Rhone Valley Flashcards
What are the 5 AOP’s for Syrah
Which is 100% Syrah
Which allows 20% Viognier
Which allows max. 15% Marsanne & Roussanne
Hermitage AOP: max. 15% combined Marsanne and Roussanne
Crozes-Hermitage AOP: max. 15% combined Marsanne and Roussanne
Cornas AOP: 100% Syrah
Côte-Rôtie AOP: max 20% Viognier
Saint-Joseph AOP: 10% Marsanne and Roussanne
What are the 2 main slopes of the Côte-Rôtie AOP
Côte Blonde and Côte Brune (Côte Blonde sits south of Côte Brune)
Côte Blonde yields softer, alluring wines, whereas the wines of Côte Brune are stronger and more assertive.
What are the Northern Rhone AOP’s North to South
Cote Rotie Vineyards
Name 2 top vineyards other than Côte Blonde and Côte Brune
What are Guigals 3 La-La vineyards
Name 2 other producers than Guigal
Les Chavaroche: Bernard Levet
Côte Rozier: Jamet, Guigal
Les Grande Places
(La-La Vineyards)
La Landonne: Guigal, René Rostaing, Jamet
La Mouline: Guigal
La Turque: Guigal
Côte Blonde: Guigal, René Rostaing, Jamet
Côte Brune: Guigal
What are the French names for the Northern and Southern Rhône respectively?
Rhône septentrionale (north)
Rhône méridionale (south)
When did Châteauneuf become an AOC affectively making it the first major wine region to receive acknowledgement as such?
1936
What are the climates of the Northern and Southern Rhône respectively?
Northern is continental
Southern is mediterranean
What major benefit to the vines does Le Mistral provide despite its strength which has many vines in the Northern Rhone growing bent southwards?
Dries the vineyards, preventing mold and mildew from taking hold.
What is the defining soil type of the bedrock in the Northern Rhône particularly in the vineyards of Côte-Rotie, Condrieu, and Hermitage
granitic and schistous soils
What is the main topsoil type of Condrieu?
Arzelle, which is powdery decomposed mica
What type of soils are present in the southern sectors of St.-Jospeh, Crozes-Hermitage, and Saint-Péray?
heavier clays
What is the traditional fermentation vessel for Northern Rhône Syrah?
What is a demi-muid, capacity
foudres - size varies
600-liter capacity oak barrels, typically used in the Rhône Valley.
What is the benefit of cofermentation of Syrah with Viognier or Marsanne and/or Roussanne?
Fixes color in the wine and moderates tannin extraction while softening the tannic structure and adding exotic aroma
Northern Rhone Map
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Blanc Mousseux (Méthode Traditionnelle): Clairette - max. 15g/l
* Méthode Dioise Ancestrale*: min. 75% Muscat à Petits Grains plus Clairette - min. 35 g/l
Coteaux de Die (100% Clairette, still) & Crémant de Die (min. 55% Clairette) produced in same area
- arzelle soil is thin topsoil rich with powdery, decomposed mica
- Les Reynards, La Côte, Les Chaillot, and Les Mazards
Hermitage, producers have the traditional option of drying Marsanne or Roussanne for vin de paille
- Marsanne and Roussanne, still or vin mousseaux
What is the village below the hill of Hermitage?
Tain l’Hermitage
What are the four biggest producers in Hermitage?
JL Chave
Delas
M. Chapoutier
Jaboulet
Both Chateau Grillet and Condrieu produce 100% Viognier, which can produce sweet wines
Condrieu - arzelle decomposed mica with powdery topsoil common in Condrieu
Producers: Yves Cuilleron, Georges Vernay, Guigal
Château Grillet: owner François Pinault (purchased from Neyret-Gachet in 2011) 3.5HA, not smallest AOP, La Romaneé smallest AOP
Gréffieux, Beaume, Péléat, Maison Blanche are 4 of the top climats in Hermitage, what’s the other 3?
