Rhone Valley Flashcards
Name a producer of St-Peray.
Bernard Gripa
What styles of wine are produced in Vacqueyras?
Reds, white, and rosé
What is the most recent appellation established in the Southern Rhône? What styles of wine are produced here?
Cairanne (2016)
Dry red and white wines
What are the grape requirements for Crozes-Hermitage red wines?
Min 85% Syrah with max combined 15% Marsanne and/or Roussanne
Name 5 producers of Hermitage.
Jean Louis Chave Delas Chapoutier Jaboulet Bernard Faurie
How is a méthode ancestral wine produced?How is the atm pressure different than Methode Traditionelle?
Wine is bottled before fermentation is complete and the trapped CO2 from fermentation in bottle under closure results in slight effervescence. Less effervescent.
What are the best soil types that characterize the best vineyards of Côte Rôtie, Condrieu, and Hermitage?
Heat-retaining granitic and schistous soils.
In what three regions in the Northern Rhône are Yves Cuilleron’s top wines produced?
Côte-Rôtie
Saint-Joseph
Condrieu
What is the name of Alain Graillot’s top Crozes-Hermitage bottling that is only bottled in the best years? First vintage of this?
La Guiraude
1998
What is the unique soil type found in Condrieu called? What is it composed of?
Arzelles
Composed of powdery decomposed mica
What three La-La vineyard bottlings does Guigal produce? Which is 100% Syrah? The others contain a small percentage of Viognier. Which has the highest percentage?
La Landonne (100% Syrah) IV - 1978 La Turque (93% Syrah & 7% Viognier) IV - 1985 La Mouline (89% Syrah & 11% Viognier) IV - 1966
Thierry Allemand produces his top wines from which two lieux-dits? In what years was one bottling produced combining the both?
Reynard and Chaillot
1990, 2002, and 2003
Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise AOP is a VDN appellation wine that is produced in red, white, and rosé styles. What two versions of Muscat are used in their production?
Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains
Muscat Rouge à Petits Grains
What kind of barrels is Northern Rhone Syrah typically fermented in?
Large oak foudres
What are the grape requirements for Hermitage AOP red wines? White?
Red: Min 85% Syrah with up to max 15% combined Marsanne and Roussanne
White:Marsanne and/or Roussanne
The Northern Rhone extends from what city to which city?
Vienne to Valence
What was the inaugural vintage for Allemand’s “Sans Souffre” bottling?
1998
In what years has Gonon’s Saint-Joseph “Vieilles Vignes” been produced? When were the vines planted?
Planted in the 1940s
2006, 2007, 2009, and 2010
What producer released the first estate-bottled Châteauneuf-du-Pape? In what year?
Château La Nerthe (1785)
What is the largest AOP in the Southern Rhone? What percentage of the Rhone Valley’s wines are produced under this appellation?
Côtes du Rhône
66%
What is are the grapes for red wines and white wines respectively for Châtillon-en-Dioise AOP?
Red/Rose: Min 75% Gamay, plus Pinot Noir and Syrah
White: Chardonnay and Aligoté
What are Guigal’s Ermitage Blanc and Rouge bottlings called?
Ex-Voto
Clape’s Le Vin des Amis is a Côte du Rhône AOP wine that is sourced from where?
Young vines from Cornas
What does cofermenting with Viognier provide for the wines of Côte Rôtie?
Stabilizes red wine color and moderates tannin extraction
Name five producers of St-Joseph.
Pierre Gonon J.L. Chave Hervé Souhaut Monier-Perreol Chapoutier Coltair Michal Andre Perret Raymond Trollat Georges Vernay
Which white grape adds acidity and a waxy minerality to wines?
Roussanne
What is the name of the major soil type in Cornas and what is it composed of?
Gore (naked granite soil)
For how long must Crémant de Die AOP rest on its lees? How long total must it age prior to release?
9 Months on lees and 12 months total before release
What is the minimum RS that must remain for Méthode Dioise ancestrale?
35 g/L
Where is Crozes-Hermitage located in relation to Hermitage? How do they differ stylistically?
Behind the hill of Hermitage
Lighter, less ageworthy, and more rustic than Hermitage.
What is the climate of the Southern Rhone classified?
Mediterranean
When did Pope Clement V move the papal court to Avignon?
1309
Name 5 of the best climats in Hermitage.
La Chapelle L'Hermite Le Méal Les Bessards Les Gréffieux Les Baumes
What is the dominating soil type present in Gigondas?
Red clay alluvial
What two styles of sparkling wine are made in Clairette de Die AOP? What are the grape requirements for each?
Blanc Mousseux (Méthode Traditionnelle): 100% Clairette
Méthode Dioise Ancestrale: Min 75% Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains plus Clairette
Name three producers of Condrieu.
Pierre Gaillard Yves Cuilleron Domaine Faury Andre Perret Jean-Michel Gerin Domaine Gangloff
What is the unique soil type found in Châteauneuf-du-Pape but not found at Château Rayas? What is the soil composed of? What does this soil type do for the vines at night?
