Southern Rhone #1 Flashcards
Southern Rhone’s largest appellation
Côtes du Rhône AOP
- 6 different departments (Ardèche, Drôme, Gard, Loire, Rhône, and Vaucluse), covering an area of 44,000 ha
- 32,036 ha planted

1st estate-bottled Châteauneuf-du-Pape

Château La Nerthe, 1785

% of Rhône Valley wines produced in the Southern Rhône

95%

Climate of the Southern Rhône
Mediterranean
13/18 permitted grapes of Châteauneuf-du-Pape

- Grenache (Noir/Blanc/Gris)
- Syrah
Mourvèdre
Bourboulenc
Cinsault
Clairette/Clairette Rose
Counoise
Muscardin
Picardan
Picpoul (Noir/Blanc/Gris)
Roussanne
Terret Noir
Vaccarèse

Year Gadagne was promoted to status as a geographic designation
2012
Fraction of Rhône Valley’s wines released as Côtes du Rhône AOP

2/3

Year Rasteau’s dry reds were upgraded to AOP status

2010

Number of communes that may append their names to the Côtes du Rhône-Villages AOP

20 communes

Principal red grapes for Côtes du Rhône Villages

Grenache, Mourvédre, and Syrah
- Styles and Encépagement:
- Blanc:
- P: Min. 80% comb. Bourboulenc, Marsanne, Roussanne, Viognier, Clairette, Grenache Blanc
- A: Max. 20% comb. Piquepoul Blanc and Ugni Blanc
- Rouge:
- P: Min. 50% Grenache
- C: Min. 20% comb. Mourvèdre and Syrah (P and C varieties must account for a min. 80% of the vineyard)
- A: Max. 20% comb. Brun Argenté (Camarèse/Vaccarèse), Carignan, Counoise, Cinsault, Muscardin, Piquepoul Noir, and Terret Noir
- Rosé:
- P: Min. 50% Grenache
- C: Min. 20% comb. Mourvèdre and Syrah (P and C Varieties must account for a min. 80% of the vineyard)
- A: Max. 20% comb. Brun Argenté (Camarèse/Vaccarèse), Carignan, Counoise, Cinsault, Muscardin, Piquepoul Noir, Terret Noir, Clairette, Bourboulenc, Clairette Rosé, Grenache Gris, Grenache Blanc, Marsanne, Piquepoul Blanc, Roussanne, Ugni Blanc, and Viognier
-
Assemblage:
- Blanc: Min. 50% P varieties
- Rosé/Rouge: Min. 50% Grenache, and at least one of the C varieties must be present in the blend

Styles allowed for Côtes du Rhône AOP

Red, Whites, Rosés

Year Gigondas AOP was created

1971
- red and rosé only

Min % of Grenache required for Gigondas and Vacqueyras reds
min. 50% Grenache
Soils of Gigondas

red clay alluvial soils

Max % of other Rhône grape varieties - excl. Carignan - permitted in the Gigondas vineyard

10%

Year Vacqueyras joined Gigondas as the 2nd former Côtes du Rhône village to be promoted to full appellation status
1990

Styles allowed for Vacqueyras
Red, white, rosé
- Mostly red
- vs. Gigondas - red and rosé only

Years Beaumes-de-Venise and Vinsobres were promoted to full appellation status
- Beaumes-de-Venise - 2005
- Vinsobres - 2006
Styles of wine for Beaumes-des-Venise AOP and Vinsobres AOP
- Red wines
- min 50% Grenache
Min alcohol for all four appellations Gigondas, Vacqueyras, Beaumes-des-Venise and Vinsobres
12.5% min alcohol
- Same as Chateauneuf-du-Pape
Styles allowed for Lirac AOP
Red, White, Rosé

Two varietals used in a signaficant proportion in Lirac
- Clairette
- Bourboulenc

Commune that unwittingly served as France’s doorway to the phylloxera incursion
Lirac AOP, 1863
- Despite Lirac’s sandier soils

Tavel AOP

- Exclusively rosé wines
- Based on Grenache in a dry style

2 appellations for vin doux naturel in the Southern Rhône

- Rasteau AOP
- Muscat de Beaumes-des-Venise AOP

Vignerons de Beaumes-de-Venise

Local co-operative that produces 90% of the wine labeled Muscat de Beaumes-de Venise AOP

Proportion of pure grape spirit added for vin doux naturel wines of Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise AOP
5-10%

Styles allowed for Rasteau AOP and Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise AOP