L’Hermite
Le Meal
Les Bessards
Gréffieux, Beaume, Péléat, Maison Blanche
“La Chapelle,” Jaboulet’s premier wine, is named for a small hillside chapel that stands in commemoration of Gaspard de Stérimberg, the legendary Crusader-turned-hermit who lived a life of asceticism atop the hill. The chapel is located within the climat of L’Hermite.
Les Reynards, La Côte, Les Chaillot, and Les Mazards are top lieux-dits of what AOP
Cornas
August Clape & Thierry Allemand top producers
Cornas also smallest in N. Rhone, just over 100Ha
The appellation of St.-Péray produces wines exclusively from what grapes?
Blanc and Blanc Mousseux (Méthode Traditionnelle)
What characteristics does Roussanne and Marsanne add to white Rhône blends?
Roussanne: Acidity and waxy minerality with flavors of quince, peaches, and lime blossoms
Marsanne: broad, oily texture and marzipan character
There are 4 minor appellations in the Northern Rhône located in the southeast of the region along the Drôme River
Match the AOP to their production style
Coteaux de Die AOP, Crémant de Die AOP, Clairette de Die AOP, Châtillon-en-Dios AOP
- Blanc: Chardonnay and Aligoté - Rouge: Gamay +PN & Syrah
- Vin Blanc Mousseux (Méthode Traditionnelle): Clairette & Méthode Dioise Ancestrale: min. 75% Muscat à Petits Grains
- Blanc: 100% Clairette
- Vin Blanc Mousseaux: Min. 55% Clairette
Coteaux de Die AOP: 100% Clairette, still
Crémant de Die AOP: Vin Blanc Mousseaux: Min. 55% Clairette, min. 10% Aligoté, 5-10% Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains
Clairette de Die AOP: Vin Blanc Mousseux (Méthode Traditionnelle): Clairette - max 15g/l
Méthode Dioise Ancestrale: min. 75% Muscat à Petits Grains plus Clairette - min. 35 g/l
Châtillon-en-Dios AOP: Blanc: Chardonnay and Aligoté - Rouge: Gamay +PN & Syrah
What is the most planted red grape in the Southern Rhône?
Grenache
How many villages may append their names to Côtes du Rhône-Villages AOP
21
Chusclan, Gadagne, Laudun, Massif d’Uchaux, Plan de Dieu, Puymeras, Roaix, Rochegude, Rousset-les-Vignes, Sablet Get, Saint-Andéol, Saint-Gervais, Saint-Maurice, Saint-Pantaléon-les-Vignes, Sainte-Cécile, Séguret, Signargues, Suze-la-Rousse, Vaison-la-Romaine, Valréas, Visan
Chusclan: only produces rouge and rosé wines
Massif d’Uchaux, Saint-Andéol, Signargues, Plan de Dieu, Puyméras, Gadagne, Sainte-Cécile, Suze-la-Rousse and Vaison-la-Romaine only produce rouge wines
True or False
Côtes du Rhône can be 100% Syrah
True
vineyards north of Montélimar
Côtes du Rhône-Villages AOP: different rules, grenache must be a portion of base
Southern Rhone Map
- Grignan-les-Adhémar AOP - Coteaux de Tricastin AOC until 2011 )
Tricastin is Nuclear power plant in region and they shed the name because of it
- Clairette de Bellegrade - 100% Clairette still (whites only)
Costières de Nîmes AOP (southern most AOP in Rhone) - Duché d’Uzès AOP: min 40% Syrah (rouge) and Viognier (blanc) + Rhone varietals (north of Nîmes) - Both make all 3 styles of wine
- Tavel: (rosé only 30 to 60% combined Grenache Gris, Grenache Blanc, and Grenache Noir)
Lirac: rosé, blanc and rouge - classic Rhone varietals
- Rasteau AOP -
VDN: Cairanne, Rasteau, Sablet (Communes) - Unfortified Rouge can be made in Rasteau
Grenache (all 3 colors are principal varieties)
- Gigondas: rouge & rosé - min. 50% Grenache
- Rouge only - min. 50% Grenache
What is the name for the unique pudding stones that grow in the Châteauneuf-du-Pape region and what are they composed of? What benefit do they provide for the vines?