Pudding stones called “galets”
Alluvial sediment, gravel, calcareous clay, and sand stores heat from the afternoon sunlight exposure and releases it to warm the vines at night
What is the Mistral and where does it come from? Which seasons does it impact the vineyards of the Northern Rhone the most? What benefit does it provide?
Cold, dry wind that blows down from the Massif Central and affects the Northern Rhone in the winter and spring. It dries the vineyards, preventing mold and mildew from taking hold
What can be found on all estate-bottled wines of Châteauneuf-du-Pape?
A papal crest emblazoned on the shoulder of the bottle.
Name two producers of Vin de Paille in Hermitage.
Jean Louis Chave
Chapoutier
Who was the first to construct the terraces in the Rhone Valley?
The Romans
Auguste Clape’s Cornas is sourced from vines of an average age of what range?
30-60 years
What 20 geographic designations that may append their name to Côte du Rhone-Villages AOP wines?
Chusclan Gadagne Laudun Massif d'Uchaux Plan de Dieu Puymeras Roaix Rochegude Rousset-les-Vignes Sablet Saint-Gervais Saint-Maurice Saint-Pantaléon-les-Vignes Sainte-Cecile Séguret Signargues Suze-la Rousse Vaison-la-Romaine Valréas Visan
What is the French name for the Northern Rhone? The Southern Rhone?
Rhône septentrionale (Northern)
Rhône méridionale (Southern)
What is René Rostaing’s top bottling called in the U.S. that was formerly called “Classique”? This wine is sourced form all of Rostaing’s lieux dits except which two?
Cuvée Ampodium
All but Côte Blonde and La Landonne
Name 5 producers of Crozes-Hermitage.
Alain Graillot Domaine du Colombier Domaine des Lises Domaine Entrefaux E. Guigal Domaine Giles Robin Pierre Gaillard Laurent Combier
What does Côte Rôtie mean? Who is the largest producer there?
Roasted Slope
E. Guigal
When was the inaugural vintage of Clape Renaissance? Where are the grapes sourced from for this wine? What are the average age of the vines used for this wine?
1998
Made from 20-25 year old vines from the domaine’s best slopes as well as older vines from the lower slopes
Rasteau creates VDN in various styles. Name them and describe their aging requirements and stylistic differences.
Red (grenat)
White (blanc)
Rosé
Ambré
White: VDN displaying more oxidative character and subject to three years of aging prior to release
Tuilé: Red VDN displaying more oxidative character and subject to three years of aging prior to release
Hors d’Age: Wines that have matured for at least 5 years prior to release
Rancio: Deliberately oxidative and maderized style in which the wine is left in open barrels, exposed to the ravages of sunlight and temperature
What style of wine is produced in Beaumes de Venise?
Reds based on 50% Grenache
What are the two slopes nearest to Ampuis that are considered the heart of the appellation? How do they differ stylistically?
Côte Blonde: Softer, alluring wines
Côte Brune: Stronger and more assertive
Name the three Condrieu bottlings that Cuilleron produces and describe them. (vineyards sourced, style, aging)
Vertige - Longer aging in barrel (18months)
Ayguets - Sweet Condrieu from La Côte and Eyguets from overripe and botrytized grapes
Chaillets: Old vine blend from Izeras and La Côte
What is the minimum potential alcohol for Châteauneuf reds that is the highest in France for dry AOP wines?
12.5%
What appellation in the Southern Rhône exists for both dry red wines as well as fortified VDN wines of all colors?
Rasteau AOP
Merchants of Bordeaux blended what “manly” wine with theirs during the 18th and 19th centuries?
Hermitage
Which of René Rostaing’s top bottlings are 100% Syrah? Which is cofermented with 5% Viognier?
La Landonne and Classique (Cuvée Ampodium) are 100% Syrah
Côte Blonde has 5% Viognier blended in.
What style of wines are produced in Gigondas?
Red and Rosé
What is the Southern Rhône’s northernmost appellation? What was it formerly called?
Grignan-les-Adhémar AOP
Formerly Côtes du Tricastin
What direction do the best vineyards in Côte Rôtie face?
Southeast
How does the climate of the Northern Rhone differ from that of the Southern Rhone in regards to temperature, rainfall, and annual sunlight hours?
Northern Rhone is continental with greater seasonal temperature shifts, more rainfall, and fewer annual hours of sunshine than the Southern Rhone which experiences a Mediterranean climate.
Chateauneuf-du-Pape became the first AOC in France in what year?
1936
The Southern Rhone starts in what city and funnels outwards toward which city?
Montélimar and funnels outwards toward Avignon
Who makes “la Barbarine” and when was the inaugural vintage?
Yves Gangloff
1997
What is the dominating soil type that is found mostly throughout the Southern Rhone?
