Rhone Valley and Southern France Flashcards
What is the dominant grape in the Southern Rhone?
Grenache
What grape is predominant for the Corbieres-Boutenac AOP
Carignan
Define: demi muid?
600L french barrel- used traditionally in Cornas
Limoux red wines are based on what grape?
Merlot
Which of the following grapes is used in Bergerac?
a. Grenache
b. Carignan
c. Marsanne
d. Lledoner Pelut
e. Cabernet Sauvignon
e. Cabernet Sauvignon
Which of the following is not a subzone of Côtes de Roussillon-Villages?
a. Caramany
b. Lesquerde
c. Latour-de-France
d. Boutenac
e. Tautavel
d. Boutenac
What is the Lirac historically known for in France in the year 1863.
First area to be affected by Phylloxera.
Fresher versions of Rasteau VDN wines are called?
Blanc- white
Grenat- red
The Southern Rhone Valleys northernmost appellation is?
Grignan-les-Adhemar AOP
Located directly south of Montelimar
Hoping to rebound sales and avoid an unsavory association with the troubled Tricastin nuclear plant, the producers of Côtes du Tricastin successfully rebranded their appellation as Grignan-les-Adhémar in 2010.
What is the climate of the Southern Rhone Valley?
Meditteranean
Which wind is a notable climactic force in both the northern and southern Rhône Valley.
Mistral
Clairette de Bellegarde AOP produces what?
White wines from the Clairette grape.
Clairette de Bellegarde AOP is a single commune appellation located within Costieres de Nimes.
Marcillac AOP is known for bottling varietal wines from the local grape _____ ?
Fer
What is arzelle?
powdery, decomposed mica
Found near Condrieu
What are some aromas that can describe the nose and palate of a Northern Rhone Syrah?
savory
smoke
grilled meat
olive
lavender
peppercorn
What are the 5 appellations for Syrah in the Northern Rhone?
Hermitage AOP
Crozes-Hermitage AOP
Cornas AOP (100% Syrah)
Cote Rotie AOP
St- Joseph AOP
All but Cornas can be blended with white grapes, but no other reds allowed.
What are the AOPs of the Northern Rhone?
13
Cote Rotie
Condrieu
Chateau Grillet
St-Joseph
Hermitage
Crozes-Hermitage
Cornas
St-Peray
Cotes du Rhone
Coteaux-de-Die
Cremant-de-Die
Clairette-de-Die
Chataillon-en-Diois
What is the producer of note located within the Palette AOP?
Chateau Simone
Languedoc AOP reds are minimum 50% blends of what 4 varieties?
Grenache
Syrah
Mourvedre
Lladoner Pulet
Which of the following appellations produces exclusively red wines from 100% Syrah?
a. Condrieu
b. Côte-Rôtie
c. Cornas
d. Gigondas
e. Malepère
c. Cornas
In what appellation of Southwestern France is Malbec a major grape?
a. Cahor
b. Madiran
c. Vacqueyras
d. St Peray
e. Rivesaltes
a. Cahor
Rasteau wines may be _________________, a maderized style in which the wines are left in open barrels, exposed to sun and heat.
Rancio
What style of wine is made in St-Peray?
Dry white and Mousseux wines from Marsanne and Roussanne.
What is the northern most appellation in the Northern Rhone?
Cote Rotie
What is Roussillon most famous for?
VDN mostly bottled as Rivesaltes AOP
What red grape is closely associated with Banyuls?
Grenache
Which of the following communes produces sparkling wines by méthode ancestrale?
a. Gaillac
b. Irouléguy
c. Béarn-Bellocq
d. Lirac
e. Coteax Varois
a. Gaillac
What is Southern Rhone’s largest appellation?
Cotes du Rhone AOP
Define: Vin doux Naturel in its simplest terms
a sweet fortified wine
How many AOPs exist within Southern Rhone?
