Rhone Valley Flashcards
Minimum alcohol content of CNDP?
12.5% although rarely under 14.5% now
Vins doux naturels of southern Rhône?
Beaumes-de-Venise (muscat)
Rasteau (sweet reds - 2009)
Co-fermentation is allowed in what N. Rhône AOC?
Côte Rôtie
Hermitage climats
Generally lighter, fresher and aromatic from higher up (Beaume and L’Hermite)
Most production from blends of climats, but some are doing micro climats
Vin de Paille
Sweet wine made (very rarely) in Hermitage
Grapes are shriveled on straw mats on very ripe years
Château Grillet AOC
Viognier
8.5 acres, appellation since 1936
Owned by Pinault family (from Latour)
Unlike condrieu - needs bottle aging and decanting
Côte-Rotie AOC
Syrah dominant - up to 20% viognier allowed to coferment
Two main slopes:
1) Côte Brune (more structured + power)
2) Côte Blonde (more elegant + racy)
Use Cheys (walled stone terraces to keep soil from running off)
Hermitage AOC
136 Hectares, mostly granite soils w/gravel, flint and limestone
Leathery, smoky, blackberry, truffle
Allowed up to 15% Roussanne/Marsanne but most don’t add
East bank of Rhône
St.-Joseph AOC
Huge appellation stretching on the West Bank of Rhône valley
90% red production from Syrah
Small amount of Roussanne/Marsanne allowed to be blended in
Condrieu / Chateau Grillet
100% white production from Viognier
Exquisitely perfumed, low acid, very tricky to grow well
Remember George Vernay (producer)
Crozes-Hermitage AOC
East bank of Rhône, 10 times the size of hermitage
Mostly flatlands
Alain Graillot, Jean-Louis Chave
Cornas AOC
150 hectares, 100% red Syrah production
Need 7 years of so aging to temper tannins
Powerful expression of Syrah
Top producers: Auguste Clape, Jean Luc Colombo, Thierry Allemand, Alain Voge
Chateauneuf-du-pape AOC
France’s first AOC (1936)
Most southerly S Rhône appellation
Massive gravel soils (galets) w/salt/quartz deposits
Allows 13 (18 with colour variations) varietals
Reds of the Rhône (9)
1) Syrah
2) Grenache
3) Mourvèdre
4) Cinsault
5) Carignan
6) Counoise
7) Muscardin
8) Terret Noire
9) Vaccarese
White grapes of the Rhône (9)
1)Roussanne
2) Marsanne
3) Grenache Blanc
4) Picpoul
5) Clairette
6) Muscat Blanc à petits grains
7) Ugni Blanc
8) Bourboulenc
9) Viognier
Climate conditions of the Rhône
Continental (extremes)
Southern exposures help for early warming (protection against Le Mistral)
Le Mistral - cold wind coming from Alpes to the Mediterranean
Grape Varietals of CNDP
Reds: Whites:
1) Grenache. 1) Clairette
2) Syrah. 2) Bourboulene
3) Mourvèdre 3) Roussanne
4) Cinsault. 4) Picpoul
5) Muscardin. 5) Picardan
6) Counoise. 6) Grenache
7) Terret Noire. 7) Marsanne
8) Vaccarese
Gigondas AOC
Firm and explosive
Minimum 50% Grenache
No less than 15% Syrah and/or Mourvèdre
Rest can be anything but Carignan
Vacqueyras AOC
Created in 1990
Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre and Cinsault
Typically has a lot more Syrah than gigondas
Top producer: Dom de la Charbonnière
Tavel AOC
Only produces rose
Robust in style
Grenache dominant blends
Côtes du Rhône vs Villages
59% of Rhône production
Come from multiple sites and blended
Villages (usually) better, 95 allowed sites
22 villages are allowed to add their names to CDR Villages designation
St.-Peray AOC
South of Cornas
Sparkling and still production from Marsanne and Roussanne
Rasteau, Cairanne, Vinsobres
Newer Southern Rhône appellations
Vinsobres in particular very high elevation that allows Syrah dominance
