Northern Rhône Valley Flashcards
Northern Rhone
General climate + rainfall (3)
What is the main moderating factor (1) and how does it affect grape-growing (3)?
- Moderate continental w/ warm summers and cold winters
- Rainfall = adequate for viticulture
- falls mostly in the autumn and winter
- Mistral: cooling wind from the north
- reduces fungal disease pressure
- reduces vigor + yields and slows ripening
=> grapes = more concentrated
Northern Rhone Valley
Length of region + effect?
Overall topography (1) + effects (2):
- 40 miles from northern (Cote-Rotie) to southern (St-Peray) => grapes in southern area generally ripen more reliably
- mostly steep slopes along the Rhone river
=> better sunlight interception + drainage
=> vines must be managed + harvested by hand
Identify the appellations of the Northern Rhône from north - south:
- Cote-Rotie AOC
- Condrieu AOC
- Chateau Grillet AOC(monopole within Condrieu)
- St-Joseph AOC
- Crozes-Hermitage AOC
- Hermitage AOC
- Cornas AOC
- Saint-Peray AOC
Cote-Rotie AOC
Grapes + types of wine permitted (3):
- Still red only
- 80% (min) Syrah + 20% (max) Viognier
- more often 100% Syrah ~ 8% Viognier (if used)
Cote-Rotie AOC
General terrain, aspect + soils of vineyards?
3 pros?
3 cons?
How as vines typically trained (2)?
- Steep slopes, often terraced w/ E + SE aspects and poor, stony soils
=> E + SE exposure = excellent sunlight interception + heat
=> northern hillsides = protection from Mistral
=> rapid drainage + poor soils = fully ripe grapes - terraces often need repair = $$$
- Erosion is a major concern
- Vines must be tended by hand = $$$
- Single / double Guyot.
- vines tied to one or two poles called échalas (stability against Mistral)
Cote-Rotie AOC
Brief history:
1970s (2)
1990s (2)
Today (2)
- *early 1970’s:**
- depopulation due to the labor involved in maintaining vineyards
- shrank to 70 ha under vine
- *1990s**:
- revival by Etienne + Marcel Guigal, who pioneered single vineyard wines (the ‘La Las’: La Mouline, La Landonne, La Turque)
- attracted critics’ attention, eg. Robert Parker
- *Today**:
- 250 ha planted
- Very good to outstanding wines selling at Premium - super premium prices
Cote-Rotie AOC
Most planted grape?
Preferred rootstock (1) + reasons (2)
Typical planting density + why?
Max. yields?
- Syrah
- Rootstock 3309
- relatively productive + grapes have good depth of color
- v. dense plantings (10,000 vines/ha)
- increases competition btw/ vines
=> reduces yields + concentrates fruit
relatively low max. yield: 40 hl/ha
Syrah
Growing characteristics + vineyard management (4)
Disease susceptibility (2)?
- vigorous variety
=> needs careful training + tying in to protect it from Mistral - in N. Rhone, individually staked to 1 or 2 poles (échelas) b/c trellising is not possible
=> adds $$ - susceptible to mites + botrytis bunch rot
- prone to ‘Syrah decline’ = leaves turn red + graft point breaks up and vine dies
Syrah
Importance in N. Rhone
General wine characteristics:
color
intensity
flavors / aromas
acidity
tannin
Use in S. Rhone?
- only black grape permitted in N. Rhône crus
- deep ruby
- medium - pronounced intensity aromas + flavors
- violet, plum (red plum in cooler years and sites, black plum in warmer years and sites), blackberry w/ black pepper + herbal notes
- med. - high Acidity
- med. - high tannins
- in S. Rhone, Syrah adds structure, fruit + colour to blends
Cote-Rotie AOC
If Viognier is used, what is required?
Why would it be used?
What is the general aim when vinifying Syrah (1)?
Common fermentation practices (4)?
yeasts (2)?
Malolactic?
- must be cofermented w/ Syrah
- adds aromatic complexity (floral, fruity notes)
- emphasis is on aromatic potential
=> grapes destemmed before pressing
=> cold soak
=> warmer fermentation temps (greater extraction of flavor / aromas, color + tannin)
=> portion of the stems may be included (herbaceous notes, aromatic lift)
- use of ambient yeasts common
=> greated expression of ‘terroir’ - malo will typically occur in cask
Cote-Rotie AOC
Maturation vessel choices (2) + why?
