Southern Rhone Flashcards
Who cultivated the first vines in France? Where? When?
Greeks. Massalia- (Marseilles) 600BCE
What is Vinum Picatum? Exported to where, by whom? When?
Romans arrive to Souther rhone 125 BCE
Nothern Rhone by the first century CE
“Pitched Wine” w Resin- or Tarry syrah- it is unclear historically
Romans- At Vienne- exported to Rome
What was the first AOC in France, When?, Why?
CDP- 1936. It was a response to fraud and a way to define geographical boundaries
When did Pope Clement V move from Rome to Avignon and build the CDP palace and plant vine?
1309
The Southern Rhone accounts for what percentage of total Rhone production?
95%
List 5 main red grapes of the Southern Rhone
Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre, Cinsault, Carignan
Grenache provides?
Rich body, sweet fruit, warmth
Syrah Provides?
color, structure
Mourvedre provides?
color, structure
Cinsault provides
freshness and finesse, often used for rose’
Carignan
on a serious decline of plantings
What is the Climate of the Southern Rhone?
Hot days cool nights- big diurnal shift- mild winters and heavy autumn rains
Very Mediterranean
What is Garrigue?
low growing vegetation in the limestone hills of the mediterranean coast
List 3 soil types of the S Rhone
Sand, Clay, Limestone
What are galets roules? What are they made out of?
pudding stones of the southern rhone. Quartzite
What do galets roules provide for the vines
they store heat at night, but more importantly they protect soils like clay from drying out in the sun so vines can still receive water
What is the minimum ABV of CDP?
12.5% ABV- Highest min for dry red in France, often hits 15% or more
What is le rape’?
2% of harvest must be disregarded by law to protect against underipeness in CDP
What are wines in sand in CDP like?
Smooth, elegant, fine structure, floral
What are wines in limestone soils in CDP like?
linear, angular tannins with spark and engery
What are wines like in CDP in clay soils
fleshy and deep
Clay and sand mixed in CDP
deep but energetic
Many producers are planting more of what grape in CDP? Why?
Mourvedre- it ripens 2-4 weeks earlier- warm climates- Brunier says even 30 year old vines are too young for mourvedre in Vieux Telegraphe
The Papal Crest is now on?
All estate bottles within CDP AOC
List all 13/18 grapes of CDP
Grenache Mourvedre Syrah Cinsaul Counoise Picpoul Terret Noir Bourboulenc Clairtette/ clar rose rousanne vaccarese picardin muscardin Great Men Should Constantly Consider Calculated Practice To Be Considered Really Very powerful men
What is the largest appellation in the Rhone
Cotes Du Rhone
CDR how many communes?
21
How much of rhone wine is released as CDR?
2/3
CDR allows red white and rose, true or false?
true
CDR rouge is a min what % grenahce?
30
List 5 villages that have been upgraded to AOP status with dates
Gigondas- 1971 Vacquerays- 1990 Beaumes de Venise 2005 Vinsobres 2006 Cairanne 2016
What is the soil type of Gigondas?
red clay alluvial
What styles are allowed in Gigondas
red and rose’
What is the cepage of Gigondas rouge?
50% grenache min plus syrah and mourvedre, 10% other varities except carignan
List a top producer of Gigondas
Chateau St Cosme
What year did Vacquerays gain AOP status?
1990- 2nd CDR village to upgrade to AOP status
What is the cepage of Vacquerays
min 50% grenahce
What styles are allowed in Vacquerays
red white and rose
Beaumes de Venise and Vinsobres cepage and styles allowed?
red from min 50% grenache
what year was Cairanne upgraded to AOP status?
2016
All above appellations are at a min what % abv?
12.5
Which commune was the first victim of Phylloxera?
Lirac 1863
What is the soil type of LIrac?
Sandy
What styles are allowed in Lirac?
Red white and rose
What grapes are allowed in Lirac
grenache noir and blanc clairette adn bourboulenc
Tavel AOP
One of the only communal AOPs in France based on Rose’ only
What is the premeir rose in France?
Tavel
What is the main grape of tavel?
Grenache
What is the soil type of Tavel?
lauses soil
What is lauses soil?
white calcareous stones and galets
What is Vin Doux Naturel?
