Rhône Valley Study Guide Flashcards
The Rhône River stretches from what country to what sea?
From Switzerland to the Mediterranean Sea
What are the French names for the Northern and Southern Rhône respectively?
Rhône septentrionale (north)
Rhône méridionale (south)
Between what cities is the Northern Rhône located?
Vienne in the north to Valence to the south
What is vinum picatum?
Wine that was shipped in amphorae and clay lined with resin during the Roman occupation of the lands of Gaul
Who moved his court from Rome to Avignon in 1309 effectively making the Southern Rhône the center of Christian Europe? Who was responsible for the vines planted surrounding the papal palace?
Pope Clement V
Pope John XXII planted the vines
Through what famous French wine region were Rhone wines exported to England during the 18th century?
The Loire Valley
When did Phylloxera appear in the Southern Rhône making it the first major wine region to be affected by the louse?
1863
What led the growers and producers of Châteauneuf-du-Pape to prepare and impose a set of rules for production following the phylloxera outbreak in the late 1800s? What did this set of rules lay the foundation for?
Widespread fraud
These rules and guidelines regarding production played the foundation and framework for what would one day become the Appellation Contrôlée system
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
How does the climate of the Northern Rhône compare to the climate of the Southern Rhône?
The Northern Rhône experiences greater seasonal temperature shifts, more rainfall, and fewer annual hours of sunshine than the southern appellations.
What is the name of the major cold, dry wind that blows down from the Massif Central and affects the Northern Rhône in winter and spring?
Le Mistral
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
How is classic Northern Rhône syrah described?
full-bodied, firm, and savory, manifesting a host of signature secondary aromas including smoke, grilled meat, olive, lavender, and peppercorn
darkly savage and dramatic, gamy, meaty, animal, exotic smoky incense, forest, leather, black plums, blackberries, and blue berries
What is the traditional fermentation vessel for Northern Rhône Syrah?
Traditionally fermented and aged in large oak foudres, although some producers are experimenting with new barriques
What are the five appellations in the Northern Rhône for Syrah?
Côte-Rôtie Hermitage Crozes-Hermitage Cornas Saint-Joseph
What is the cepage for Cornas?
100% Syrah
What is the maximum amount of Viognier that can be included in the cepage of Côte-Rotie?
Max 20%
What is the maximum % of Marsanne and/or Roussanne that may be added to Syrah in the cepages for Hermitage and Crozes-Hermitage?
max 15% (thus min 85% Syrah)
What is the maximum % of Marsanne and/or Roussanne that may be added to Syrah in the cepage for St.-Joseph?
max 10% (thus min 90% Syrah)
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
What town do the vineyards of Côte-Rotie rise up over?
Ampuis
Who is the largest producer in Côte-Rotie?
E. Guigal
What two slopes are considered the heart of the Côte-Rotie appellation?
Côte Brune and Côte Blonde
Wines produced from the Côte Blonde are described as producing wines with what characteristics?
softer, alluring wines, more elegant and racy
Wines produced from the Côte Brune are described as producing wines with what characteristics?
stronger and more assertive; more tannic and powerful
What are four producers of La Landonne?
Guigal, René Rostaing, J.M. Gérin,and Delas Frères
What is the village below the hill of Hermitage?
Tain l’Hermitage
What is the dominant aspect of the hill of Hermitage?
South
What are the four biggest producers in Hermitage?
JL Chave
Delas
M. Chapoutier
Jaboulet
Who makes “La Chapelle”?
Jaboulet
What are 7 top climats in Hermitage?
L'Hermite Le Meal Les Bessards Gréffieux Beaume Péléat Maison Blanche
Why is Cornas so warm?
It is sheltered from the Mistral and its soil type, gore (naked granite) magnifies the heat of the sun
What are the four major lieux-dits of Cornas?
Les Reynards
La Côte
Les Chaillot
Les Mazards
What is the smallest red wine appellation in the Northern Rhône? What is the approximate size of it?
Cornas (just over 100ha)
Who has long been considered the standard bearer for Cornas? How does he ferment his wine?
Auguste Clape
Whole cluster fermentation in old demi-muids
The original vineyard area of St.-Joseph before expansion is closes to which commune? What appellation is it located directly across the Rhône River from?
Tournon-sur-Rhône
Across from Hermitage
What two Syrah appellations of the Northern Rhône are highly variable and provide the majority of the most basic quality level wine in the region?
