Rhône Valley Flashcards
What are the two towns that begin and end the Northern Rhone Valley
Vienne (North)
Valence (South)
What are the two towns that begin and end the Southern Rhone Valley
Montémilar (North)
Avignon (South)
When did viticulture begin in what is now the Rhone Valley? Who first planted vines?
Roughly 600BC
The Greeks
What was the first settlement making wine in the Rhone Valley? What is its modern name?
Massalia (Marseilles)
When did the viticulture begin growing grapes in the Northern Rhone? Who spread it there?
1st Century AD
Romans
What is Vinum Picatum?
“Pitched Wine”
Which Pope brought the seat of the Papacy to Avignon? Which built the papal palace?
Pope Clement V
Pope John XXII
What was Chateauneuf-du-Pape called before the Papacy relinquished ownership of the Summer Palace?
Vin d’Avignon
When was Chateauneuf-du-Pape created as an AOC?
1936 (the first in France)
What is the climate of the Northern Rhone? Generally speaking.
Continental
Which region (North or South) experiences more rainfall, more sunshine hours, more seasonal temperature shifts?
Rainfall: North
Sunshine: South
Temperature Shifts: North
When does the Mistral Wind most greatly affect the Rhone Valley?
Winter and Spring
What affects does the Mistral Wind have on vineyards?
Dries the vineyards (prevents mold/mildew)
Cools vineyards
Can blow vines to a slant
Where are the steepest vineyards in the Rhone Valley?
Cote Rotie
Describe the vine training found in Cote Rotie.
Two vines staked together to a point making the slope look like its covered w/ Christmas trees
What topsoil is generally found in the Northern Rhone?
Sand and Loess
What subsoil is generally found in the Northern Rhone?
Granite and Schistous soil
What is Arzelle and where is it found?
Powdery, decomposed Mica
Found in Condrieu
Where would you find more clay based soils in the Northern Rhone?
Lower on the slope nearer to the river, Saint-Joseph, Crozes-Hermitage, Saint-Peray
What is the encepagement of Cornas AOP?
100% Syrah
What red wine AOPs allow for a blending of Viognier in the wine in the Northern Rhone?
Cote Rotie
What red wine AOPs allow for a blending of Marsanne and or Roussanne in the wine in the Northern Rhone?
Hermitage, Crozes-Hermitage, Saint Joseph
What direction do the vineyards of Cote Rotie face?
Southeast
What is the main town of Cote Rotie? What major producer is based there?
Ampuis - E. Guigal
What two vineyard areas form the heart of Cote Rotie?
Cote Brune
Cote Blonde
What are ‘La Las’?
Single vineyard bottlings from La Mouline, La Turque, La Landone aged for up to 4 years in New French Oak barrels
Who else besides E. Guigal produces wine from La Landone?
Rene Rostaing, Jean Michel Gerin, Delas, Xavier Gerard
Who owns Chateau d’Ampuis?
E. Guigal
What direction do the vines of Hermitage face?
South
What is the town at the base of the hill of Hermitage?
Tain-L’Hermitage
Who are the four major producers of Hermitage?
Jean-Louis Chave
Delas
M. Chapoutier
Jaboulet
Who was Gaspard de Sterimberg?
The crusader turned hermit who lived on the hill of Hermitage?
Name 6 important climat of Hermitage.
L’Hermite
le Meal
les Bessards
Greffieux
Beaume
Peleat
What is the soil type found in Cornas?
Gore (granite)
How does the mistral wind affect the vines in Cornas?
It doesn’t - the appellation is shielded thanks to its aspect
What are the four major lieux-dits of Cornas?
Les Reynards
La Cote
Les Chaillot
Les Mazards
Who are major producers of Cornas?
Aguste Clape
Thierry Allemand
Jean-Luc Colombo
Robert Michel
Vincent Paris
What appellations may produce white wine in the Northern Rhone? What grapes are used in each?
Saint-Joseph - Marsanne/Roussanne
Crozes-Hermitage - Marsanne/Roussanne
Hermitage
Condrieu - Viognier
Chateau Grillet - Viognier
Coteaux de Die - Clairette
Sait-Peray - Marsanne/Roussanne
What appellations produce dessert wine in the Northern Rhone?
Hermitage
Condrieu
What is the dessert wine of Hermitage called? Which two producers revived it and when?
Vin de Paille
Chave in the 1970’s
Chapoutier in 1990
Where is sparkling wine produced in the Northern Rhone? What grapes are used?
Saint-Peray - Marsanne/Roussanne
Cremant de Die - Clairette
Clairette de Die - Muscat a Petit Grains & Clairette
What methods of sparkling wine production are used in Clairette de Die? What is the encepagement for each?
Methode Traditionnelle - Clairette
Methode Dioise ancestrale - 75% Min Muscat a Petit Grains and Clairette
Moethode Dioise ancestrale (rose) - 75% Min Muscat a Petit Grains and Clairette and MAX 10% Gamay
Which style of sparkling wine is sweeter in Clairette de Die? Traditionnelle or Ancestrale?
Ancestrale - MIN 35g/L RS
What river do Cremant de Die, Clairette de Die, Coteaux de Die, and Chantillon-en-Dois AOPs lie on?
Drome River - east west running tributary of the Rhone
What appellation allows for Gamay based reds, and aligote/chardonnay based whites?
Chatillon-en-Diois
Roughly what % of wine of the Rhone Valley is produced in the Southern Rhone?
95%
What is the most planted grape in the Southern Rhone?
Grenache
What is the climate of the Southern Rhone? Generally speaking.
Mediterranean
Is the mistral wind more intense in the Northern or Southern Rhone?