- Both produce red, white, and rosé vin doux naturels

Grapes permitted for Rasteau vin doux naturel
3 colors of Grencache: Blanc, Gris, Noir

3 communes eligible for the Rasteau AOP
- Rasteau
- Cairanne
- Sablet

Wines of Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise vs Rasteau

(Domaine des Bernardines)
- Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise - fresher, more aromatic
- Rasteau - more tawny flavors

(Domaine du Trapadis)
Year vignerons in Rasteau adopted the labeling terminology established by the producers of Rivesaltes in Roussillon: ambré and tuilé

2011

ambré and tuilé
respectively, white and red VDN wines w/ more oxidative character and min 3 years of aging

Label names for fresher versions of white and red Rasteau VDN wines

Blanc and Grenat

Rasteau ‘Hors d’Age’ VDN
min 5 years aging prior to release
Rancio
deliberately oxidative and maderized style in which the wine is left in open barrels, exposed to the ravages of sunlight and temperature
Rasteau AOP

Southern Rhône Valley’s northernmost appellation
Grignan-les-Adhémar AOP
- Located directly south of Montélimar

Côtes du Tricastin

- Grignan-les-Adhémar was formerly known as Côtes du Tricastin until 2010
- Producers of the region were hoping to rebound sales and avoid an unsavory association with the troubled Tricastin nuclear plant, and renamed the appellation

Year INAO authorities transferred oversight of the Costières de Nimes AOP to officials in the Rhône Valley
2004
- Formerly considered an appellation of Languedoc
Location of Costieres de Nimes AOP in the Southern Rhône
SW
- Adjoins the regions of the Southern Rhône Valley, Provence, and Languedoc

Styles allowed for Luberon AOP, Ventoux AOP, Côtes du Vivarais AOP, and Costières de Nimes AOP
All red, white, rosé

AOP located within Costières de Nimes
Clairette de Bellegarde AOP
- Single-commune appellation that produces white wine from the Clairette grape

Côtes du Rhône’s production surface area
- Côtes du Rhône 32,036 ha
- Ventoux 5,913 ha
- Côtes du Rhône Villages 3,380 ha
- Luberon 3,317 ha
- Châteauneuf-du-Pape 3,161 ha
- Vacqueyras 1,406 ha
- Grignan-les-Adhémar 1,361 ha
- Gigondas 1,216 ha
- Beaumes de Venise 629 ha
- Muscat Beaumes de Venise 472 ha
- Vinsobres 441 ha

Côtes du Rhône Villages’s production surface area

- Côtes du Rhône 32,036 ha
- Ventoux 5,913 ha
- Côtes du Rhône Villages 3,380 ha
- Luberon 3,317 ha
- Châteauneuf-du-Pape 3,161 ha
- Vacqueyras 1,406 ha
- Grignan-les-Adhémar 1,361 ha
- Gigondas 1,216 ha
- Beaumes de Venise 629 ha
- Muscat Beaumes de Venise 472 ha
- Vinsobres 441 ha

Grignan-les-Adhémar’s production surface area
- Côtes du Rhône 32,036 ha
- Ventoux 5,913 ha
- Côtes du Rhône Villages 3,380 ha
- Luberon 3,317 ha
- Châteauneuf-du-Pape 3,161 ha
- Vacqueyras 1,406 ha
- Grignan-les-Adhémar 1,361 ha
- Gigondas 1,216 ha
- Beaumes de Venise 629 ha
- Muscat Beaumes de Venise 472 ha
- Vinsobres 441 ha

Châteauneuf-du-Pape’s production surface area
- Côtes du Rhône 32,036 ha
- Ventoux 5,913 ha
- Côtes du Rhône Villages 3,380 ha
- Luberon 3,317 ha
- Châteauneuf-du-Pape 3,161 ha
- Vacqueyras 1,406 ha
- Grignan-les-Adhémar 1,361 ha
- Gigondas 1,216 ha
- Beaumes de Venise 629 ha
- Muscat Beaumes de Venise 472 ha
- Vinsobres 441 ha

Gigondas’s production surface area
- Côtes du Rhône 32,036 ha
- Ventoux 5,913 ha
- Côtes du Rhône Villages 3,380 ha
- Luberon 3,317 ha
- Châteauneuf-du-Pape 3,161 ha
- Vacqueyras 1,406 ha
- Grignan-les-Adhémar 1,361 ha
- Gigondas 1,216 ha
- Beaumes de Venise 629 ha
- Muscat Beaumes de Venise 472 ha
- Vinsobres 441 ha

