WSET D3 - The Rhone valley Flashcards
What’s the climate in Rhone Valley?
Northern Rhone: Continental
Southern Rhone: Mediterranean
Describe the grape variety Syrah.
Vigorous ( needs careful training and tying in to protect from Mistral blows through northern and southern Rhone)
Often tied to one or two poles in top Northern Rhone appellation (steep slopes) as trellising not possible.
Syrah decline or disorder: Leaves turn red and graft point breaks up and vine dies.
Only black variety used in northern Rhône crus, typically deep ruby, M to pronounced violet, plum, blackberry with black pepper and herbal notes. M to high acidity and tannins.
Adds structure, fruit and colour to southern Rhone blends.
Describe the grape variety Grenache Noir.
High yielding, need warm climate to ripen.
Late ripening (early autumn rains).
Its upright growth makes it suitable to be trained as bush vine, pruned short to contain vigour, does well on dry, low fertility soils.
Good drought resistance but prone to coulure, downy mildew, phomopsis botrytis bunch rot, bacterial necrosis or bacterial blight (disease-free stock and avoiding contamination from pruning tools).
Accumulates sugar quickly (can be an issue in dry wines but very suitable for Vin Doux Naturel).
Contributes pale ruby colour, ripe red fruit, spicy and herbal notes, high alcohol, low to M tannins and low acidity.
Describe Mourvèdre.
Late budding, late ripening only thrives in warm to hot climates.
Not drought resistant requires small but regular amounts water (eg: deep calcareous soils stores water) best pruned short and can be grown either with cordon system or bush vines. Low yields.
Prone to mites, leafhoppers and sour rot (a disease affects ripening bunches due to insect or bird damage to grapes, which then prone to bacteria and fungi).
Strongly prone to reduction, must needs adequate access to oxygen, typically aged in old oak.
Contributes deep ruby colour, intense blackberries, blueberries and violets, high alcohol and high firm tannins.
Principal variety in Bandol AOC rosé in Provence.
Describe Cinsaut.
Late-budding , high yielding with good drought and heat resistance. Yields must restricted to produce high quality wine.
Can suffer from chlorosis if grown on soils with excessive lime.
Prone to Esca, Eutypa, mites and grape moths.
Contributes light ruby colour, M to M+ fresh red fruit, high alcohol and low to M tannins. The lifted aromas of variety are most prominent in first year after wine is made, making it highly suitable for early drinking reds and rosés.
Describe Viognier.
Early budding (spring frost)
Normally grown on trellis or poles to prevent wind damage.
Yields tend to be low and unpredictable, due to poor flowering and fruit set (coulure) reducing returns.
Picking must judged very accurately as fruit needs to be fully ripe to have typical pronounced aromas, if left too long, they loose flavour and acidity ,and rapidly gain sugar - unbalanced wines lack flavour.
M lemon colour with pronounced honeysuckle, apricot and peach with M to high alcohol and low acidity.
Up to 20% Viognier is allowed in some Northern Rhône reds that are otherwise made with Syrah.
Describe Marsanne.
Late budding, vigorous and productive.Yields must kept low. Performs best on stony and low fertility soils (keeps yields low) therefore does well on slopes of northern Rhône valley.
Prone to powdery mildew, mites and botrytis.
M lemon colour, sometimes gold with low intensity honeysuckle , lemon and apricot, an oily texture, M acidity, full bodied and M to high alcohol.
Northern Rhône: Varietal or blended with Roussanne.
Southern Rhône: Usually part of blend.
Describe Roussanne.
Late budding, grows best on low fertility, well drained soils.
Poor resistance to wind therefore sites must chosen carefully, variable in amount of fruit produced (coulure) and very susceptible to powdery mildew, botrytis and mites.
Harder to grow than Marsanne thus less commonly grown in Rhône valley.
M lemon colour, sometimes gold, M to M + pear with herbal notes, m to m+ acidity and m to high alcohol.
Similar in colour and structure to Marsanne but tend to age quicker.
Describe Grenache Blanc.
Relatively early budding. occasionally a problem with spring frost as mainly grown in mild south of France and Spain. Good wind resistance.
In Rhône valley grown almost exclusively in southern part ( dry white blends and little vins doux naturels) where its tendency to reach high potential alcohol is a benefit .
