Southern France and the Loire Flashcards
The birthplace of French wine
Marseilles in Provence
Cotes de Provence
Provence AOP, 3/4 of Provence production. red, white, rose (75% of production). min 50% Cinsault, Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre, and Tibouren, blend of at least two varietals. Saignee or direct press, blending is not allowed
Cotes de Provence subzones
For red and rose: La Londe, Pierrefeu, Sainte-Victoire, and Fréjus.
Bandol
Provence AOP. 50-95% Mourvèdre, plus Cinsault and Grenache, max 10% Syrah or Cairignan. min 18 mnths in oak. White: 50-95% Clairette, plus Bourboulenc and Ugni Blanc, +. Rose: mostly Mourv, white grapes allowed.
Bandol producers
Domaine Tempier, Chateau de Pibarnon, Chateau Radeaux, Domaine de Gros Nore, Domaine La Bastide Blanche, Domaine de Terrebrune
Provence climate
dry, warm, mediterranean, no fears of rot, organic viticulture widespread.
Coteaux d’Aix en Provence
Provence AOP, directly south of Luberon. Red: Min. 70% combined Grenache (min. 20%), Mourvèdre, Syrah, Cinsault and Counoise (at least two of the preceding are required). Rose: as red + max 20% white grapes. White: min 50% Vermentino, min 2 varieties
Les Baux-de-Provence
Provence AOP, west most, NE of Arles. former subzone of Coteaux d’Aix en Provence. Red, white, rose.
Provence producers
Les Baux-de-Provence: Trevallon (releases CS as Vin de Pays), Domaine Terres Blanche. Coetaux d’Ais en Provence: Chateau de Calavon. Cotes de Provence: Domaine Ott, Chateau d’Esclans. Coteaux Varois en Provence: Domaine de Triennes (releases wines as vin de pays)
Cassis
Provence AOP. Coastal, between Marseilles and Bandol White wines from Clairette and Marsanne most promising. also red and rose
Bellet
Provence AOP. Surrounding Nice. whites from Vermentio most promising. also red and rose
Palette
Provence AOP. surrounding he town of Aix-en-Provence. . only one producers of note: Chateau Simone
Coteaux Varois en Provence
Provence AOP, surrounded by the Cotes de Provence AOP
Cotes de Provence grand Cru classe
Only french classification outside of Bordeaux. est 1955, Originally 23 estates, 18 today. Clos Cibonne, Clos Mirielle (Domaine Ott), Domaine du Jas d’Esclans
Fitou
Western Languedoc AOC. Two noncontiguous subzones: Montagneux & Maritime. Borders Corbieres tot he north and Cotes du Roussillon Villages to the south. One of the regions oldests AOPs, est 1948. Red only: Gr & Carignan + Syrah & Mourv blends
Corbieres
Western Languedoc AOP. encompasses the Corbieres Boutenac AOC. Fitou and Cotes du Roussillon Villages to the south, Minervois to the north. Red, White, & Rose: blends from a large array of S France varietals. Only a small amount of white produced
Corbieres-Boutenac
Western Languedoc AOP. northern sub-appellation of Corbieres. Red only: Carignan based blends w/ Gr, Mourv, Syrah
Minervois
Western Languedoc AOP. Inland, north of Corbieres. encompasses the Minervois La Liviniere AOC. Red, White, & Rose: blends from a large array of S France varietals
Minervois-La Liviniere
Western Languedoc AOP, sub appellation of the Minervois AOP. Red only: Gr, Lladoner Pelut, Mourv, Syrah + blends
Cabardes
Western Languedoc AOC. west of Minervois, inland. Red & Rose blends only: min 40% CF, CS, Merlot; min 40% Gr, Syrah; +
Malepere
Western Languedoc AOC. west of Corbieres, north of Limoux. Red & Rose blends only: Red: min 40% Merlot, + ; Rose: min 40% CF, +
Limoux
Western Languedoc AOC. west of Corbieres, south of Malepere.
White: Mauzac, CB, Chard (must be oak-fermented);
Red: Merlot based blends;
Methode Ancestrale moussuex blanc: 100% Mauzac. tiny amount produced
Blanquette de Limoux: Trad method mousseux blanc; Min 90% Mauzac + Chard, CB. Frances’s oldest purposely sparkling wine.
Cremant de Limoux
Western Languedoc AOC. Overlaps the Limoux AOC. Trad Method Mousseux Blanc & Rose: Chard & CB, + Mauzac & PN
St Chinian
Western Languedoc AOC. NE of Minervois. Red, White, & Rose: blends from a large array of S France varietals. Two subzoes for red only Gr & Syr based blends: Berlou, Roquebrun
Faugeres
Eastern Languedoc AOC, East of St Chinian. Red, Rose: blends from a large array of S France varietals; White: Roussanne included blends
La Clape
Western Languedoc AOC, directly east of Narbonne. Red: GSM based blends; White: Bouboulenc based blends; no Rose. Former Languedoc Geo des, elevated in 2015
Picpoul de Pinet
Eastern Languedoc AOC. White only, 100% Picpoul. Former Languedoc Geo des, elevated in 2013
Terrasses du Larzac
Eastern Languedoc AOC. inland, north of Picpoul de Pinet. Red only: GSM & Carignan Based blends. Former Languedoc Geo des, elevated in 2014
Languedoc AOC
Dominates the E half of Languedoc but encompasses all of Languedoc-Roussillon from the Spanish border in the S to Nimes in the E; encompasses 12 geographic designations. Red & Rose: generally min 50% Gr, Syrah, Mourv, Lladoner Pelut; White: Blends of various S France grapes; encepage varies by geo des
Clairette de Languedoc
Eastern Languedoc AOC near Terrasses du Larzac. White only: 100% Clairette; VDL Blanc, Rancio
Muscat AOCs in Languedoc. Which ones produce Muscat de Noel?
