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Certified Sommelier > Rhone Valley > Flashcards

Rhone Valley Flashcards

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1
Q

Rhone Valley map

A
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2
Q

Rhone geographic markers (north, dividing line, south)

A
  • Lyon to the north
  • Montelimar is unofficially dividing line
  • Avignon to the south
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3
Q

Rhone River

A

Originates in Switzerland and flows south through France into the Mediterranean Sea.

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4
Q

Northern Rhone topography

A

HILLY
Steep hills, Rhone River reflects sunlight and provides more exposure. It also concentatrs the effects of the Mistral.

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5
Q

Southern Rhone topography

A

FLATTER
Rolling hills, the Rhone River provides cooling impact and less slope

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6
Q

Galets (soil)

A

Large smooth round stones size of baseballs to melons

Pros - protect from soil erosion due to Mistral wind & help ground retain moisture in heat

Cons - can retain heat and accelerate grape ripening

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7
Q

Vine training in Rhone

A

North - terraced slopes with staked vines to protect from Mistral

South - Bush/goblet to conserve water and provide shade from sun

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8
Q

Cause & effect of co-fermentation

A
  • Enhance color, soften texture, boost aromas
  • Typically done with Syrah and Viognier in Northern Rhone (Cote Rotie)
  • Viognier enhances & helps retain the color of Syrah
  • Viognier has spice and peach aromas that enhance aromas of Syrah
  • Silkier mouthfeel
  • Popular in Cote Rotie
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9
Q

Reason for blending in the south

A
  • Syrah tends to lose focus and intensity in heat of Southern Rhone
  • Blending produces more complex, elegant, & intriguing wines than any of the varieties vinified alone.
  • Gives winemaker more control over taste profile
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10
Q

Strength & weaknesses of Granache

A
  • Color challenged - skin has very little pigment (anthocyanins)
  • Prone to oxidation
  • Does not have enough character of its own to produce a great and stable wine
  • High alcohol
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11
Q

White grapes of Northern Rhone

A
  • Viognier
  • Marsanne
  • Roussane
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12
Q

White grapes of Southern Rhone

A
  • Grenache Blanc
  • Bourboulnec (adds acidity to blends)
  • Clairette (fresh & aromatic when grown at low yields)
  • Picpoul (modest quality, blending grape)
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13
Q

Red grapes of Northern Rhone

A

Syrah

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14
Q

Red grapes of Southern Rhone

A
  • Granache
  • Mourvedre
  • Cinsault (adds cherry and cranberry aromas, good in roses)
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15
Q

Northern Rhone AOPs

A

(North to south)

Cote Rotie (red)
Condrieu (white)
Chateau Grillet (white)
St Joseph (red and white)
Crozes Hermitage (red and white)
Hermitage (red and white)
Cornas (red)

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16
Q

Cote Rotie

A

Red: Syrah

17
Q

Chateau Grillet

A

White: Viognier

18
Q

Condrieu

A

White: Viognier

19
Q

St. Joseph

A

Red: Syrah
White: Roussanne, Marsanne

20
Q

Crozes Hermitage

A

Red: Syrah
White: Roussanne, Marsanne

21
Q

Hermitage

A

Red: Syrah
White: Roussanne, Marsanne

22
Q

Southern Rhone classification tiers

A
  • Cru/Single village (Chateauneuf du Pape, Tavel, Gigondas, Vacqueyras, Beaumes de Venise)
  • Cotes du Rhone Villages
  • Cotes du Rhone
23
Q

Cru/Single Village AOPs

A

(North to South)
Gigondas (red and rose)
Beaumes de Venise (fortified, sweet)
Vacqueyras (red)
Chateauneuf du Pape (red and white)
Tavel (rose)

24
Q

Gigondas

A

Red: GSM + Cinsault

25
Q

Beaumes de Venise

A

Fortified and sweet
White: Muscat blanc a Petits Grains

26
Q

Vacqueyras

A

Red: GSM + Cinsault
White: Grenache Blanc, Clairette, Bourboulenc

27
Q

Chateaneuf du Pape

A

Red: GSM + Cinsault
White: Grenache Blanc, Clairette, Bourboulenc

28
Q

Tavel

A

ROSE
Red: GSM + Cinsault
White: Clairette, Picpoul, Bourboulenc

29
Q

Cotes du Rhone & Cotes du Rhone villages

A

Vast, flat, spread out over north and south but primarily in south.
Make up 59% of Rhone wines
Cotes du Rhone is more basic, Cotes du Rhone villages is a step up in quality
95 villages in Cotes du Rhone villages

30
Q

Cotes du Rhone villages examples

A

Nyons, Rochegude, Rousset-les-Vignes, Gadagne, Massif d’Uchaux, Plan de Dieu

31
Q

Min abv in Chateauneuf du Pape

A

12.5%

32
Q

Min Granache requirements in Southern Rhone

A

Red Southern Rhône wines must contain a minimum of 40% Grenache and may contain up to 5% white grapes. A

33
Q

Vin Doux Naturels & Rhone examples

A

Sweet wine

Examples:
Muscat de Beaumes de Venise - ligtly fortified, unoaked, peach and apricot flavors
Rasteau vin doux naturel - granache based sweet wine

34
Q

Rhone valley producers

A

Jean-Louis Chave (Hermitage)
M. Chapoutier (Hermitage)
Guigal (Cote Rotie, Gigondas)
Chateau de Beaucastel (Chateauneuf du Pape)
Chateau Rayas (Chateauneuf de Pape, $$$)

35
Q

Papal lore (occupation & crest)

A
  • In 14th century the French pope (Clement V) resided in Avignon just south of vineyards instead of Rome
  • His successor built a summer home among the vineyards
  • Vast improvement of winemaking in the region in 20th century earned it the name Chateauneuf du Pape
  • 1937 bottle with first papal crest was created, most bottles display said crest.
36
Q

Rhone food pairings

A

Chateauneuf du Pape - Burger w/ bacon and grilled mushrooms (dark fruit balances the grilled beef and the earthy notes bring out forest floor flavours of the mushrooms, pepper adds nice dimension)

Cheateaunuef du Pape - Osso Bucco (cherry notes liven up dish, pepper adds nice dimension)

Cote Rotie - Herb crusted lamb chops or barbecue pork (the spices will sing against the smoke you can find in Syrah)

Muscat de Beaumes - pan fried duck foie gras

37
Q

What is a galet?

A
  • French word for large round stone ranging in size from fist to small melon
  • Soils of CNDP are covered in galets
  • Rocky remenants left behind by scraping action of ancient Alpine glaciers that were then tossed and rolled by Rhone river until they became round

Certified Sommelier (50 decks)

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