-19-
Côtes du Rhone
Côtes du Rhone-Villages
Gigondas
Vacqueyras
Vinsobres
Beaumes-de-Venise
Rasteau
Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Lirac
Tavel
Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise
Grignan-les-Adhémar
Côtes du Vivarais
Luberon
Ventoux
Pierrevert
Costières de Nîmes
Clairette de Bellegarde
Duché d’Uzès (added in 2013)
What is the synonym for rolle?
vermentino
Required minimum alcohol for Chateauneuf-du-Pape is?
12.5%
Fronton is known for what grape?
Negrette
What grape makes up at minimum 90% of Blanquette de Limoux?
Mauzac
Which of the following is not a climat of Hermitage?
a. Péléat
b. le Méal
c. Les Gréffieux
d. Les Aspres
e. Les Beaumes
c. Les Aspres
What are the 4 lieux dits of Cornas?
Les Reynards
La Cote
Les Chaillot
Les Mazards
What are the northern and southern boundaries of Northern Rhone?
South of Beaujolais hugging the Rhone river from Vienne to Valence
What red grape is closely associated with Madiran?
Tannat
Unfortified red, white, and rosé wines from the producers of Banyuls are released as what?
Collioure
Which of the following communes may not add its name to the Côtes du Rhône-Villages AOP?
a. Valréas
b. Sablet
c. Brézème
d. Puyméras
e. Plan de Dieu
c. Brezeme
Beaumes de Venise and Vinsobres make what style of wine?
Red wines only. 50% minimum Grenache in the blend.
What communes are eligible for the VDN wines in the Rasteau AOP ?
Rasteau
Sablet
Cairanne
Rivesaltes is considered to be the birth place of?
VDN
Cassis AOP, Pallete AOP, and Bellet AOP produce what styles of wine?
Dry white, red, and rose
Define: Gore
Granite soils with particular reference to Cornas
Name the AOPs within the Languedoc that produce VDNs?
Muscat de Mireval AOP
Muscat de Lunel AOP
Muscat de St-Jean-de-Minervois AOP
Muscat de Frontigan AOP (both VDN & VDL)
What are the 2 communal AOPs of Corsica?
Ajaccio
Patrimonio
What is the generic AOP of Corsica?
Vin de Corse AOP- produces still red, white, and rose
The pudding stones of Chateauneuf-du-Pape are called?
Galets
Fitou AOP is divided into 2 sectors. What are they?
Fitou Maritime- coastal
Fitou Montagneux- mountains
What is considered the heart of Cote Rotie’s terroir?
Cote Blonde- soft and alluring
Cote Brune- strong and assertive
Fronton AOP wines are dominated by the Duras grape.
True or False
False
They are dominated by Negrette at minimum 50% of the blend
Where is Domaine de la Trevallon located?
Les Beaux de Provence
the AOP focuses on meditteranean varieties so they must bottle their Cabernet Sauvignon as vin de pays.
Which of the following appellations is in the Northern Rhône Valley?
a. Bergerac
b. Châteauneuf-du-Pape
c. Crozes Hermitage
d. Cahors
e. Arbois
c. Crozes Hermitage
Rivesaltes “Hors d’Age” wines are aged for a minimum of 5 years.
True or False
True
When can Muscat de Rivesaltes AOP be utilized?
When only Muscat of Alexandria and Muscat a Petits Grains are used to make the wine.
Define: ambre and tuile
In reference to the wines of Rasteau
This is Rasteau paying hommage to Rivesaltes
ambre- white
tuile- red
VDN wines displaying a more oxidative character and subject to at least three years of aging prior to release
What is the difference between VDN and VDL?
Vin doux Liquer is made before fermentation begins with an alcohol strength of about 16-22%
What is the minimum percentage of Grenache mandated for Vacqueyras AOP red wines?
50%
What total output of wine made in Provence, is Rose?
75%
What is the AOP for VDN in Corsica?
Muscat du Cap Corse
What style of wine does Bandol produce?
Reds from minimum 50% Mourvedre, plus Cinsault and Grenache - wines must spend 18 months in oak prior to release
Roses from minimum 20% Mourvedre, plus Cinsault and Grenache
Whites from Clairette
Great Producers:
Domaine Tempier
Chateau de Pibarnon
Chateau de Pradeaux
Still whites from Limoux must be fermented in what?
oak
What is Chateau Grillet?
