Southern Rhone Flashcards
Describe typical terroir of S.Rhone
Many (not all) sites have very stoney soils to absorb solar radiation.
Some, like ChNdP have large galets.
Southern Rhône
Climate?
Wind?
Mediterranean
Fewer slopes expose vines to high speed damaging Mistral winds from the North.
How protect Syrah and Grenache from Mistral?
S.facing slopes where possible.
Windbreaks when not.
Grenache trained to low bushes
Syrah supported by trellising
S.Rhone Grenache… fruits?
Being a sun worshipping grape it ripens easily
Concentrated spiced red fruit flavours
Jammy if over-ripened
Main S.Rhône grape?
Grenache
Supporting varietals in S.Rhône?
Think GSM
Syrah
Mourvèdre
(and… Cinsault)
S. Rhône production is in two camps…?
The Cru’s
The regional and village appellations.
Côtes du Rhône wines….
Red, White or Rosé, or all of the above?
All of the above
Typical style of a Côtes du Rhône (any colour)?
Medium bodied
Fruity
Simple
How does a region become a CduR Village?
- Observing minimum alcohol levels
- Observing maximum yields
- Higher %ag of GSM
Note: not all the grapes have to come from a specific area
A wine labelled Côtes du Rhône Village Cairanne suggests what than if it had no village name? (2)
- That all the grapes came from the area of Cairanne
2. Decent wine with more body, structure and fruit flavours
Name five S.Rhone crus
Lilac Travel for Gig Vacations to the Chateaus
Liran Tavel Gigondas Vacquerais Ch Neauf du P
What does Mourvèdre bring to a S. Rhône blend?
Dense black fruit
Gamey, meaty quality
Deep colour and very high tannins
The best ChNduP’s body and texture is…
Full
Textured
With concentrated spiced red fruit
S. Rhône
Lirac and Tavel produce mostly what?
Rosé
Being on the West Bank of the Rhone
S.Rhône rosé comes mainly from:
And made from:
Lirac and Tavel
Grenache and Cinsault
Which S.Rhone cru can ONLY do rosé?
How so these compare to Provence rosés
Tavel
Intensely flavoured and capable of bottle age
S. Rhône
Does Lirac produce any other wines other than Rosé?
Yup.
ChNduP style white and red.
What does Syrah add to a S. Rhône blend?
Extra colour and tannin
S.Rhône rosé wine production methods?
Crushed Fruit - Direct Pressing and Whole Bunch - Carbonic
Crushed fruit may skip the crushing and go direct to pressing. After a short post-fermentation maceration it gets blended.
Whole bunches with ripe berries and ripe stems are variously carbonicaly macerated. Intracellular activity splitting the berries and 2% ABV kills it off.