Vacqueyras’s production surface area
- Côtes du Rhône 32,036 ha
- Ventoux 5,913 ha
- Côtes du Rhône Villages 3,380 ha
- Luberon 3,317 ha
- Châteauneuf-du-Pape 3,161 ha
- Vacqueyras 1,406 ha
- Grignan-les-Adhémar 1,361 ha
- Gigondas 1,216 ha
- Beaumes de Venise 629 ha
- Muscat Beaumes de Venise 472 ha
- Vinsobres 441 ha

Beaumes de Venise’s production surface area
- Côtes du Rhône 32,036 ha
- Ventoux 5,913 ha
- Côtes du Rhône Villages 3,380 ha
- Luberon 3,317 ha
- Châteauneuf-du-Pape 3,161 ha
- Vacqueyras 1,406 ha
- Grignan-les-Adhémar 1,361 ha
- Gigondas 1,216 ha
- Beaumes de Venise 629 ha
- Muscat Beaumes de Venise 472 ha
- Vinsobres 441 ha

Vinsobres’s production surface area
- Côtes du Rhône 32,036 ha
- Ventoux 5,913 ha
- Côtes du Rhône Villages 3,380 ha
- Luberon 3,317 ha
- Châteauneuf-du-Pape 3,161 ha
- Vacqueyras 1,406 ha
- Grignan-les-Adhémar 1,361 ha
- Gigondas 1,216 ha
- Beaumes de Venise 629 ha
- Muscat Beaumes de Venise 472 ha
- Vinsobres 441 ha

Muscat Beaumes de Venise’s production surface area
- Côtes du Rhône 32,036 ha
- Ventoux 5,913 ha
- Côtes du Rhône Villages 3,380 ha
- Luberon 3,317 ha
- Châteauneuf-du-Pape 3,161 ha
- Vacqueyras 1,406 ha
- Grignan-les-Adhémar 1,361 ha
- Gigondas 1,216 ha
- Beaumes de Venise 629 ha
- Muscat Beaumes de Venise 472 ha
- Vinsobres 441 ha

Ventoux’s production surface area
- Côtes du Rhône 32,036 ha
- Ventoux 5,913 ha
- Côtes du Rhône Villages 3,380 ha
- Luberon 3,317 ha
- Châteauneuf-du-Pape 3,161 ha
- Vacqueyras 1,406 ha
- Grignan-les-Adhémar 1,361 ha
- Gigondas 1,216 ha
- Beaumes de Venise 629 ha
- Muscat Beaumes de Venise 472 ha
- Vinsobres 441 ha

Luberon’s production surface area
- Côtes du Rhône 32,036 ha
- Ventoux 5,913 ha
- Côtes du Rhône Villages 3,380 ha
- Luberon 3,317 ha
- Châteauneuf-du-Pape 3,161 ha
- Vacqueyras 1,406 ha
- Grignan-les-Adhémar 1,361 ha
- Gigondas 1,216 ha
- Beaumes de Venise 629 ha
- Muscat Beaumes de Venise 472 ha
- Vinsobres 441 ha

Rhone varietal NOT permitted in Gigondas

Carignan
Styles of wine produced in Gigondas and cepage requirments
Gigondas
- Red and Pink
- min. 50% Grenache, generally supplemented by Syrah & Mourvedre

Cepage requirements for Beaumes-de-Venise AOP and Vinsobres AOP
Red Only - min. 50% Grenache

