Rhône Valley Flashcards
What is the Rhône Septentrionale?
A french term for the Northern Rhône
What is the Rhône Méridionale?
A french term for the Southern Rhône
What are the main varieties of the Northern Rhône?
Syrah
Viognier, Marsanne, Rousanne
What does the Northern Rhône have in common with Beaujolais?
Because it’s quite close to Beaujolais, beginning in Vienne just south of Lyon, it shares more soil, climate, & terroir with Beaujolais than with the southern Rhône.
What two cities bookend the Northern Rhône?
Vienne to the north
Valence to the south
Why are most vines terraced in the Northern Rhône?
Because of the steep slopes that characterize the gorge carved by the Rhône river, as well as the Mistral wind and shallow topsoils, vines need more support than in other regions.
The region uses its own unique teepee-like trellising system to keep vines from blowing over.
What is the climate of the Northern Rhône?
Continental with mediterranean influence.
Dry summers
Cold winters
very little humidity
What are the drying effects of the Northern Rhône?
The cold, dry, mistral wind blowing from the massif central down the valley.
minimal annual rainfall and low humidity (though more than its southern neighbor)
Why do thick skinned grapes do better in the Northern Rhône?
They’re less prone to damage with intense mistral wind.
What are the soils in the Northern Rhône?
Granite, schist, clay
In condrieu, arzelle: decomposed mica
When did viticulture begin in the Northern Rhône?
First century, with the Romans
When and why did Hermitage begin?
In the 12th century, crusader Gaspard de Stérimberg retired to this hillside to spend the rest of his life in repentance.
What events mark the decline & resurgence of Northern Rhone wines? When did they decline again?
The fall of the roman empire and the middle ages marked the decline of the wine industry in the North, until…
The 18th & 19th centuries saw a resurgence of N Rhône wines as they traveled throughout France & England. Hermitage became extremely popular and many Bordeaux Merchants blended it into their wines to give them more power & structure.
Of course, Phyloxera visited the Rhone in 1863, and after that were eclipsed by Burgundy & Bordeaux.
What is the Northern Rhône’s relationship with oak?
Reds tend to age in large oak foudres
Whites tend to see oak as well.
Why is cofermentation of Syrah with a small amount of white grapes traditional in the Northern Rhône?
For lift & color stabilization, though it’s less common today than historically.
Do Northern Rhône whites typically undergo oak aging? lees stirring malolactic conversion?
Yes to all of the above to enhance richness & texture. but only according to wine maker preference.
What rules govern the Côte Rôtie AOP?
Red only of Syrah w/up 20% viognier
What rules govern the Condrieu AOP?
Whites only from 100% viognier
What rules govern the Cornas AOP?
Reds only from 100% Syrah
What rules govern the Cháteau Grillet AOP?
Whites only from 100% viognier
What rules govern the Saint Joseph AOP?
Whites from Marsanne & Roussane
Reds from Syrah w/up to 10% M&R
What rules govern the Crozes-Hermitage AOP?
Whites from Marsanne & Roussane
Reds from Syrah w/up to 15% M&R
What rules govern the Hermitage AOP?
Whites and Vin de Paille from Marsanne & Roussane
Reds from Syrah w/up to 15% M&R
What is Vin de Paille?
A sweet wine from dried marsanne & rousanne grapes, from Hermitage.
What rules govern the Saint Péray AOP?
Sparkling & still wines from Marsanne & Rousanne.
Sparkling must be aged 12 months in bottle prior to release
What rules govern the Coteau de Die & Crémant de Die AOPs?
Traditional method sparkling wines from the Clairette grape
What rules govern the Clairette de Die AOPs?
Can be traditional or ancestrale method sparkling wines from the Clairette grape.
What are the major Villages of the Northern Rhône?
Vienne, Ampuis, Condrieu, Tain l’Hermitage, Cornas, St. Peray, & Valence.
What are the major growing areas of the Côte Rôtie?
The Côtes Brune & Blonde make up the heart of Cote Rotie terroir.
What is the most famous cru vineyard of E Guigal in Côte Rôtie?
La Landonne
What are the most important Lieu-dits of Hermitage?
La Chapelle
L’Hermite
Le Méal
Les Bessards
Gréffieux
Beaume
Péléat
What are the 4 Lieu-Dits of Cornas?
Les Reynards
La Côte
Les Chaillot
Les Mazards
What was an important Roman trading center & what was its unique wine export to rome?
Vienne
Vinum Picatum, or “pitched wine”, either a reference to its character from transport in resin lined amphorae or to the tar like character of Northern Rhône Syrah.
What % of Rhône wine comes from the north? The south?
5% vs 95%
What is the primary grape of the Rhône? Where does it come from?
Grenache, from Spain.
What are the 5 major red grapes of rhone blends? What does each contribute?
Grenache - warmth, richness, sweet fruit
Syrah & Mourvedre - structure & deep color
Cinsault - finesse & freshness
Carignan - on the decline
What is the climate of the Southern Rhône?
True mediterranean
Hot summers with big diurnals
Wet autumns
Mild winters
What are the soils of the Southern Rhône?
Limestone subsoil beneath alluvial, sand, gravel, & clay, littered with galets.
What are galets?