St.-Joseph and Crozes-Hermitage
Which three appellations in the Northern Rhône are permitted for the production of both red and white wine? Red only?
Hermitage, Crozes-Hermitage, and St.-Jospeh (red and white)
Cornas and Côte-Rôtie (red only)
The appellation of St.-Péray produces wines exclusively form what grapes?
Marsanne and/or Roussanne
What characteristics does Roussanne add to white Rhône blends?
Acidity and waxy minerality with flavors of quince, peaches, and lime blossoms
What characteristics does Marsanne add to white Rhône blends?
broad, oily texture and marzipan character
What are three top producers of Condrieu?
Georges Vernay
Yves Cuilleron
André Perret
Château Grillet is often incorrectly cited as the smallest appellation in France. What is the smallest appellation in France?
La Romanée AOC
What are the four minor appellations in the Northern Rhône located in the southeast of the region along the Drôme River?
Coteaux de Die AOP
Crémant de Die AOP
Clairette de Die AOP
Châtillon-en-Dios AOP
What is the cepage for Coteaux de Die?
100% Clairette
What is the cepage for Crémant de Die?
Min 55% Clairette, min 10% Aligoté, 5-10% Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains
For how long must Crémant de Die remain on the lees? How much aging total must it see prior to release?
Min 9 months on lees with 12 months of total aging.
What is the maximum RS (dosage) allowed for Crémant de Die?
max 15g/L
What two styles of wine are produced in Clairette de Die AOP?
Traditional method (blanc mousseux) Ancestral method (Méthode Dioise Ancestrale)
What is the cepage for Clairette de Die Blanc Mousseux?
100% Clairette
What is the confusing cepage for Clairette de Die Méthode Dioise Ancestrale?
Min 75% Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains plus Clairette
What % of total wine produced annually does the Southern Rhône account for?
95%
What is a defining winemaking practice of the Southern Rhône that is more omnipresent than in the Northern Rhône?
blending
What is the most planted red grape in the Southern Rhône?
Grenache
What does Grenache lend to red Southern Rhône blends?
richness of body, sweet fruit, and warmth
What do Syrah and Mourvèdre contribute to red blends from the Southern Rhône?
structure and depth of color
What does Cinsault provide to red wine blends in the Southern Rhône and what style of wine most often produced with it?
provides finesse and freshness, and is often utilized for rosé wines
What are the five main red grapes of the Southern Rhône?
Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Cinsault, and Carignan
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?
13 (or 18 depending how one counts the grapes)
What is the main grape of Château de Beaucastel’s wines?
Mourvèdre
What is the cepage of Château Rayas’s CDP?
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
What CDP producer released the first estate-bottled wine in the region? When was this?
Château La Nerthe in 1785
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 bottle
In addition to galets, what other soil types are present throughout CDP?
alluvial sediment exists for gravel, calcareous clay, and sand
What is the traditional aging vessel for CDP wines?
Old oak foudre
What are the 13 permitted grapes for Châteauneuf-du-Pape production?
Grenache (Noir/Blanc/Gris) Syrah Mourvèdre Cinsault Counoise Picpoul (Noir/Blanc/Gris) Terret Noir Bourboulenc Clairette/Clairette Rosé Roussanne Vaccarèse Picardin Muscardin
What is the largest appellation in the Southern Rhône? What fraction of the Rhône Valley’s total annual production is released as Côtes du Rhône
Côtes du Rhône
2/3
Côtes du Rhône may be produced in what three colors? Côtes du Rhône-Villages?
Red, white, and rosé (same for both)
What are the 20 communes that may append their name to the appellation Côtes du Rhône-Villages?
Chusclan
Gadagne
Laudun
Massif d’Uchaux
Plan de Dieu Puymeras Roaix Rochegude Rousset-les-Vignes
Saint-Gervais
Saint-Maurice
Saint-Pantaléon-les-Vignes
Séguret
Signargues
Sablet
Suze-la-Rousses
Vaison-La-Romaine
Valréas
Visan
When was Gigondas promoted from Côtes du Rhône Villages to AOP? Vacqueyras?
Gigondas (1971)
Vacqueyras (1990)
What colors of wine are produced in Gigondas?
Still red and rosé
What is the main soil type of Gigondas?
Red clay, alluvial soils
What is the minimum % of Grenache required in Gigondas (all wines) and Vacqueyras (rouge)?
min 50%