AOPs allowed to produce Red, White, Rosé
- Vacqueyras
- Rasteau
- Muscat Beaumes de Venise
Regions of France that use terms blanc, grenat, ambré, tuilé
- Rasteau
- Rivesaltes
- Maury
Blanc, Grenat, Ambré, Tuilé
- Blanc - unoxidative white VdN
- Grenat - unoxidative red VdN
- Ambré - oxidative white VdN, min 3 years age (3/1, 3rd year)
- Tuilé - oxidative red VdN, min 3 years age (3/1, 3rd year)
Years Roman Catholic Popes resided in Avignon
1309 - 1378
What are the two planting styles of CdP?
En Ligne (in a line)
Au Carre (in a square)
What is the min RS for Muscat de Beaumes de Venise?
100 g/L
Chateau Beaucastel production:
Plants core 13
uses flash pasturization
Henri Bounneau:
uses whole cluster fermentation
Domaine de la Mordoree:
uses new french barrique
Domaine du Vieux Telegraphe:
known for their use of La Crau fruit
Domaine de la Janasse:
100% Grenache from Chaupin
Chateau la Nerthe:
First estae-bottled CDP, 800+ year old esate
Who proposed the rules that became our AOC system?
The growers in CdP after phylloxera appeared in 1863 and wine fraud was rampant
When did CdP become an AOP?
1936
the first AOC/AOP in France
Producers of Chateauneuf that use all 13 varietals?
Beaucastel
Domaine du Pegau
Clos des Papes
Guigal’s CdP site?
Chateau de Naly’s
Communes of production for CdP?
Chateauneuf du Pape
Orange
Bedarrides
Courtehgon
Sourges
Grapes of CdP?
Grenache (Blanc, Noir, Gris)
Mouvedre
Syrah
Cinsault
Counoise
Bourboulenc
Roussanne
Vaccarese
Clairette
Clairette Rose
Muscadin
Picardin
Picpoul (Blanc, Noir, Gris)
Terret Noir
Additional requirements for CdP:
Additional Requirements:
Hand-harvesting is required
A min. 2% of the harvested grapes must be used for table wine or discarded (râpé)
Flash-pasteurization is permitted for wine
What is Vaccarese also called?
Brun Argente
Camarese
AOP’s of Southern Rhone:
Cote du Vivarais
Grignan-les-Adhemar
Cote du Rhone Villages
Chateauneuf du Pape
Ventoux
Costieres de Nimes
Luberon
Gigondas
Vasqueres
Vinsobre
Beaumes de Venise
Rasteau
Cairanne
Lirac
Tavel
Clairette de Bellegarde
What producer released the first estate-bottled CdP in 1785?
Chateau la Nerthe
Communes of production for VDN in Rasteau?
Cairanne
Rasteau
Sablet
- unfortified reds are labelled as “Rasteau”
Principle varieties for VDN Ambre in Rasteau (Tawny Blanc)
Grenache
Grenache Gris
Grenache Blanc
Is chapitalization allowed for VDN Rasteau AOP?
No
Min % of grapes that must be discarded each CdP harvest?
2%
La Rape
“La Crau” appears on what famous CdP bottle?
Vieux Telegraphe
What is “mutage”?
Pure grape spirit added to arrest fermentation
- used in Rasteau AOP and Muscat de Beaumes Venise AOP
For red wines, may wines be blended post-vinification in CdP?
No, must be blended before
Who created the AOC system in CdP?
Chateau Fortin
Prestige wine of Chateau Fortin?
“Cuvee Baron”
What is “arrosage”?
Irrigation
permitted only is they apply
Principle white grape of Cairanne AOP?
Bourboulenc
Clairette
Styles of Beaumes de Venise AOP (not Muscat de Beaumes)
Rouge-only
Combined min 80% Grenache & Syrah
Max 10% Bourboulenc, Roussanne, Clairette
Muscat de Beaumes de Venise AOP min RS?
100 g/L
What is the white calcareous stone in Tavel called?
Lauses
What is the name of the distinct mountain range located north of Vacqueras on the left bank of Ouveze?
Dentilles de Montmicail
Wine in France can be traced back to the Greeks at this settlement?
Massalia, modern-day Marseille
Name of the Pope who moved papal house from Rome to Avignon in 1309?
Pope Clement V
Name of successor who began construction of the new papal palace?
John XII
Beaucastel Vielles Vignes Blanc is made with _____
100% Roussanne
Two communes of Vacqueras:
Vacqueras
Sarrians
When was Gigondas elevated to AOP?
1971
When was Muscat de Beaumes de Venise added as an AOP?
1945
What year did phylloxera begin?
1863, Lirac
Chateau de Clery
What CdP only comes in magnum?
Clos St. Jean “Sancus Santorum”
What co-op produces 90% of Muscat de Beaumes de Venise?
Vignerons de Beaumes de Venise
Where do we find galets in CdP?
North and northwest
What was CdP called before the 19th century?