A monopole located within Condrieu- producing 100% Viognier still wines.
Chateau de Beaucastel Chateauneuf-du-Pape Rouge and Chateau Rayas Chateauneuf-du-Pape Rouge differ how?
Beaucastel- Blend of all 13 varieties
Rayas- 100% Grenache
Which of the following appellations is located in Corsica?
a. Béarn-Bellocq
b. Ajaccio
c. Ventoux
d. Faugéres
e. Pécharmant
b. Ajaccio
Bandol is a red wine-only appellation with a mandatory minimum 50% Mourvèdre.
True or
False
False
It also produces Rose and Clairette-based whites. Minimum 50% Mourvedre for reds is true.
Cote Rotie reds are based on what grape?
Syrah
define: saignage
Skin contact for making rose
What does Rivesaltes translate to?
High river
Costieres de Nimes AOP was a part of what region before 2004?
Languedoc
Now a part of the Rhone Valley
Who are the 4 major producers of Hermitage?
Jean-Louis Chave
following are negociants:
Delas
M. Chapoutier
Jaboulet
What red grape is closely associated with Bandol?
Mourvedre
What is the southern most wine appellation in continental France?
Banyuls
What is the smallest red wine appellation of the Northern Rhone?
Cornas- 100 hectares of planted land
What is the difference between Banyuls AOP and Grand Cru Banyuls AOP?
Banyuls AOP- 50% minimum Grenache
Banyuls Grand Cru AOP- 75% minimum Grenache, 30 months aged in wood
Who produced the first estate bottled Chateauneuf-du-Pape and when?
Chateau La Nerthe
1785
Tavel AOP is famous for what style of wine?
Rose
What does the soil of the Northern Rhone consist of?
Granite
Schist
What are the 4 subzones under Cotes de Provence that can be designated?
La Londe
Pierrefeu
Sainte-Victoire
Fréjus
What style of wine does Minervois-La-Liviniere produce?
Reds- with a minimum of 40% Mourvedre , Syrah, Grenahce, Lladoner Pelut
Malepere produces still rose & red wines from what grapes?
Rose - 40% minimum Cab Franc followed by 20% blend of Cab Sav, Cot, Grenache, Cinsault, and Merlot
Red - 40% minimum Merlot, followed by 20% blend of Cab Franc and Cot
What is the translation of “cote rotie”?
Roasted slope
2 Languedoc sub-appellations have recently (last 2 years) been upgraded to their own appellation. Name them.
Terrasses du Larzac
La Clape
What is the grape of Condrieu?
Viognier
Viognier may be co-fermented with Syrah in Côte-Rôtie at what maximum percentage?
20%
How many varietals are approved in the Chateauneuf-du-Pape AOP?
-13-
Grenache (Noir/Blanc/Gris)
Mourvèdre
Syrah
Cinsault
Counoise
Piquepoul (Noir/Blanc/Gris)
Terret Noir
Bourboulenc
Clairette/Clairette Rosé
Roussanne
Vaccarèse
Picardan
Muscardin
As of today how many villages may append their name to the Cotes du Rhone Villages AOP?
-18-
Cairanne
Chusclan
Gadagne
Laudun
Massif d’Uchaux
Plan de Dieu
Puyméras
Roaix
Rochegude
Rousset les vignes
Sablet
St-Gervais
St-Maurice
St-Pantaleon-les-vignes
Séguret
Signargues
Valréas
Visan
Which of the following grapes in not authorized for use in Châteauneuf-du-Pape?
a. Counoise
b. Muscardin
c. Vaccarèse
d. Carignan
e. Clairette
d. Carignan
What are the red and white grapes most planted in Corsica?
White:
Vermentino
Ugni Blanc
Red:
Nielluccio
Sciacarello
Grenache
Barbarossa
Tavel produces rose wines, and is in the region of Provence.
False
Tavel produces rose wines in the region of Southern Rhone
What are the important climats of Hermitage?
l’Hermite (l’ermite)- where the chapel sits
Le Meal
Les Bessards
Les Gréffieux
Les Beaumes
Péléat
What are the main varietals that make up a Provence Rose?
