between the Northern Rhone and Southern Rhone there is a gap, how long is that gap from Valence to Montelimar?
25 Miles ( 40 Km)
What is the Only Black grape in the Northern Rhone
Syrah
What are the permitted white grapes of the Northern Rhone
Marsanne, Rousanne, Viognier and Clairette
What is the major white grape of the Northern Rhone
Viognier
What is the Last Region of the Northern Rhone and What kind of wines does it produce ?
St. Peray, Producing still and sparkling wines
What is the left tributary of the Rhone located in the Northern Rhone
Drome River
What is the Soil type of Cote Rotie
Schist.
Explain the topography of Cote Rotie
Home to some of the steepest vineyards of the Northern Rhone.
the vineyards are south-facing this protects them from the strong mistral winds coming from the North and the vines are on sticks for support.
Give two reasons for blending Syrah with Viognier
- Historically in poor vintages over matured Viognier was used as a natural chaptalisation agent for under riped Syrah
- When co-fermented Viognier helps stabilise the colour of the Syrah.
Describe the wines of Condrieu?
The best interpretation of viognier. Highly concentrated with flavors of apricot , peaches golden in colour, dry and spicy.
What is the smallest AOC of the Rhone? when was it established and what’s the acreage?
Chateau Grillet
1936
9,4 Acres
St.Joseph is permitted 20% Marsanne and Roussanne?
False it is 10% Marsanne and Roussanne
Is hermitage and Cote Rotie fuller bodied than St. Joseph. True or False?
True
Describe the vineyards of Hermitage?
South facing granite vineyards overlooking the town of Tian.
A town of about 6000 inhabitants
What kind of wines are produced in hermitage?
Red and White but its renowned for its reds
Hermitage is permitted a 15% Marsanne and Roussanne. True or False?
True,but some of the best wines are 100% Syrah
What kind of wine is Hermitage Blanc?
A blend or Marsanne and Roussanne.
What kind of sweet wine is produced in Hermitage?
Vin de Paille sold under Hermitage Vin de Paille AOC
Explain the process of Hermitage Vin De Paille?
The grapes are harvested late in the growing season, laid to dry on wooden palettes to concentrate the sugars.
There is a difference between L’Ermitage, hermitage and L’hermitage?
No
There is a difference between L’Ermitage, hermitage and L’hermitage?
No
Percentage of other grapes in the following wines, Cornas, Cote Rotie, Hermitage, St. Joseph?
Cornas 100%
Cote Rotie 20% Viognier
Hermitage 15% Marsanne and Roussanne
St Joseph 10% Marsanne and Roussanne
What are some of the best plots of Hermitage ?
Le Meal
Les Bessards
Les Rocoules
What are some of the best vintages of Hermitage?
1961,1978,1985,2010,2015 and 2018
Describe the Crozes-Hermitage AOC?
This is a lesser AOC on land surrounding the hill in the town of Tian.
The wines are made in the similar fashion as Hermitage but lake the body of hermitage wines.
Describe Cornas ?
Excellent value for money Syrah made from 100% Syrah.
Does St Peray produce red wines?
No. Only sparking and white wines from Marsanne and Roussane. The sparkling wines are made by the tradition method.
Describe Die?
Small area on the east of the district,on the river drome.
Light dry sparkling wines from 100% Clairette.
Describe Clairette de Die Methode Diose Ancenstrale AOC
Sweet sparkling wine, light in alcohol made from 75% Muscat a Petit Grians and up 25% Clairette.
Explain the process of production for Clairette de Die Methode Diose Ancenstrale AOC
The process begins by bottling a partially fermented must of about 55 grams of residual sugar, fermented down to 35 gram per liter of residual sugar.
The wine is then filtered and rebottled in a process known as transversage
The wines are low in alcohol with about 6-8% ABV.
What are the red grapes of Cote du Rhone?