Galets
made of quartzite and smoothed by the river
store heat, releasing it to warm the vines at night. Also store moisture resisting times of drought
How many grapes are permitted for the production of Châteauneuf-du-Pape?
Name them
(Marsanne & Carignan not permitted)
13 (or 18 depending how one counts the grapes)
Grenache (Noir, Gris and Blanc), Mourvèdre, Syrah, Cinsault, Counoise, Bourboulenc, Roussanne, Brun Argenté (Vaccarèse), Clairette, Clairette Rosé, Muscardin, Picardan, Piquepoul (Noir, Gris and Blanc), Terret Noir
For red wines, all varieties are permitted, but white and red musts need to be blended prior to vinification
What is the main grape of Château de Beaucastel’s wines?
Mouvedre, they use all the grapes though
What is the cepage of Château Rayas CNDP?
100% Grenache
What appellation boasts the highest min alcohol requirement of any AOP in France? What is it?
Châteauneuf-du-Pape
min 12.5%
What is le râpe? Why does this exist?
Mandate that applies to CDP producers requiring them to declassify or discard at least 2% of harvested grapes.
Serves as a safeguard against underripeness
La Crau is a famous lieux-dit of what AOP
Châteauneuf-du-Pape AOP
What is embossed on the shoulder of wines produced from Châteauneuf-du-Pape? What does it consist of? What is the name of the new bottle used with a bishops hat instead of a pope’s and with the coat of arms absent?
papal crest
Papal tiara over the keys of St. Peter
La Mitrale is the new bottl
What is the traditional aging vessel for CDP wines?
Old oak foudre
What are the two Vin doux naturel (VDN) appellations of the Southern Rhône?
Rasteau AOP
Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise AOP - Vignerons de Beaumes-de-Venise (local co-op 90% pf production)
What are the 2 Rouge only AOPs of Southern Rhone
Vinsobres AOP
Beaumes-de-Venise AOP
white grapes are authorized to use
Match the AOP to the style of production
Vacqueyras AOP, Châteauneuf-du-Pape AOP, Gigondas AOP
Rosé, Rouge
Blanc, Rouge
Blanc, Rosé, Rouge
Vacqueyras AOP: Blanc, Rosé, Rouge
min. 50% Grenache
Châteauneuf-du-Pape AOP: Blanc, Rouge
Gigondas AOP: Rosé, Rouge
Grenache (min. 50%), Syrah, and Mourvèdre (min. 15% combined Syrah and Mourvèdre)
In 2011 Rasteau vignerons adopted the terminology used in Rivesatles in Roussillon.
Describe white and red VDN wines showing an oxidative what are these terms respectively?
What are the terms used to describe fresher versions of white and red Rasteau?
Vin Doux Naturel Blanc
Vin Doux Naturel Grenat and Tuilé (Rouge)
Vin Doux Naturel Ambré (Tawny Blanc)
blanc and grenat (fresher)
ambré and tuilé (oxidative character)
Vin Doux Naturel Rosé: As for Ambré
What are the aging requirements for Rasteau Hors d’Age?
What are the aging requirements for Rasteau blanc and grenat? Tuilé and Ambré?
5 years
Vin Doux Naturel “Hors d’Age”: Wines may not be released until September 1 of the fifth year following the harvest
Blanc and Grenat (rouge) - 1 year
Ambré (tawny blanc) and Tuilé (rouge) - 3 years
How are Rasteau Rancio wines produced and what character must they show in the finished wine?
Produced by leaving the wine in open barrels, exposed to the ravages of sunlight and temperature.
Final wines must show an oxidative and maderized characte