Northern
How do growers plant vines in order to protect against the Mistral Wind?
Planted initially at an angle so they grow vertically over time
When does rain generally occur in the Southern Rhone?
Spring & Autumn
What is the general soil composition of the Southern Rhone?
Alluvial (in many forms) over Limestone subsoil
What are galets made from?
Quartzite
How do galets affect the vines in Chateauneuf du Pape?
They help warm the vines at night
Name a producer of Chateauneuf du Pape that bottles 100% Varietal Grenache wines.
Chateau Rayas
Name a producer of Chateauneuf du Pape that bottles using all 13(18) grape varieties.
Chateau de Beaucastel
What is the minimum alcohol content of Chateauneuf du Pape?
12.5% ABV
Where in France is a higher minimum alcohol stipulated for dry wines compared to CdP?
Nowhere - CdP is highest min for dry wine
What is Le Râpé?
A mandate that producers declassify or discard 2% of harvested grapes (prevents underripeness)
Who was the first producer to bottle an estate bottled CdP? When?
Chateau La Nerthe in 1785
Besides Galets, what other soils are found in CdP?
Gravel, Calcareous clay, Sand
Name the grape varieties approved for CdP.
Genache (Noir/Blanc/Gris)
Mourvedre
Syrah
Cinsault
Counoise
Picpoul (Noir/Blanc/Gris)
Terret Noir
Bourbelenc
Clairette (& Rose)
Rossanne
Vaccarese
Picardan
Muscardin
How many villages may append their name to Cotes-du-Rhone-Villages?
22
How many villages of Cotes du Rhone Villages may produce only red wine? Name 3.
9
Gadagne
Nyons
Plan de Dieu
When was Gigondas elevated out of Cotes-du-Rhone villages?
1971 to AOP status
What soil is found in Gigondas?
Red clay and alluvial
What colors of wine are permitted for Gigondas AOP?
Red, Rose, White (beginning in 2023)
What % of the blend in Gigondas be Grenache?
Min 50%
What CdP grape is not permitted in the production of Gigondas wines?
Carignan
Gigondas mandates that Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvedre account for what % of the final blend?
Min 90% combined
Min 50% Grenache
Min combined 15% Syrah and Mourvedre
What colors of Vacqueyras wines are produced?
Red white and Rose
When was Vacqueyras elevated from Cotes du Rhone Villages?
1990
What % of Grenache is required in Vacqueyras?
50%
What two grapes are allowed in the vineyards of Vacqueyras but not allowed in CdP? For red wine.
Viognier
Marsanne
Are single variety white wines allowed in Vacqueyras?
No - max 80% of one single grape
Beames-de-Venise AOP produces what type of wine?
Red only.
How many AOPs permit Ugni Blanc to be grown in the Southern Rhone? Name 3.
9:
Beaumes-de-Venise
Cairanne
Cotes-du-Rhone-Villages
Duche d’Uzes
Gigondas
Lirac
Luberon
Rasteau
Vinsobres
When was Beaumes-de-Venise AOP elevated from Cotes du Rhone-Villages?
2005
When was Vinsobres AOP elevated from Cotes du Rhone-Villages?
2006
What is the most recent elevation from Cotes du Rhone Villages to AOP status? When was it elevated?
Cairanne in 2016
When and where did Phylloxera likely first appear in France?
Lirac 1863
What style of wine is Tavel AOP known for?
Rose
What grape variety is predominantly used in Tavel AOP production?
Grenache
What soils are found in Tavel?
Galet, Lauses (white calcareous soils), Sand
What are the two Vin doux Naturel AOP in the Southern Rhone?
Rasteau
Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise
What % of wine is made by the Vignerons de Beaumes-de-Venise Co-op in Muscat de Beaumes de Venise AOP?
90%
What colors are allowed for Vin doux Naturel in the southern Rhone?
White, Rose, Red
What grapes are used for Rasteau Vin doux Naturel Blanc, Rose, and Rouge wines?
Grenache Blanc
Grenache Gris
Grenache Noir
What comunes may use Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise AOP?
Beaumes de Venise
Aubignan
What communes may use Rasteau AOP
Rasteau
Cairanne
Sablet
What is the difference between the two Vin Doux Naturel AOP in the Southern Rhone in the glass?
Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise are brighter and more floral
Rasteau shows more like a tawny
What do Ambré and Tuilé indicate on a bottle of Rasteau?
Ambré - White
Tuilé - Red
Both showing a more oxidative character
Aged for a minimum of three years prior to release
Where else in France are Ambré and Tuilé used on a label?
Rievesaltes in Roussillon
What do Blanc and Grenat indicate on a bottle of Rasteau AOP wine?
Lighter and fresher styles of VdN
What is the minimum residual sugar for Rasteau AOP VdN wines?
45g/L RS
Are dry red wines permitted in Rasteau AOP?
Yes as of 2010 but only within the commune of Rasteau itself
What does Hors d’Age indicate on Rasteau AOP?
Min 5 years aging
Rasteau AOP wines labeled Rancio must show what character?
Maderized and oxidative style
What is the northern most appellation on the Southern Rhone Valley?
Grignan-les-Adhemar
What is the AOP that straddles Southern Rhone, Languedoc, and Provence?
Costieres de Nimes - used to be under Languedoc control until 2004 - now in S. Rhone
What AOP is Clairette de Bellegarde AOP located within?
Costieres de Nimes
What grape is used in Clairette de Bellegarde?
Clairette
How many communes comprise Clairette de Bellegarde?
1 - within Costieres de Nimes
What geological formation greatly affects Gigondas?
Dentelles de Montmirail
