The Rhone Valley Flashcards
Northern Rhone soil?
Soil is basically granitic; but becomes heavier with clay in the southern section of St-Joseph; Crozes-Hermitage and St-Péray.
Cote-Rotie?
Only red wines from the Syrah/up to 20% of Viognier can be added (but never more than 5%). Ssingle Guyot on single or double stakes. Terraces are essential here; where they are known as cheys.
Name two slopes of Cote-Rotie?
The Cote Blonde is a hillside covered with lighter-colored sandy soils and a limestone base. The Cote Brune is slope covered with reddish-brown soils; enriched with iron.
Guigal`s single-vineyard bottlings?
La Mouline (Cote Blonde); La Landonne (Cote Brune); and La Turque (Cote Brune).
Condrieu?
100% Viognier; 100 ha. Vineyards are found on the steep; often granitic slopes; the best of which are traditionally said to have a topsoil of arzelle; or decomposed mica.
Chateau Grillet?
Single 4 ha vineyard enclave within the Condrieu in the single ownership. A virtual amphitheatre carved out of the granite shelters.
St-Joseph?
Syrah (up to 10% Marsanne and Roussanne); less than 10% is white from Marsanne and Roussanne.
Crozes-Hermitage?
Syrah (up to 15% Marsanne or Roussanne); 10% is white from Marsanne and Roussanne.
Crozes-Hermitage soil?
North of the town of Tain L’Hermitage is a warmth-retaining granite bedrock which produces richer; more complex wines; eastern areas has clay and limestone soils; while the southern areas closer to the river are set on alluvial soils
Hermitage?
Syrah; although 15% white varieties are permitted. 1/3 of production is white; Marsanne predominates in the blend; Roussanne.
Hermitage soil?
Hermitage hill is a south-facing bank of granite; thinly covered with extremely varied and well-charted soil types. The most famous climats are at the western end of the hill; which benefits from the highest temperatures.
Les Bessards climate topsoil?
Topsoil of sandy gravel on granite and produces some of the sturdiest wines.
Le Méal climate topsoil?
More aromatic wines from a soil with more limestone; and bigger stones towards the top of the slope.
Les Gréffieux and Les Diognières climate topsoils?
Clay
Other notable Hermitage climates?
Beaume(s); Maison Blanche; Péléat; Les Murets; Rocoule; La Croix; and Les Signeaux.
Cornas?
Terraced vineyards on its steep south-facing granite slopes has the warmest climate in the Northern Rhône. Only Syrah; no white varieties allowed.
Name four Cornas lieux-dits?
La Côte; Les Chaillot; Les Reynards;and Les Mazards.
St-Peray?
Sparkling wine produced from Marsanne and Roussane with Methode Traditionelle from vines grown on limestone-rich soil.
Cotes du Rhone production?
42.000 ha; 80% of Rhone Valley production; majority comes from the flatter; arid; often windswept vineyards of the southern Rhône; using full or semi-carbonic maceration.
Cotes du Rhone principal red varieties?
Grenache must make up a minimum of 40% of any red blend except for those produced north of the town of Montelimar; other principal varietis are Syrah and Mourvedre.
Other theoretically allowed red varieties for Cotes du Rhone?
There are ten other varieties sanctioned for use in the appellation’s red and rose wines; but they must not represent more than 30% of any wine blend. These are Carignan; Cinsaut; Counoise; Muscardin; Camarese; Vaccarese; Picpoul Noir; Terret Noir; Grenache Gris and Clairette.
Cotes du Rhone White Varieties?
The principal grapes used in Cotes du Rhone white wines are Grenache Blanc; Clairette; Marsanne; Roussanne; Bourboulenc and Viognier. Ugni Blanc and Picpoul Blanc may also be used to a maximum of 20% of any blend. Only about 2 per cent of Cotes du Rhone is white.
Cotes du Rhone Villages yield; alcoholic strength?
The basic maximum permitted yield is 42 rather than 50 hl/ha (2.4 tons/acre); and the appellation has adopted the Châteauneuf-du-Pape’s minimum alcoholic strength of 12.5 per cent for red wines.
Cotes du Rhone Villages red varieties?
Red and rose Cotes du Rhone Villages wines must be made from a minimum of 50% Grenache and a minimum of 20% of Syrah and Mourvedre (either together or separately). Rose wines may also be made from up to 20% white grapes.
Cotes du Rhone Villages white varieties?
White varieties that are allowed: Grenache Blanc; Clairette; Marsanne; Roussanne; Bourboulenc and Viognier.
Chateauneuf-du-Pape Varieties?
Grenache; Mourvedre; Syrah; Cinsault; Picpoul; Terret noir; Counoise; Bourboulenc; Clairette; Clairette rose; Roussanne; Vaccarese; Picardin (blanc; gris; noir); Muscardin. ;Grenache Blanc; Clairette; Bourboulenc; and Roussanne.
Chateauneuf-du-Pape?
Low-trained Gobelet vines; minimum specified alcoholic strength is set at 12.5 per cent; yields 35 hl/ha; no rose wines. Triage of picked grapes is mandatory.