70% combined
Cinsault
Grenache
Syrah
Mourvedre
Tiburon- garrigue scented
No grape can exceed 90% of the blend and at least 2 grapes need to be present.
What are the appellations of Provence?
-8-
Côtes de Provence
Coteaux d’Aix-en-Provence
Les Baux de Provence
Coteaux Varois en Provence
Bandol
Bellet
Cassis
Palette
Cremant de Limoux stipulates a maximum ___________% for Mauzac
20%
What is the minimum aging requirement for Banyuls Grand Cru?
30 months in barrel
Who is the largest producer of Cote Rotie and where is there winery located?
E. Guigal located in the town of Ampuis
When did Gigondas and Vacqueyras gain their own AOP status?
Gigondas- 1971 (red and rose only)
Vacqueyras- 1990 (red, rose and white)
In Rasteau, producers may affix what term to a VDN if it has matured 5 years prior to release?
Hors d’age
Define: ambré, grenat, tuilé,and rosé
In regards to Rivesaltes
Amber, Red, Tawny, Pink
What region is Minervois AOP located within?
Languedoc
Rasteau’s pricinpal variety in it’s Vin doux Naturel is what grape?
Grenache in all 3 colors.
Grenache Blanc
Grenache Gris
Grenache
In what year did Provence publish a grand cru classe ranking and how many estates were recognized?
1955
23 estates
What are the LaLa’s
3 wines produced by E. Guigal.
La Landonne (100% Syrah)- Single vineyard shared with other producers, such as Rene Rostaing
La Mouline- vineyard designate Cote Blonde
La Turque- vineyard designate Cote Brune
What larger appellation is Fitou located within?
Corbieres AOP
Cotes du Roussillon Villages is reserved for what style of wine?
Red wines from 32 communes north of Les Apres
Côtes de Provence is the only French appellation to mandate biodynamic viticulture.
True or False
False
Who is the stand out producer for Cornas?
August Clape
What region is Patrimonio AOP located within?
Corsica
What vessel are Northern Rhone wines typically fermented and aged in?
Large Foudres
can hold between 20-120 hectolitres
1 hectolitre= 100 liters
Which of the following appellations is not in the Languedoc?
a. Muscat de Mireval
b. Muscat de Frontignan
c. Muscat du Cap Corse
d. Muscat de St-Jean-de-Minervois
e. Muscat de Lunel
c. Muscat du Cap Corse
What soil becomes predominant in the southern part of Northern Rhone starting with St Joseph
clay
Define: le rape
an AOP regulation that forces Chateauneuf-du-Pape to purge at least 2% of their grapes to prevent any under ripeness from making the final blend
What 4 minor appellations lie on the Drome River in the Northern Rhone?
Coteaux de Die AOP-** **100% Clairette- still wine
Cremant de Die AOP- sparkling (mostly Clairette)
Clairette de Die AOP- method traditional (100% Clairette) method ancestral minimum 75% Muscat a Petits Grains
Chataillon-en-Diois- Gamay reds & roses. Whites from Aligote and Chardonnay
Describe Method Ancestrale
The méthode ancestrale is an old technique of sparkling wine production wherein the wine is bottled without dosage before fermentation has concluded. The wines are disgorged into pressurized tanks and rebottled without liqueur d’expédition. A minimum 35 grams per liter residual sugar remains, implying demi-sec sweetness.
What region is Bellet AOP located within?
Provence
Domaine de Triennes is a noteworthy producer in what AOP?
Coteaux Varois en Provence
They label their wines vin de pays because they don’t agree with AOP regulations
What is Jaboulet’s premier wine?
La Chapelle
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.
What climat is Jaboulet’s “La Chapelle” located in?
L’Hermite
Located in Hermitage
What vineyard sources make up Chateau d’Ampuis?
Who owns this bottling?
3 lieux dits of Cote Blonde (includes all viognier)
4 lieux dits of Cote Brune
93% Syrah
7% Viognier
How long are the LaLa’s aged in oak and what percentage of that oak is new?
42 months
100%