Contributes low intensity ripe green fruit and some floral notes, high alcohol and low acidity.
Describe Clairette.
Vigorous , grows well in low fertility, dry soils therefore well suited to southern Rhône and its low rainfall. To contain vigour, needs to be pruned short and excessive buds removed but grows very upright and has advantages of relatively wind resistant without staking.
Ripens late (early autumn rains)
Needs careful handing in winery as oxidises easily.
Goes into white blends in southern Rhône, adding freshness and fruit, with white flower, fennel, apple and grapefruit.
Describe Bourboulenc.
Late ripening, loose bunches, thick skins, resistance to botrytis bunch rot.
Grows well in warm, dry locations, hence well suited to southern Rhône.
Typically used in white southern Rhône blends contributing lemon, M+ acidity, M alcohol.
What fermentation vessels are commonly used in Rhône valley?
Preference for concrete (though stainless steel and large wood vessels also in use) and small or large wooden vessels for maturation.
Grenache Noir: prone to oxidation and premature loss of colour therefore typically fermented, aged in concrete or stainless steel.
Syrah: prone to reduction therefore has to pumped over more often and often aged in oak provide gentle oxygenation, adding cost.
Summarise the production of red cru-level wines.
Hand harvest, may destemmed, chilled, cold soaked for 1-3 days to extract colour. Or may whole bunch fermented promote more intense aromatics.
Fermentation generally at warm temperatures enhance extraction. Maceration may last 20-30 days with punch downs, punch overs or rack and return.
12-24 M maturation common with large oak vessels for Grenache Noir and small barrels for Syrah and Mourvèdre, typically with proportion 20-30% new.
Summarise the production of inexpensive high-volume red wines.
Machine harvest. Hand harvest and carbonic maceration is an option.
Cultrured yeast common, mid temperatures retain fruit and avoid extraction high tannin. Maceration may kept short,
Wines may stored in stainless steel for few months before bottling.
Summarise the production of Rosé wines.
eg: Tavel, typically short maceration , grapes pressed after cold maceration 12-48 hours. Fermentation then completed as white wine.
Typically aged in oak or concrete large vats or stainless steel, some use old small oak barrels to add texture.
Sagnée here is to make only rosé rather than by-product of red wine.
Summarise the production of White wines.
Fermented at mid temperatures to retain fruit, malo sometimes avoided to retain acidity. Most aged in large old oak or stainless-steel.
Natural full body white Rhône varieties means lees stirring sometimes avoided, though some stir for a yet fuller-bodied style ( eg: M. Chapoutier’s Hermitage)
Some matured in oak.
Describe the climate of The Northern Rhône.
Moderate continental, cold winters, warm summers, adequate rainfall mainly in autumn and winter. Cold mistral reduces fungal disease and vine vigour leads to low yields, higher concentration but lower production.
Summarise Côte Rôtie AOC.
Most northernly , reds only. Vineyards on steep slopes often terraced, mostly face east and south-east (high light interception, sheltered from winds from north), rapid drainage and poor stony soils result in fully ripe grapes.
By hand, erosion is constant problem.
Many on terraces need repairs time to time.
Single or double Guyot, tied to 1or2 poles (échalas).
Appellation revived by Etienne Guigal and his son Marcel, and their single-vineyard Côte-Rôties. and high scores by Robert Parker.
Very good to outstanding, premium to super-premium.
All wine are red from Syrah, with up to 20% Viognier permitted in lends (though in practise zero or less than 8%, adds floral and fruit)(must co-fermented, most choosing destem and cold soak, common to use percentage of stems in ferments) , mass selection with rootstock 3309 and densities 10,000 vines per hectare common.
Maximum 40 hl/ha.
Warm fermentation typical, for full extraction. Nature yeast common for terroir expression, malo takes place in cask. Maturation in barrique (Guigal’s single-vineyard) or large wooden vessels with demi-muids of 500-600L.
Wines known for pronounced aromas, typically softer and less full-bodied than other top appellations, Hermitage and Cornas.
Summarise Condrieu AOC.
100% Viognier, max 41hl/ha, vineyards often south- facing, vines grown on steep, low fertility, rocky soils, often in terraced vineyards (erosion and wind) small appellation (197ha) surrounds single-estate 3.5 ha AOC, Château-Grillet AOC, created reputation of Viognier as one France’s great wines before it back into fashion in 1980s.