Costieres de Nimes?
GSM + Carignan
Clairette de Bellegarde?
Small; 40-ha/100-acre enclave of exclusively white wine production in the south of the Costières De Nîmes appellation made from Clairette.
Gigondas rules?
Gigondas shares Châteauneuf’s low maximum yield; 35 hl/ha (2 tons/acre); high minimum natural alcoholic strength; 12.5 per cent; and a compulsory triage to eliminate imperfect grapes.
Gigondas varieties?
Grenache grapes must accout for no more than 80 per cent of the total blend; while Syrah and/or Mourvedre make up at least 15 per cent. The varieties permitted for Cotes du Rhone; except Carignan; may be used for the rest. Now white wine.
Tavel varieties?
Grenache is the dominant grape variety; but may not exceed 60 per cent of the blend. Cinsault; Syrah and Clairette.
Lirac red varieties?
Modern red and rose Lirac must contain at least 40 per cent Grenache with Mourvedre; Syrah; Cinsault; and occasionally Carignan;
Lirac white varieties?
Clairette; Bourboulenc; and Grenache Blanc with other southern white grapes and Ugni Blanc.
Vacqueyras varieties?
At least 50% Grenache; remaining is made up of Syrah and Mourvedre; with an addition of 10% of any of the other Cotes du Rhone varieties; excluding Carignan.
Vinsobres?
Minimum of 50 per cent Grenache and at least 25 per cent of either Syrah or Mourvèdre; with Carignan and Cinsault also permitted. Whites and rosés are sold under the generic Cotes du Rhone.
Rasteau?
At least 50% Grenache; Syrah and Mourvèdre (20% minimum); Carignan is also used. Best known for their sweet red vin doux naturel.
Beaumes-de-Venise?
Grenache must constitute at least 50% of any wine; complemented by between 25% and 50% Syrah. Other traditional Rhone Valley varieties can be used (including up to 10% white-wine varieties); provided they do not exceed 25% of the blend.
Coteaux de Die?
This appellation is for the light; still; white wines made exclusively from the Clairette grape variety.
Cremant de Die varieties?
Dry sparkling wines made by traditional method from a minimum of 55% Clairette; finished with an addition of Muscat Blanc a Petits Grains and Aligote.
Cremant de Die regulations?
Cremant de Die is aged on its lees for a minimum of 12 months and has a minimum residual sugar level of 15 grams per liter. Maximum of 100 liters may be extracted from 150kg of grapes; grapes must be whole-bunch harvested rather than machine harvested.
Clairette de Die?
Méthode Dioise Ancestrale from a minimum 75% Muscat à Petit Grains + Clairette; the wine is bottled without dosage before fermentation has been completed then disgorged into pressurized tanks and rebottled without liqueur d’expédition. A minimum 35 grams per litre residual sugar remains; giving a demi-sec finish.
Clairette de Die Méthode Traditionnelle?
Second method; wines are produced from 100% Clairette; brut in style; with a maximum 15 grams per litre of RS after dosage.
Châtillon-en-Diois?
Light; Gamay-based reds and light whites made from Aligoté and Chardonnay. All this Die appellations are situated on the Drôme River.
Grignan-les-Adhemar red varieties?
Grenache and Syrah are the principal vine varieties grown and they can either singulary or combined be present up to 80% of the wine; rest of Carignan; Mourvèdre; Cinsaut and most recenty Marselan (to a maximum of 30 per cent between them). Small production of rose wines as well.
Grignan-les-Adhemar white varieties?
Blend of Grenache Blanc; Clairette; Bourboulenc; Marsanne; Roussanne and Viognier. No single variety may make up more than 60% of these wines
Côtes du Luberon red varieties?
Red / Rosé wines from a blend with min 60% total of Grenache & Syrah (min 10%) Other permitted varietals: Movedre; Cinsault; Carignan; Counoise; Pinot noir; Gamay & Picpoul.
Côtes du Luberon white varieties?
Whites are comprising only 4 per cent of production; made from Grenache Blanc; Clairette; Bourboulenc; Ugni Blanc; Vermentino; and possibly some Marsanne and Roussanne.
Ventoux red varieties?
Fresh fruity lighter style red / rosé wines from Grenache; Syrah; Cinsault & Mouvedre with up to 20% total of Picpoul Counoise; Clairette; Bourboulenc & Grenache blanc.
Ventoux white varieties?
Small amount of white wines made from Clairette & Bourboulenc.
Côtes du Vivarais red varieties?
Syrah ( min 40% ) & Grenache (min30%) +Cinsault & Carignan. No single varietal can account for more than 75% of the total (80% for Rosé).
Côtes du Vivarais white varieties?
Small amount of white wines from Clairette; Grenache & Marsanne.
Pierrevert?
All three types of wine are produced; Grenache and Syrah are the dominant grapes but red lack quality. The most important wine is rose made mostly from Carignan; Cinsault & Mouvedre.
Chapoutier’s Chante Alouette Hermitage?
Marsanne