Uniquely smooth, large, quartzite stones that absorb & radiate heat in the Southern Rhône.
What is garrigue
low-lying, bushy, aromatic scrubland
What is the Premier Southern Rhône AOP? What’s it’s claim to fame?
Chateauneuf-du-Pape, France’s first AOP established in 1936.
What rules govern CdP AOP?
Can be red or white from 13/18 allowed grapes.
Dry wines have minimum 12.5% alcohol (the highest minimum in France!)
Producers must discard at least 2% of their harvest as quality control.
What are two famous CdP producers and what are their wines famous for?
Chateau-de-Beaucastel is famous for using every allowed grape & a significant proportion of Mourvedre.
Chateau Rayas is famous for its varietal grenache wine.
Describe a Southern Rhône red compared to its Northern cousin?
Tends to be richer & riper with higher alcohol.
What is Chateau la Nerthe famous for?
Producing CdP’s first estate-bottled wine in 1785.
Papal crests are now embossed on many estate-bottled wines as a tradition.
Is CdP a homogenous appellation?
No, because of the range of grapes and techniques allowed, as well as the AOP’s size (3000 ha compared to Cornas at 100 ha) and soil diversity, knowing individual producers’ styles is essential to finding the right CdP.
What is CdP’s relationship to oak?
CdP traditionally ages its wines in large oak foudres, but some producers are experimenting with new barriques.
What are the grapes of CdP?
Grenache (blanc/gris/noir)
Syrah
Mourvedre
Cinsault
Counoise
Picquepoul (blanc/gris/noir)
Picardin
Muscardin
Bourbelanc
Terret Noir
Clairette (blanc/rosé)
Rousanne
Vaccarèse
What rules govern the Cotes du Rhone AOP?
Generic AOP covering both North & South Rhône.
Can be white, rosé, or red.
Based on Grenache, with syrah and mourvedre.
22 named communes for CdR Village, with higher standards.
Name the 5 former CdR communes elevated to AOC status and the years they were elevated.
Gigondas in 1975
Vacqueras in 1990
Beaumes-de-Venise in 2005
Vinsobres in 2006
Cairanne in 2016
What are the famous soils of Gigondas?
Red clay alluvial
Which of the recently elevated communal AOPs can also produce whites & rosés?
Gigondas & Vacqueras.
Which of the recently elevated communal AOPs produces dry whites as well as dry reds?
Cairanne AOP
Which two Southern Rhône AOPs are on the west bank?
Lirac & Tavel
Describe the wines of Lirac
red, white, & rosé, similar to cotes de rhone village.
grenache blanc and noir prevalent
whites likely to include clairette & bourboulanc
What soil type is prevalent in Lirac?
Sandy soils, despite it likely being the entry point of phyloxera in France.
How many communes is Lirac spread over?
4.
What kind of wine does Tavel produce?
A concentrated, dry, age-worthy grenache-based rosé.
Name the 2 VDN appellations in the Southern Rhône.
Rasteau & Muscat-de-Beaumes-de-Venise.
Who produces 90% of Muscat de Beaumes de Venise?
The local cooperative vignerons de beaumes de venise.
Where are grapes sourced for Muscat de Beaumes de Venise?
BdV & Aubignan.
How can muscat de Beaumes de Venise be red & rosé if Muscat is a white grape???
Muscat rouge a petit grains is also an allowed grape.
In what proportion is 96% neutral grape spirit added to VDNs in the Southern Rhône? What is this method called?
5-10%, called Mutage
What is Rasteau?
A Vin doux naturel that can be red, white, or rosé, based on the 3 colors of grenache.
Where can grapes be sourced for Rasteau VDN?
Rasteau, Cairenne, & Sablet.
How are Muscat de BdV & Rasteau different?
Muscat de BdV tends to be fresher & more aromatic, while Rasteau wines tend to show more tawny character.
What label terms did Rasteau adopt to differentiate its wines in 2011? Who were they imitating?
In imitation of Rivesalte in Rousillon, vintners adopted the terms
ambré & tuilé to indicate if their white or red wines had more oxidative character from at least 3 years of aging prior to release.
How do Rasteau producers indicate fresher wines?
By using the terms blanc & grenat for white & red respectively
What do the terms Hors d’age & Rancio indicate in Rasteau?
Hors d’age indicates the VDN’s aged at least 5 years prior to release.
Rancio indicates it’s been aged in a deliberately maderized, oxidizing style in open barrels.
Does Rasteau produce dry wine? If so, any restrictions?
As of 2010, dry reds are permitted, but only from grapes grown in the commune of Rasteau.
What is the Southern Rhône’s Northernmost appellation? Why did it change its name in 2010?
Grignans-les-Adhémar, formerly Cotes de Tricastin rebranded to avoid unsavory associations with the troubled Tricastin nuclear plant.
What are the Southern Rhone’s 5 large outlying AOPs? What do they produce
Grignans-les-Adhémar, Cotes-du-Vivrais, Ventoux, Luberon, & Costière-de-Nimes. They make reds, whites, & rosé using rhone varieties.
When was Costières-de-Nimes transferred from the Languedoc to the southern Rhône?
2004
What is the the notable single commune appellation of Costières-de-Nimes and what does it produce?
Clairette de Bellegarde, makes whites based on Clairette.
