Southern Rhone Flashcards
Topography (Cities, water bodies, mountains)
Factor effecting climate, hazards, Terroir
City: Orange. Avignon
River: Rhone, Rodano
Mountains: Dentelles de Montmirail (east bank)
The climate here is moderate to warm Mediterranean, with hot, dry long summers bringing excellent ripening potential to Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre.
The diurnal shifts, the Mistral wind and the river plays an important role to mitigate the hot summers.
However, Drought and sunburn. Mistral winds are also an hazard here when it excess.
To tackle winds Grenache (fish vine, low trade, density) bush are planted low ground (Gobelet trained) while Syrah has support of the trellised system.
Vineyards are mainly on flatter landmarks compare to Northern Rhone
The soil is
Alluvional clay
Large river rocks “Galet” . (absorb heat well)
No galet in chateauneuf du pape, rest very different for ex saffres jaunes in vacqueyras gigondas and diois
80000 Hectar only second to Bordeaux
White Grape Varieties
Grenache blanc (lemon, lime, grapefruit) , Clairette
Others: Viognier, Rousanne, Marsanne, Bourbourlenc
Red Grape Varieties
Grenache (2/3 of production), prefers hotter climate
Syrah: prefer cool and moderate climate, blend for colour and tannin and darker fruit flavour
Others: Mourvédre (prefer hotter climate) deeply colour, high tannins, dense black fruit, meaty and gamey characteristics.
Cinsault, mainly used for rose. thin skin, used for blends for fresh red fruit. Add acidity to the blend.
Grapegrowing / Winemaking
Blending is very common in southern Rhone
Grenache is quite high in alcohol, the blending helps to balance that.
Inexpensive wines can be semi-carbonic made.
Fermented in stainless steel (controlled temperature) or in old oak large barrels (for fine wines).
Rose are made by short maceration, meaning the skin are left in contact with the must to macerate and release colour and tannins therefore giving more structure to the final wine.
inexpensive:
- high yielding, fertile soil on flat hot land
- Young vines
- Mechanical harvest
- Sorted by machine
- Crushed
- Not macerate (for time saving)
- Stainless steel vats, high fermentation temperature
- Cultured yeast
- Oak add by chips
- Cap management used will be pumping over cuz mechanic
- Blend
Premium:
- Low yielding, less fertile soil, on slopes
- Older vines
- hand harvesting
- Hand sorted
- Crushed
- Cool maceration to extract more flavour and colour
- Stainless steel or oak vats, lower fermentation -temperature
- Natural yeast
- Oak maturation in smaller barrel
- Cap management
- Blend
Appellations 9 crus / AOC
Tavel - Grenache, Cinsault - rosé only
Full body, intense flavour, potential ageing.
Longer skin contact, short maceration method
Lirac - Grenache and Cinsault - rosé mainly, red and white
Chateauneuf-du-pape - red and white
Generally on flat land. spicy red fruit aroma
Gigondas - Grenache mainly - red similar to du pape
Dentelles de Montmirail offers altitude.
Vacqueyras - red similar to du pape
Muscat de Beaume de Venise - sweet and dry Grenache, Syrah mainly
Other:
Vinsobres - Red only. Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre
Cairanne - red only
Rasteau - sweet and dry Grenache mainly
AOC
Côtes-du-Rhone (white and rose)
Côtes-du-Rhone villages (ex. Sablet)
White
- Diois (and sparkling)
Red
- Côtes du Vivarais (red and rose mainly)
- Côtes du Ventoux
- Grignan les Adhémar
Chateaux in Gigondas and Vacqueyas
Gigondas:
- Château de Saint Cosme
- Domaine Santa Duc
Vacqueyras:
- Château des Tours
- Gramenon
Chateaux in Chateauneuf-du-pape
AOC Chateauneuf-du-pape:
- Mont-Redon (most know)
- Domaine la Barroche
- Château de Beaucastel
- Henri Bonneau
- Féraud
- Janasse
- Château Rayas
- Chapelle St-Théodoric
Chateaux in Cairanne and Vinsobres
AOC Cairanne:
- Domaine Alary
- Domaine Brusset
- Domaine Oratoire St Martin
- Domaine Rabasse-Charavin
Vinsobres:
- Domaine de Montine
- Domaine Jaume
Chateaux in Lirac and Travel
Lirac:
- Domaine Coudoulis
- Domaine Lafond
- Domaine de la Mordorée
Tavel:
- Domaine des Carteresses
- Domaine Maby
Chateaux in Muscat Beaume de Venice and Rosteau
AOC Muscat de Beaume de Venise:
- Domaine des Bernardins
- Domaine de Coyeux
- Domaine de Durban
- Domaine la Ligière
Rasteau:
- Gourt de Mautens
Classification
- Crus
- Côtes du Rhône Villages
- Côtes du Rhône
Chateauneuf-du-pape grapes varieties
White
Bourboulenc, Clairette blanche, Clairette rose, Grenache blanc, Grenache gris, Picardan, Piquepoul blanc, Piquepoul gris, and Roussanne.
Red
Cinsault, Counoise, Grenache noir, Mourvèdre, Muscardin, Piquepoul noir, Syrah, Terret noir, and Vaccarèse (Brun Argenté).