Alluvial soils of over limestone with sand, gravel, and clay and large stones
What is the minimum percentage of Grenache that must be present in Vacqueyras AOP wines?
Minimum 50%
What is the minimum percentage of Grenache that must be present in Gigondas red blends? What other two grapes are most commonly blended with it?
Min 90% Grenache (Min. 50%), Syrah and Mourvedre (Min. 15% Syrah and Mourvedre); plus Bourbelenc, Brun Argente, Cinsault, Clairette…
What is le rape? What does it serve as a safeguard against?
AOP mandate that regulates production in Chateauneuf-du-Pape requiring at least 2% of the total harvest to be discarded. Serves as a safeguard against under ripeness
Which appellation is dedicated exclusively to rosé production? What is the dominant grape of these wines? Name a producer of these wines.
Tavel
Grenache (Dominant grape)
Producers:
Pfifferling
Domaine de Muretins
What type of soil is found in higher proportions in the southern section of St-Joseph, Crozes-Hermitage, and St-Péray?
More clay-based soils
Name 5 producers of Cornas.
Auguste Clape Thierry Allemand Nöel Verset Alain Verset Franck Balthazar Alain Voge Marcel Juge Pierre Gaillard Vincent Paris
What three communes can produce VDN wine under the Rasteau AOP? Which isn’t allowed to bottle dry red wines under the Rasteau AOP appellation?
Rasteau, Cairanne, and Sablet can produce VDN under Rasteau AOP
Only Rasteau commune can produce still reds under Rasteau AOP
What percentage of the Rhone Valley’s total wine output comes form the Southern Rhone?
95%
Domaine Jamet produces one of its top two bottlings form one of the two main slopes in Côte Rôtie. Which one is it?
Côte Brune
What is the name of Jean-Louis Chave’s top bottling of Hermitage called and in what years has it been produced? What was the innaugaral vintage of his vin de paille wine?
Ermitage Cuvée Cathelin
‘90, ‘91, ‘95, ‘98, ‘00, ‘03, ‘09, ‘10
1990 was the first vintage
What is the name of the French war hero who lived on the hill of Hermitage that ultimately gave the hill its name?
Gaspard de Stérimberg
In Cote Rôtie, Syrah is confermented with Vigoner at a maximum of what percentage?
20% Viognier max
Name three La-La vineyards.
La Landonne
La Turque
La Mouline
What was the innaugral vintage for Domaine Jamet Côte-Rôtie?
1976
What style of wines are produced in Vinsobres AOP?
Reds based on minimum 50% Grenache
What are the grape requirements for Crémant de Die?
Min 55% Clairette with min 10% Aligoté and max 10% Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains
What are the inaugural vintages for all of Guigal’s La-La bottlings? What was the inaugural vintage for “Château d’Ampuis”?
La Landonne (1978) La Turque (1985) La Mouline (1966)
What is the grape of Cuilleron’s “Le Lombard” wine? What is the grape of his “Saint-Pierre” bottling? These wines are produced from vines in what AOP?
Le Lombard - 100% Marsanne
Saint Pierre - Roussane
Produced from vines in Saint Joseph AOP
Which appellations is physically the smallest red wine appellation in the Northern Rhone?
At just over 100ha Cornas is physically the smallest
What is the name of Gonon’s white wine bottling? What are the grape percentages?
Les Oliviers
80% Marsanne & 20% Roussanne
What grape must comprise 100% of Coteaux de Die AOP?
Clairette
Châteauneuf-du-Pape allows the use of up to 13 grapes, or 18 depending on who you ask. What are they? (8) Red
Red: Grenache Syrah Mourvèdre Cinsault Counoise Terret Noir Vaccarèse (Brun Argent) Muscardin
White: Piquepoul Clairette Bourboulenc Roussanne Picardin Clairette Rose (Trebbiano)
Which Côte Rôtie producer makes “Blonde de Seigneur”?
Domaine Georges Vernay
Châteauneuf-du-Pape is typically aged in what type of barrel?
Oak foudres
What styles of wine is St-Peray most notable for?
Sparkling (Blanc Mousseux) from Marsanne and Roussanne
White wines from Marsanne and Roussanne
Which appellation in the Southern Rhône was up until 2004 a part of the Languedoc? What is the smaller AOP within this AOP’s borders that produceds wines from Clairette?
Costières de Nimes AOP
Clairette de Bellegarde AOP
What are the grape requirements for St-Joesph?
Minimum 90% Syrah with max combined 10% Marsanne and/or Roussanne
Which appellation in the Southern Rhône unwittingly served as France’s doorway to the phylloxera incursion?
Lirac AOP
What are the 4 lieux-dits of Cornas?
Les Reynards
Les Chaillots
La Côte
Les Mazards
Which white grape in the Rhone Valley is known for its oily texture and marzipan character?
Marsanne
Why is Cornas among the warmest wine regions in the Northern Rhone?
The sun’s warmth is magnified by the naked granite soil and the appellations is shielded form le mistral.