Fermentation: Stainless steel or lager wooden vessels with few using small barrels. Malo depending on vintage but normally carried out. Typically aged on lees 10-12 months with less stirring.
Very good to outstanding, premium to super-premium.
Summarise Sanit-Joseph AOC.
Historical heart of the region is around lieu-dit Saint-Joseph. Extended in 1994 with some produce lower quality wines (some sites not on hillsides)
Today debate is wether reduce appellation and limit it to hillside slopes only. (Jean-Louis Chave, Domaine Gonon).
90% are red, max 40hl/ha. Roussanne and Marsanne allowed in small proportion in reds but rare.
Stainless steel and large wooden tanks most common fermentation vessels and aging verbally in larger wood or large barrels, occasionally barriques.
Good wines at mid-price to Very good to outstanding wines at premium and super-premium prices.
Summarise Hermitage AOC.
Small appellation (137ha), 1/3 whites. left bank of river as it flows south , the appellation is a south-facing slope, catching sun and having protection from cold winds. Hot, dry vineyards with thin, stony soils - pronounced intensity, high tannin in reds and longevity.
Most famous climate for Syrah are at western end hill records highest temperatures, eg: Le Méal. Erosion is constant problem with some parts terraced, much work done by hand, raising cost.
Max. 40hl/ha (45 for whites), seldom achieved, many old vines, low yields and highly concentrated wines.
Reds: traditional, some stems often included in ripe vintage, warm fermentation for maximum extraction flavours and tannins, lengthy oak aging (12-18m). Proportion new oak and M to large wooden vessels are common.
Whites: typically blend majority Marsanne and Roussanne or pure Marsanne. Fermentation either in old wood vats, new or old oak barrels or stainless steel. Maturation in oak, minority proportion being new, or stainless steel. Typically aged on lees 10-12m. After long bottle aging, best can develop rich, creamy, nutty flavours. Very ripe years a rare Vin de Paille is made.
Dominated by négociant houses Chapoutier (individual parcels) and Jaboulet, with significant holdings owned by co-operative Cave de Tain and Jean-Louis Chave (blending).
Very good to outstanding, mostly super-premium.
Summarise Crozes-Hermitage AOC.
Largest northern appellations, left bank Rhône.
Northern has continental climate, with marked alpine influences, can be extremely cold in winter, with strong influence from Mistral. Long growing season, high diurnal range, moderate sugar accumulation and retained acidity. Southern is more temperate, although can be heavy rainfall in late autumn and through winter.
AOC created in 1937, and extended, in manner of Saint-Joseph, in 1956. North of Tain relatively steep slopes and south has flatter vineyards.
Soils deeper and more fertile than Hermitage and wines have lower concentration, though maximum yield 45hl/ha. Machine harvesting possible on flatter land. Mid priced good to very good wine with number of premium-priced, high quality wines (pioneered by Jaboulet’s Domaine de Thalabert).
Carbonic and semi-carbonic maceration (early drinking ) can be used but rare today. Traditional fermentation on skin (for wines to be aged) is common. Destemming widely practiced, fermentation mainly in concrete tanks or stainless steel and maturation in these tanks or large oak vessels.
Whites (9%) made from Marsanne (more planted) and Roussanne. Top examples aged in old wood occasionally proportion of new barrels. Good to very good, mid-priced to premium with some outstanding.
Summarise Cornas AOC.
Most Southern for red , a natural south and east facing amphitheater with some steep slopes.
Warm Mediterranean, good protection from cold winds and excellent aspect mean this is often first Syrah to be picked in Northern Rhône.
Only red within AOC, must 100% Syrah.
Maximum 40hl/ha.
Small appellation.
A reputation for tannic intensity. Some use small barrels soften it, current trend back towards robust and long-lived wines.
Significant producers - Domaine Alain Voge, Domaine Vincent Paris.
Very good to outstanding, premium to super-premium.
Summarise Saint-Péray AOC
Most southernly, slightly cooler climate. good water-holding capacity and drainage.
Marsanne vast majority, with some Roussanne.
Maximum 45hl/ha.
Fermentation in stainless steel or oak barrels and aged in same or large old oak vessels. Higher quality wines typically aged on lees for 10-12 months. Some choose to stir to add body.
Good to very good and mid to premium priced .