Grenache Syrah Mourvedre Cinsualt Carignan Picpoul Counoise Vaccarese Terret Noir Muscardin Marselan
What is the crossing of Marselan and who created it ?
Cabernet Sauvignon + Grenache. By Pual Truel
What are the white grapes of Cote du Rhone ?
Grenache Blanc Marsanne Roussanne Bourboulenc Viognier Pcpoul Blanc Ugni Blanc Grenache Coris Clairette Vermentino
How many grapes are permitted under the Cote Du Rhone Appellation?
20
Is the Rhone Valley situated between Lyon and Marseille, Bordering the Massif Central on the west, while bordering the Alps on the east with the Mediterranean to the South?
Yes
Which part of the Rhone Valley gets better sunlight?
The Southern part.The North is Arid and VERY Windy
Why does the Rhone have a tumultuous geological history
Because it is a result of the clashing of the Massif Central and the Alps caused by Volcanic activity .Flooded by the mediterranean several times with each flood bringing new deposits.
The region is built from three types of Rocks
Granite (dominant in the North, Cote Rotie,Condrieu,St Joseph,Hermitage)
Silica
Limestone
and there is also clay
What is Silica and where is it usually found ?
Silica is the decomposition of granite, mainly found on the valley floor as the slope begins to flatten e.g. Crozes - Hermitage and St. Joseph
Name four regions where the Silica has formed pebbles.
Chateaunuef Du Pape, Lirac, Tavel and Costieres De Nimes.
What is the benefit of pebbles ? and what kind of wines these soil produce.
Helping with ripening by retaining and reradiating the sun’s heat.
Powerful and warm reds with ripe tannins
What kind of Soil is Found in Chateaunuef du Pape
Silica/ Pebbles on top of clay
When did Chateauneuf Du Pape become an official appellation and who was responsible for this move?
1936
Baron Pierre Le Roy Boiseumarie (1890-1967)
Who was the Founder and President of the INAO from 1947 - 1967?
Baron Pierre Le Roy Boiseaumarie
When did Gigondas get awarded its own AOC and what was it before?
1970 made official in 1971
What is natural wine?
Wine grown organically and vinified with minimum intervention and with little to no Sulphur added.
Domaines that produce NATURAL WINE in the north.
Domaine et Ribo Lucie Christophe Curtat La Tache Texier Stephan and Allemand (Allemon)
Domaines that produce Natural Wine in the South?
Gramenon Le Mazel La Souteronne Marcel Richard Elodie Balme La Ferme St Martin Charme-Arnuad L;Anglore La Cave d'Esterzargues
Who was responsible for propagating new strains of Syrah in Cote Rotie and when did this phenomena take place ?
Brigitte Roch and Gilbert Clusel
1990
What is SERINE?
A special clone of Syrah used mainly in the Rhone Valley In Cote Rotie, with olive-like berries
What is the meaning of VEILLE VIGNE?
Old Vine
What is the difference between Syrah And Serine
Syrah yields more and its more resistant to diseases
Serine yield low and it is very susceptible to diseases.
I’ve come to the conclusion that syrah is not the same as sérine, although they are related. It is possible that sérine and syrah came from the same ancient variety. However, over 2000 years on the slopes of Côte-Rôtie, sérine developed its own varietal identity. It is still a grape of great rarity, due the challenges it creates for growers. However, it could be argued that this is the grape variety that Côte-Rôtie built its reputation on
true
Genetic Analysis have shown Syrah to be a crossing of what grapes
Mondeuse Blanche (From Savoie,also a distant relative of Viognier) (Mondus Blansh) Dureza (a distant relate of Pinot Noir)
Grenache ripens late so it needs hot and dry conditions such as those found in where the grape might have originated?
True
In the Southern Rhone where do you find Vins Doux Natural wines ?
Muscats Beaumes de Venise and Rasteau
In the Northen Rhone where can you find Vins Doux Naturels wines?