Mutage is employed to arrest fermentation using 95% neutral grape spirit in 5-10% proportion in the wine.
What is Vin Doux Naturel?
Mutage is employed to arrest fermentation using 95% neutral grape spirit in 5-10% proportion in the wine. (77% in port)
Do the VDN’s of Southern France pre date port?
Yes
What are the two AOP’s in the Southern Rhone for VDN?
Rasteau and Muscat de Beaumes de Venise AOPS
90% of Muscat de Beaumes de Venis production comes from?
Co OP- Vignerons de Beaumes de Venise from grapes sourced from the communes Beaumes de Venis and Aubignan
Muscat de Beaumes de Venise is made in what styles?
White, red and Rose
What are the grapes of Muscat de Beaumes de Venise?
Muscat blanc a petit grains and Muscat Rouge a petit grains
What sytles are allowed in Rasteau?
White red and rose
What are the grapes of Rasteau?
Grenache noir, blanc, and gris
What communes are eligible for Rasteau AOP?
Rasteau Cairanne Sablet
Describe the style of Muscat de Beaumes de Venise
fresh and aromatic
Describe the style of Rasteau
Tawny flavors
What do Ambre and Tuile indicate on a Rasteau label?
Red and white VDN that have oxidative character and aged at least 3 years prior to release
What do blanc and grenat mean on rasteau label?
Fresher style of red and white rasteau VDN
What does Hors d Age mean on a rasteau label?
5 years of aging prior to release
What is rancio?
A deliberately oxidative style where wine is left to age in open barrels
Does rasteau permit dry unfortified reds?
yes
What is the northernmost Appelation in the Southern Rhone?
Grignan les Adhemar
Why was the appelation of Grignan les Adhemar renamed in 2010?
Hoping to avoid association with the Tricastin nuclear plant
What is the famous landmark of Ventoux?
Mount Ventoux- cyclist haven- fresh cooler climate wines
List a producer from Ventoux
Vielle Ferme- made by Beaucastel
What river provides a border of Rhone from Provence
Durance
What AOP adjoins the Rhone with Provence and the Languedoc
Costere de Niemes
The communes of Ventox, Luberon and Cotes de Vivarais make what styles of wine?
red white rose
Where is Clairette de Bellegarde? What styles do they make from what grapes?
Within Costere de Niemes, dry white made from Clairette
What styles dominate Duche d Uzes?
Red are allowed by whites and roses’ are more important here than the rest of the Rhone
Gigondas often tends to be fresher and more aromatic than CDP. Why?
More calcareous soils and more elevation
100% grenache wines have been allowed in Gigondas since?
2009
Beaumes de Venise AOC gained status for dry red in?
2004- rouge only, min 80% Grenache
Vacquerays allows for red, white, and rose’. T or F?
True
What are the grapes of Vacquerays blanc?
Grenache blanc mostly, bourbelenc, clairette, marsanne roussane viognier are allowed, no more than 80% for any grape
Rasteau AOP gained status for what in 2009?
Dry red based on min 50% Grenache. No dry whites.
At high elevation Vinsobres is exceptionally suitable for ?
Syrah
List 4 Gigondas producers
Chateau St Cosme Domaine Santa Duc- both are more refined burgundian styles Domaine Raspail-Ay St Gayan- both are deep powerful styles
What are the top Southern Rhone vintages of 2010-Present? What are the worst?
2016- 99pts very warm days but cool nights 2015- 97 pts 2010- 98pts warm days cool nights 2014- low yields lots of disease tricky
What are the best vintages in the Southern Rhone of the 2000’s? Worst?
2005- 97 pts Cocentrated pure structured- drought 2007- 95 pts- indian summer 2002- tart torrential rain at harvest
Top Vintages of the Southern Rhone in the 1990’s? Worst?
1998- 97pts dense and rich 1990- 95pts massive, concentrated 1991 and 1992- bad lean thin washed out rains
Other noteable vintages?
1989- 1981 1979 1978 1970 1967 1966 1961
What is Rhone Septentrionale? What is Rhone Meridionale?
Septentrionale- Nothern
Meridionale- Souther
