Rhone Valley Flashcards
What are the main grape varieties in Northern Rhone?
Red:
- Syrah
White:
- Viognier
- Marsanne
- Roussanne
Northern Rhone is attached to the southern base of which region?
Beaujolais
Which two regions is Rhone between?
Burgundy and Provence
How long is the gap between northern and southern rhone?
30 miles
montelimar is the unofficial dividing line between the two regions
What is the climate like in Northern Rhone?
Moderate continental with maritime influences
- Dry summers
- Cold winters
- Little humidity
Which city is Northern Rhone southwest of?
Lyon
Which cities are at the northern and southern tips of Northern Rhone?
Vienne in the north and Valence to the south
What is the geography like in Northern Rhone?
The rhone river carved out a deep gorge. The region has steep slopes and winding roads. Most of the vineyards are terraced
What does the rhone river do for the vineyards in Northern Rhone?
It reflects light onto the vineyards, and concentrates the effect of the mistral
What kind of grapes do best in Northern Rhone and the mistral wine?
Thick skinned grapes
Due to the mistral wind, this region has its own unique tee pee like trellising system
What kind of soil is in the Northern Rhone region?
decomposed granite and schist
What are some winemaking preferences in Northern Rhone?
- small amounts of white grapes are co-fermented with syrah
- syrah has deep concentration and is usually aged in large oak foudre
- white wines tend to be made using oak aging, lees stirring, and malolactic fermentation
What is white wine like from northern rhone
rich wines that maintain a floral and frutiness
what are the important AOPs of Northern Rhone and their styles
Cote Rotie AOP
- reds only using syrah. 20% viognier is allowes
Condrieu AOP
- white only, 100% viognier
Cornas AOP
- red only, 100% syrah
Chateau Grillet
- White only, 100% viognier
St. Joseph AOP
- Whites from marsanne and Roussanne
- Red from syrah, up to 10% marsanne and roussanne
Crozes-Hermitage AOP
- whites from marsanne and roussanne
- red from syrah, up to 15% marsanne and roussanne
Hermitage AOP
- whites and vin de paille from marsanne and roussanne
- red from syrah, up to 15% marsanne and roussanne
Saint Peray AOP
- sparkling and still made from marsanne and roussanne
- must be aged 12 months in from tirage
What AOPs make traditional method sparkling wines in Rhone Valley?
- Coteau de Die
- Crémant de Die
These are made using clairette
What kind of wine does the Clairette de Die AOP make in Northern Rhone?
Traditional method and method ancestral sparkling
What are the red wines like in Northern Rhone
classic syrah status
- full bodied
- firm
- savory
They manifest a host of secondary aromas such as
- smoke
- grilled meat
- lavender
- peppercorn
- olive
What benefits does co-fermentation have?
- stabilizes red wine color
- moderating tannin extraction
What are the main grapes of Southern Rhone?
White
- Bourboulenc
- Marsanne
- Roussanne
- Clairette
- Viognier
- Grenache Blanc
Red
- Grenache
- Mourvèdre
- Syrah
- Cinsault
- Carignan
What are the secondary grapes in Southern Rhone?
White
- Picpoul Blanc
- Ugni Blanc
Red
- Vaccarèse
- Counoise
- Muscardin
- Picpoul Noir
- Terret Noir
Which grapes of rhone come in white, gris, and rouge versions
Grenache and Pipcoul
What cities does southern rhone stretch between?
Montelimar to Avignon
What is the southern rhone geography like?
- flatter terrain
- rolling hills
- less slope
What does the rhone river do for souther rhone?
It provides a cooling effect
What is the southern rhone soil like?
- galets
- alluvial
- limestone
This region is a true patchwork of different soil types
What are galets?
large stones left behind by glaciers that hold in the daytime heat
What is the climate like in southern rhone?
True Mediterranean
- abundance of sunshine
- mild winters
- heavy rainfall
what is a major climate influence in southern rhone?
the mistral wind
- helps with the humidity
- the wind along with the sunshine thickens the grape skins
what do growers do to protect the vines from the mistral wind in southern rhone?
they train their vines low and trellis them
which wine growing region was the first to be struck by phylloxera?
Southern rhone
Lirac
What was the first AOC?
Châteauneuf-du-pape in 1936
What are some winemaker preferences in southern rhone?
- most wine will be aged in neutral barrels
- producers can blend any variety of approved grapes, this makes for a wide range of styles
What are the qualities of a typical wine from southern rhone?
- high alcohol
- medium acidity
- dustiness & ripeness
- some will have a raisin like character
what are cotes du rhone wines like?
they can vary in quality but
- show more fruit character
- can have carbonic maceration
List the major AOPs of Southern Rhône and the style of wine they can make
Cotes du Rhone and Cotes du Rhone Villages
- red, white, and rose from any allowed grapes but grenache seems to dominate
Châteauneuf-du-Pape AOP
- white or red & can be made from 18 different varieties
- highest minimum abv in France at 12.5%
Carianne AOP
- red and white from approved varieties
Gigondas AOP
- red and rose
Vaqueras AOP
- white, red, and rose
Beaumes de Venise AOP
- red only
Vinsobres AOP
- red only
Lirac AOP
- red, white, and rose
Tavel AOP
- rose only
Rasteau AOP
- dry reds, sweet, fortified vin doux naturels in all colors
Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venice AOP
- Vin Doux Naturels, in white, rosé and red
Which producer in Chateauneuf du Pape released the first estate bottled wine?
Chateau la Nerthe in 1785
What signifies an estate bottled wine from producers in Chateauneuf du Pape?
A papal crest
Why are wines in southern rhone usually blended with grenche?
grenache lacks acidity
grenache is used for sweet wines in this region because of its tendency to higher sugar content