How do these syrah wines compare to others (2)?
- some will use small, 225L Barriques (vanilla, spice)
- model pioneered by Guigal’s single vineyard wines
- others = larger oak vessels, eg. 500-600L demi-muids
- less obvious oak notes
- v. pronounced aromas
- typically softer + less full bodied vs others, eg. Hermitage and Cornas.
Condrieu AOC
Location + size?
Wine + grape?
Max. yield
Terrain of vineyards (3)?
Challenges to viticulture (2)?
- Just south of Côte Rotie (overlaps w/St. Joseph)
- 197 ha.
- White wines only from 100% Viognier
- low max. yield: 41 hl/ha = good flavor intensity
- slopes = S exposure (Rhône turns to SW)
- steep, low fertility slopes w/ rocky soils
- often terraced
- Soil erosion + wind (Mistral) are a major problem
Chateau Grillet AOC
Importance of this appellation (3)?
- Ch. Grillet AOC = single estate appellation inside Condrieu
- 3.5 ha
- active since at least the 1830s.
Condrieu AOC
Typical fermentation vessels (2):
Malolactic?
Approach to batonnage?
Typical quality + price point?
- stainless steel / large wooden vessels
- some may choose small wooden vessels for texture + flavor (adds $$)
- malo usually carried out, but depends on vintage
- typically aged on lees for 10-12 months w/ batonnage
- Very good to outstanding (model for Viognier globally)
- Premium - super premium
Viognier
Budding?
Typical trellising?
Prone to (2):
Harvesting concerns (3):
- early budding (spring frost risk)
- typically grown on trellis or tied to poles to prevent wind damage
- prone to poor flowering / coulure (poor fruit set)
=> unpredictable / low yields - fruit must be fully ripe for pronounced aromas
- if left too long = loss of flavour and acidity + rapid sugar accumulation
=> unbalanced wines that lack flavour.
Saint-Joseph AOC
Location + size (3)
Significant event in 1994 (2)
2 significant producers
- v. long appellation, runs 30 miles N-S through center of Northern Rhône
- Overlaps w/ Condrieu in the N, down to Cornas in the S.
- historical heart = lieu-dit of Saint-Joseph, located across the Rhône from Tain l’Hermitage
1994:
- boundaries extended to include non-hillside vineyard areas
=> generally lowering overall quality + confidence from consumers
Jean Louis Chave + Domaine Gonon
- highly regarded producers who have elevated reputation of the region
Hermitage AOC
Size + location
Origin of name?
Types of wines + grapes (3)
- Above village of Tain l’Hermitage (S. part of N. Rhône), on W side of the Rhône River
- very small @ 137 ha
- named after 12th century crusader Gaspard de Stérimberg, became a hermit + lived in seclusion there at end of his military career
Dry, still red (2/3 of prod.) and white (1/3) wines
Red = 100% Syrah
White = typically mostly Marsanne w/ some Roussanne, or 100% Marsanne
Cornas AOC
size + location (3)
When does harvest take place here (1) + why (4)?
What type of wine is produced?
Max. yield?
- 145 ha, most of which is planted
- W side of Rhône, south of Saint-Joseph + Crozes-Hermitage
- natural amphitheater w/ steep slopes that face S and E
- Warm Mediterranean climate
+ protection from Mistral
+ excellent aspect (S + E)
+ southernmost appellation for red wine in N. Rhone
=> often first Syrah to be harvested in the Rhône - Dry, still red. 100% Syrah
max. yield = 45 hl/ha
Saint-Peray AOC
location (2)
climate vs neighbors?
Types of wines made (2)
Common soil + pros?
max. yield?
- S of Cornas
- most southerly of Northern Rhône appellations
- Slightly cooler climate vs neighbors
- Dry, still white wine made w/ Marsanne / Roussane
- Traditional method white also, but v. rare
- Limestone + granitic soils
- They retain water + permit drainage
- 45 hl/ha
