Southern Rhone

Question 1

Southern Rhone Main Red Grapes

Answer 1

Grenache, Mouvrèdre, Syrah, Cinsault, Carignan

Question 2

Southern Rhone Main White Grapes

Answer 2

Bourboulenc, Marsanne, Roussanne, Viognier, Clairette, Grenache Blanc

Question 3

Southern Rhone Secondary Red Grapes

Answer 3

Vaccarèse, Counoise, Muscardin, Picpoul Noir, Terret Noir

Question 4

Southern Rhone Secondary White Grapes

Answer 4

Picpoul Blanc, Ugni Blanc

Question 5

Grenache and Picpoul styles

Answer 5

Grenache and Picpoul both come in a blanc, gris, and rouge version

Question 6

Location of Southern Rhone

Answer 6

The southern Rhône stretches from Montélimar to Avignon. Avignon is 37 miles from
the ocean and 175 miles west of Monaco and the Italian border

Question 7

Southern Rhone Geography

Answer 7

The territory is characterized by scrubland and cut with ancient river beds created by
glaciers.

Question 8

Southern Rhone Climate

Answer 8

true Mediterranean, with an abundance of sunshine, mild winters, with
heavy fall rains

Question 9

Effect of Mistral

Answer 9

The terroir is affected by the Mistral and caused growers to train their vines low and
trellis them from falling over. Little humidity means less rot and grapes tend to
develop thicker skins due to the sunshine and wind.

Question 10

Southern Rhone Soils

Answer 10

a true patchwork of limestone subsoils with alluvial fans, sand, gravel, clay, and
large stones left behind from the glaciers called galets that hold the daytime heat.
See The World Atlas of Wines breakdown of the soils of Châteauneuf-du-Pape.

Question 11

Important Southern Rhone dates

Answer 11

125 BCE: The Romans settle the area and bring winemaking.
1309: Pope Clement V moves to Avignon and plants vines.
1785: Château La Nerthe releases the first estate-bottled Châteauneuf-du-Pape.
1863: The southern Rhône is the first wine-growing region to be struck by phylloxera.
1936: Châteauneuf-du-Pape becomes the first AOC in 1936.

Question 12

Wine Blends in Southern Rhone

Answer 12

Producers can blend any approved variety into their wines, making for a dizzying array of
styles.

Question 13

Oak aging in Southern Rhone

Answer 13

Most wines will be aged in neutral barrels (usually large oak foudre) or low percentages of
new oak and used.

Question 14

Wine Characteristics

Answer 14

Wines will be medium acidity, higher in alcohol, and show a dustiness and ripeness from the
climate. Some wines will even show a raisin-like character.

Question 15

Cotes du Rhone wines

Answer 15

can vary in quality but can show more fruit character and even have
carbonic maceration.

Question 16

Côtes-du-Rhône and Côtes-du-Rhône Villages AOP

Answer 16

allows red, white, and rosé wines from
any blend of grapes, but Grenache tends to dominate. 22 villages can append their name to
their bottles, this is like a stepping stone to AOP status.

Question 17

Châteauneuf-du-Pape AOP

Answer 17

white or red, can be a blend of 18 different varieties. Highest
minimum abv in France at 12.5%

Question 18

Carianne AOP

Answer 18

red and white from approved varieties.

Question 19

Gigondas AOP

Answer 19

red and rosé.

Question 20

Vacqueras AOP

Answer 20

white, red, rosé.

Question 21

Beaumes-de-Venise AOP

Answer 21

Red only

Question 22

Vinsobres AOP

Answer 22

Red only

Question 23

Lirac AOP

Answer 23

red, white, and rosé. This is where phylloxera first hit France

Question 24

Tavel AOP

Answer 24

Rosé ONLY

Question 25

Rasteau AOP

Answer 25

dry reds, sweet, fortified Vin Doux Naturels in all colors. Make sure you
understand how VDNs are made!

Question 26

Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venice AOP

Answer 26

Vin Doux Naturels, in white, rosé and red from Muscat
Blanc à Petits Grains and Muscat Rouge à Petits Grains

Question 27

Major Villages

Answer 27

See the list of village AOPs.
Avignon, Orange, Nimes.

Question 28

Major Producers

Answer 28

Château La Nerthe, Château Beaucastel, Château Rayas