Roussillon

Question 1

Côtes du Roussillon is the largest appellation and most complicated due to a good number of vineyards are field blends. What are the styles here? What are the grapes used for red?

Answer 1

Red (80%) & Rose (13%)= Carignan, Grenache Noir, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Cinsault, Lladoner Peut, ;(maccabeu- 30% max) can only be incorporated into rosé

Question 2

True or False: Grenache Blanc, Grenache Gris, Maccabeu, Rousanne, Marsanne, Rolle (Vermentino), Tourbat (Malvoisie du Roussillon) are all whites authorized for Côtes du Roussillon

Answer 2

True (white accounts for only 7%)

Question 3

True or False: Côtes du Roussillon Les Aspreś will soon become a cru for Côtes du Roussillon-Villages.

Answer 3

True- wines must be a blend of at least 3 out of the 4 approved grapes (Carignan Noir, Grenache Noir, Syrah, Mourvèdre)

Question 4

What year was Côtes du Roussillon AOC established?

Answer 4

1977

Question 5

What AOC extends through the Agly and Têt river valleys and is designated for reds only? (Red grapes authorized?)

Answer 5

Côtes du Roussillon Villages AOC (Grenache-based; Carignan, Lladoner Pelut, Syrah, Mourvédre)

Question 6

Name the four crus that “Côtes du Roussillon” can be added to:

Answer 6

Caramany, Latour de France, Lesquerde, Tautavel

Question 7

The Crus of Côtes du Roussillon are all situated in a circle around the village of _______

Answer 7

Maury

Question 8

What AOC is the southernmost appellation in France?

Answer 8

Collioure AOC

Question 9

When was red and rosé established (respectively) and what grapes are authorized for Collioure AOC?

Answer 9

Red (1971), Rose (1991)
Grenache (noir), Syrah, Mourvèdre, Carignan

Question 10

What year was Colliure white AOC established with what white grapes?

Answer 10

(min. 70%): Grenache Blanc, Grenache Gris (2003)

Question 11

True or False: Both Collioure AOC and Côtes du Roussillon Blanc both share the same delimited area.

Answer 11

True

Question 12

True or False: Collioure AOC is the appellation for Vins Doux Naturels and Banyuls is the appellation for dry wines.

Answer 12

False- it’s the other way around

Question 13

What is the AOC for dry, unfortified wine that must be a blend of two different grapes with Grenache Noir as a main component comprising 60 to 80% of total assemblage.

Answer 13

Maury AOC

Question 14

Of the five AOC’s for VdNs in Roussillon which are made entirely for Muscat? (What are the grapes used)

Answer 14

Muscat de Rivesaltes AOC; (Muscat à Petits Grains Blanc & Muscat d’ Alexandrie)

Question 15

Name all the grapes that are used when the label says “ Rivesaltes, Maury, and Banyuls” on white VDN?

Answer 15

Grenache Blanc, Grenache Gris, Malvoisie du Roussillon, Maccabeu

Question 16

Some AOC’s permit inclusion of both Muscats- but in limited quantities. Name three AOC’s that permit up to 20% of both Muscats:

Answer 16

Rivesaltes
Maury
Banyuls

Question 17

VDN’s are min. ______ % alcohol while there are some dry, general range is from _______ % to up to _______ % R.S.

Answer 17

min. 15% alcohol; (some dry) 4.5% - 10% or more R.S

Question 18

The grapes must be picked with more than 25.2% (252 g/L) sugar at harvest. Pure alcohol is added during fermentation (in the amount of ______ to ______ % of total juice volume) in order to kill the yeast and boost alcohol levels

Answer 18

(5% to 10% of total juice volume)

Question 19

Alcohol effectively arrests the fermentation and leaves __________ __________ in the finished wine

Answer 19

unfermented sugars

Question 20

True of False: Some VDN’s are almost fermented completely dry before the alcohol is added- but this is rare

Answer 20

True (overwhelming majority of the VDN’s have significant sweetness)

Question 21

True or False: Banyuls AOC has more requirements than Banyuls Grand Cru

Answer 21

False: (Banyuls AOC has just two: min. 50% Grenache noir and NO aging req.)

Question 22

Name a few requirements for Banyuls Grand Cru AOC

Answer 22

• Min. 75% Grenache noir (Carignan, Cinsault, Syrah incorporated in blend)
• Can be labeled “dry/sec/brut” when < 5% R.S
• Slightly oxidized due to mandatory aging requirement of 30 months in oak

Question 23

True of False: VDN can be produced reductively (minimizing oxygen exposure) or oxidatively (encouraging oxygen exposure)

Answer 23

true

Question 24

True or False: Working reductively in the cellar involves topping up tanks or barrels to their fullest (eliminating air space); this practice delivers fresh, fruit-forward VDNs.

Answer 24

True

Question 25

True of false: When working oxidatively in the cellar, barrels, casks, tanks or glass jars are not topped-up I order to maximize oxygen exposure.

Answer 25

True (some producers will even attempt to accelerate aging by exposing the barrels, casks or glass jars to heat by leaving them out in the sun for a period of time before bottling)

Question 26

What is the French word for “glass jars”?

Answer 26

Bonbonnes