Hermitage Vins de Paille
The grapes are left to dry for 3 months on wooden pallets to concentrate the sugars
What are the great vintage of the Rhone from 1998 to 2010
1998 2005,2007, 2009 and 2010
2008 not so much.
What is Cote Du Rhone AOC ? who can NOT use it?
Cote Du Rhone is a regional appellation applicable to all but Luberon, Ventoux, Cote du Vivarais Grignan Les Adhemar Costieres de Nimes Diois
What are the names of the 17 Villages that can append their names to Cote du Rhone Village AOC?
Chusclan Laudun Massif déchaux Plan de Dieu Puymeras Rasteau Roaix Rochegude Rousset les Vignes Sablet St Gervais St Maurice St Pantaleon les Vignes Seguret Signargues Valreas Visan
Which part of the Rhone Valley produces more Cote Du Rhone wines ?
80% of the Cote Du Rhone wines come from the Southern Rhone.
Where does 80% of the Cote Du Rhone Blanc come from
Gard and Vaucluse.
Describe the style of Syrah of Cote Rotie
Concentrated black fruit, mocha, Licorice and chocolate.
Types of Granite Soils found in Condrieu and the style of wine their produce?
Muscovite Granite (Black mica) producing more generous wines Biotite Granite (White mica) producing wines noted for their minerality
Describe the wines of the Condrieu AOC
Rich and Aromatic
with notes of white flowers, white pepper, peach, and apricot.With occasional mineral tones
the mouth is supple and round, mouth-filling and perfumed.
What was St Joseph previously known as ? Where is it located
Vin de Mauves
Located between the town Mauves and Tournon.
Describe the wines of St Joseph?
Red wines generally have a nose of red and black fruits, floral element of violets and little bit smokey on the palate the wine has a peppermint finish.
Name at least six great producers of the Rhone Valley and their Locations
Guigal (Condrieu,Cote Rotie) Mathilde et Yves Gangloff or Yves Gangloff (North) Paul Jaboulet (Everywhere) Michel Chapoutier (Everywhere ) Beaucastel Rayas
At what age did E.Guigal produce his first vintage and when did he found his own winery.
16
1946
When did E.Guigal hand over the winery to his son
In 1962, to his son Marcel Guigal when he became blind.
When did the E.Guigal winery purchase Vidal Fluery?
Purchased by his son in 1985 and that were his father started his career.
What Chateau was acquired by the E.guigal winery in 1995
Chateau d’Ampuis
Name an Iconic producer in Tavel
Chateau d’aquaria owned by the same family since 1919
Who is Bruno and Vincet de Bez?
The producer of Rose in Tavel from Chateau d’aquaria sons of Paul de Bez
Name the seven grapes used for Chateau d’aquaria Rose
Grenache 45% Clairette 20% Mourvedre Cinsaut Syrah Bourboulenc Picpoul
Where is the hermitage AOC located?
On the hills of the Town Of Tain
Describe Hermitage AOC
Single swathe of land with complex geological composition
what is the size of Hermitage and Crozes-Hermitage Hermitage ?
Hermitage is about 345 Acres
Crozes-Hermitage is about 3707 Acres
What is Chassis?
A type of terroir found in hermitage, which is sandy clay and Alluvial deposit.
Name Notable producers of Crozes-Hermitage
Domaine Combier (Pont de L'Isere) Domaine Les Bruyères (Bruye)(Beaumont Monteux) Domaine Alain Graillot (Alan Grayu) Domaine Pradelle Yanne Chave Cave de Tain
What is the size of Cornas AOC
321 ACRES
Hermitage and Cote Rotie are South facing slopes, what is the aspect of Cornas
East facing
Describe the wines of Cornas
Powerful notes of smoke and black fruits
What is the name of the Chavelier hermitage is named after?
Gaspard de Sterimberg
What is ampelography?
Ampelography is the field of botany concerned with the identification and classification of grapevines, Vitis spp.
The French ampelographer (1924-2014)?
when did he bred Marcelan?
Paul Truel
1961