Vin d’Avignon
What are bonbonnes?
Demi-johns, large glass jugs used to age VDL and Rasteau. Balloons over top used to age Banyuls.
Rose-only AOP in Southern Rhone?
Tavel
- requires 30-60% combined Grenache Blanc/Noir/Gris, up to 60% Clairette, Clairette Rose, Cinsault, Picpoul Blanc/Noir/Gris, and Syrah
Two communes that are eligible to produce Rasteau Vin Doux Naturel?
Rasteau
Cairanne
Sablet
Southern Rhone runs between which two cities?
Montelimar -> Avignon
Roman catholic popes resided in Avignon until _____
1378
CdP remained property of the papacy until _____
1791
When was CdP first bottled as such?
19th Century
Galets are also known as ______
Pudding stones
What are galets made of?
Quartzite
Beaucastel includes every varietal but has a higher proportion of _______
Mouvedre
Over 2/3s of the Rhone Valley’s wines are released as _____
Cotes du Rhone AOP
How many communes can append to Cote du Rhone AOP?
22
Only red allowed:
Chusclan
Gadagne
Massif d’Chaux
Nyons
Plan de Dieu
Saint-Andeol
Saint-Cecile
Signargue
etc
Soil of Gigondas? Cepage?
Red-clay alluvial soils
Blanc
Min 70% Clairette Blanc
Rosé and Rouge
Min. 50% Grenache, plus at least one of the two complementary varieties (Mourvèdre and/or Syrah)
The obligatory presence of Mourvèdre and/or Syrah in the rosé wine is mandatory only from the 2014 harvest forward
What was the second Cotes du Rhone village to be promoted to full appellation status?
Vacqueras, 1990
Gigondas was 1st, 1971
Beaumes de Venise/Vinsobres require _____% Grenache?
50%
Min % abv for CdP?
12.5%
Highest in France for dry wines
2 VDN appellations in Southern Rhone?
Rasteau AOP
Muscat de Beaumes de Venise AOP
The ratio of grape spirit is _____% for mutage of Rasteau and Muscat de Beaunes
5-10%
In what year did Rasteau vignerons adopt labelling terminology from Riversaltes (Roussillon)?
2011
Ambre = white
Tuile = red
Red VDN’s displaying a more oxidative character, subject to at least 3 years of aging before release
Producers that make 100% Grenache CdP’s?
Chateau Rayas
Domaine de la Barroche (Pure/Terroir)
Bosquet des Papes
Dom de la Mordoree “La Plume de Pinetre”
Chapoutier Barbe Rac (100 yr old vines)
Producers of CdP who don’t destem?
Pegau
Rayas
Saint Cosme
Cros Briard
Mont Thabor
Owner/Winemaker for Chateau Rayas?
Jacques Reynard
- Chateau Fonsalette for his personal use
What are the authorized white grapes of CdP?
Grenache Blanc
Picpoul Blanc
Bourboulenc
Clairette
Roussanne
Picardin
Most-recent Cotes du Rhone villages to be updated to AOP?
Cairanne, 2016
What is the term for “marl” in CdP?
“molasse”
What single-commune appellation w/in Costieres de Nimes produces white wines from Clairette?
Clairette de Bellegarde AOP
What is the Ventabren Massif?
350m blue marl escarpment
22km northeast of CdP
Rasteau vineyards
Three sections of Rasteau?
Le Plan (flattest, pebbly)
Le Centre (blue marl, land begins to fold)
Le Montagne (highet land)
Producers of Rasteau:
Dom Elodie Baume
Dom le Colliere
Dom la Soumade
How did “Rasteau” get its name?
means “rake”
- like someone dragged a rake from Ventabren down slope forming ravines
Producers of Lirac:
Dom Maby
Dom Condoulis
Dom de la Mordoree
What plateau separates Lirac and Tavel? Soil?
Vallongues
- Galet Roules, different than lauses of Tavel
How long are Rasteau Hors d’Age wines aged before release?
5 years
First vintage of “Homage a Jacques Perrin”
Beaucastel, 1989
What estates does Chateau Rayas own in Vacqueras?
Chateau des Tours
Cotes du Rhone-Villages must be at least _____
Rosé/Red: Min. 40% Grenache, min 25% Syrah and Mouvedre, combined 80% total
Permitted varietals for Cotes du Rhone Blanc:
White: Min. 50% main varieties
Main Varieties: Min. 80% combined Bourboulenc, Marsanne, Roussanne, Viognier, Clairette, Grenache Blanc
Accessory Varieties: Max. 20% combined Piquepoul Blanc and Ugni Blanc
What white grapes are allowed in Cdp?
Grenache blanc
Clairette
Roussanne,
Bourboulenc,
Picpoul
Picardan.
Grapes of CdP:
Grenache
Syrah
Mourvèdre
Cinsault
Clairette
vaccarèse
Bourboulenc
Roussanne
Counoise
Muscardin
Picpoul
Picardan
Terret noir