de St Jean de Minervois, de Lunel, de Frontignan, de Mireval. Muscat de Noel: St Jean de Minervois, Lunel
Muscat de St Jean de Minervois
Western Languedoc AOC between Minervois and St Chinian. VDN Blanc: 100% Muscat BaPG; Muscat de Noel: Xmas wines btled by Dec 1 after harvest
Languedoc AOC that produce VDL
Clairette de Languedoc , Muscat de Frontignan
Muscat de Frontignan
Eastern Languedoc AOC, just east of Sete, west of Muscat de Mireval. VDN Blanc & VDL Blanc : 100% Muscat PaPG
Muscat de Mireval
Eastern Languedoc AOC, east of Muscat de Frontignan. VDN Blanc: 100% Muscat BaPG
Muscat de Lunel
Eastern Languedoc AOC. between Montpellier and Nimes. VDN Blanc: 100% Muscat BaPG; Muscat de Noel: Xmas wines btled by Dec 1 after harvest
Rivesaltes
AOC occupies most of Fitou and Roussillon including Banyuls and Maur. VDN only
VDN Grenat: 100% Gr Noir; min 1 yr reductive aging, btled by 6/1 of 2nd yr
VDN Ambre Gr (Noir, Blanc, Gris), Tourbat, Macabeu, max 20% Muscat BaPG, Muscat Alex; oxidative aging until 3/1 3rd yr after harvest
VDN Tuille as Ambre, must use Gr Noir
VDN Rose grapes as for Ambre; btled by 12/31 yr after harvest
VDN Hors d’Age Tuille or Ambre; min 5 yrs aging
VDN Rancio Tuille or Ambre
Muscat de Rivesaltes
AOC occupying same region as the general AOC. VDN Blanc: Muscat BaPG, Muscat Alex; Muscat de Noel. sweeter, for youthful consumption
Maury
Roussillon AOC. Red: Gr based blends; VDN: Blanc, Ambre, Grenat, Tuille based on Gr (Blanc, Noir, Gris), Hors d’Age, Rancio
Banyuls
Roussillon AOC. France’s richest, most full-bodied & most consistently quality-minded VDN appellation.
Blanc, Ambre, Rose: Gr (Blanc, Noir, Gris), Tourbat, Macabeu based blends;
”Traditionnel” (Rouge): min 50% Gr Noir;
“Rimage” (vintage-dated rouge): Gr Noir + max 10%
Blanc and Rimage: min 1 yr aging
Ambre and Traditionnel: min 3 yrs aging
Hors d’Age: 5 yrs aging
Banyuls Grand Cru
A separate AOC from the general. VDN Rouge: min 75% Gr Noir; min 30 mnths barrel aging, 3 yrs total;
Hors d’Age: 5 yrs aging
Rancio
Collioure
Roussillon AOC, covers the same area as Banyuls. Red & Rose: GSM & Carignan blends; White: Vaietals & Blends of various S france grapes
Cotes du Rousillon
Roussillon umbrella AOC. Red & Rose: GSM & Carignan blends; White: Vaietals & Blends of various S france grapes. high % of Rose produced
Les Apres: Covers several villages in the S ½ of Roussillon w/in the area of Les Apres & the Alberes Mtns. Surah and Mourv based reds
Cotes de Roussillon Villages
Roussillon AOC. Northern half of Roussillon, overlaps Maury. Red only: GSM & Carignan Based blends. 4 subzones: Tautavel, Latour-de-France, Lasquerde, Caramany
Birthplace of VDN
Rivesaltes, “High riverbanks” in catalan, Arnaud de Villeneuve, a 13th-century physician, introduced the process of mutage as a means of medicinal elixir-brewing
Bergerac
Dordogne AOC. SE of Bordeaux’s Right bank, The Dordogne flows W through it’s center. Red, White & Rose: blends from Bordeaux varietals. Sec denotes dry whites
Cotes de Bergerac
Dordogne AOC. Same region as the basic AOP. Not on hills around Bergerac, as the name suggests, just a superior appellation designation. requires a higher min abv
Pecharmant
Dordogne AOC. Directly NE of the city of Bergerac, w/in the Bergerac AOP. Red blends only: CS, CF, Merlot, Cot, longest lived wines of Bergerac
Monbazillac
Dordorgne AOC. S of the city Bergerac, w/in the Dordogne; sandy soils. Sweet botrytised White & SGN from Bord varietals. Muscadelle does well here on sandy soils; hand harvesting, multiple tries. Most notable of the sweet wine appellations of the Dordogne
Saussignac
Dordogne AOC. W of Monbazillac, w/in the Bergerac AOP. Sweet botrytised &/or passerillage from Bord varietals; hand harvesting, multiple tries
Rosette
Dordogne AOC. W of Pecharmant, N of Monbazillac, w/in the Bergerac AOP. Sweet White blends from Bord varietals
Montravel
Dordogne AOC. S of the NW portion of Bergerac. Red: Merlot based Bord blends; White: Bord blends. Must be dry. Two sub appellations for sweet Semillon based whites: Cotes de Montravel and Haut-Montravel
Cotes de Montravel
Dordogne AOC within the Bergerac and Montravel AOCs. Sweet whites from Semillon
Haut-Montravel
Dordogne AOC within the Bergerac and Montravel AOCs. Sweet whites from Semillon
Sweet white appellations of the Dordogne
Monbazillac, Saussignac, Haut-Montravel, Cotes de Montravel
Cahors
SW France AOC, along the Lot R. Red only: min 70% Malbec + Merlot, Tannat