19 - The Northern Rhône Flashcards
(47 cards)
1
Q
Where is the Northern Rhône
A
next to the River Rhône between Vienna in the north & Valence in the south
2
Q
Climate in Northern Rhône
A
Moderate Continental
3
Q
describe the northern part of the Rhône Valley
A
- quite narrow & steep
4
Q
vy in the Northern Rhône
A
- mainly planted close to the river where the best sites occupy steep slopes with a south-facing aspect.
- these sites often lie in lateral valleys that feed into the Rhône, valleys that also serve to protect the vines from the mistral
5
Q
what is the mistral?
A
cold north winds
6
Q
hazard in the Northern Rhône
A
- the mistral
7
Q
vines in Northern Rhône are …
A
- supported either by an individual stake or by a tepee-like arrangement of stakes
8
Q
temperatures in th Northern Rhône compared to the Southern Rhône
A
temperatures are noticeably cooler in the Northern Rhône
9
Q
Grape varieties in the Northern Rhône
A
- Syrah
- Viognier
- Marsanne
- Roussanne
10
Q
Syrah in the Northern Rhône
A
- the only black variety permitted in the Northern Rhône
- at the very northern limit of where it can ripen successfully (latitude + mistral)
- the most prized sites for Syrah have sourherly exposures & are on very steep slopes (particularly important in the cooler northern reaches of the region)
11
Q
The wines from Syrah in the Northern Rhône
A
- deeply coloured
- medium to high levels of tannin
- black fruit
- sometimes black pepper or floral aromas
- some use a high proportion of new oak for their best wines, others prefer to use older oak or larger barrels
- fermenting Syrah with white varieties has traditionally been practised in a number of the crus, but this technique is now rarely seen
- the addition of the white grapes can help to stabilise the colour extraction from the red grapes
- Viognier in particular can also add an extra aromatic intensity to the wine
12
Q
why is white grapes added in red wine in the Northern Rhône?
A
- fermenting Syrah with white varieties has traditionally been practised in a number of the crus, but this technique is now rarely seen
- the addition of the white grapes can help to stabilise the colour extraction from the red grapes
- Viognier in particular can also add an extra aromatic intensity to the wine
13
Q
Viognier in the Northern Rhône
(char., wm)
A
- full bodied
- perfumed aromas of blossom & apricots
- flavours of stone fruits
- low acidity & high alcohol
(the grapes do not develop their signature aromas until very late in the season when they have reached a very high level of sugar ripeness) - need careful handling in the winery
–> not to develop an overtly oily character that can overwhelm the varietal aromas - new oak is increasingly being used, but also has to be handled carefully
- a small number of wines are made in an off-dry style from late-harvested grapes
14
Q
Marsanne & Roussanne in the Northern Rhône
A
- Marsanne: richness & weight
- Roussanne: acidity & perfumed fruit characteristic
- do not have the aromatic intensity of Viognier
- can age well & develop complex hazelnut aromas
15
Q
Marsanne & Roussanne in the Northern Rhône
A
- Marsanne: richness & weight
- Roussanne: acidity & perfumed fruit characteristic
- do not have the aromatic intensity of Viognier
- can age well & develop complex hazelnut aromas
16
Q
wines and crus in Northern Rhône
1. most generic or cru wine?
2. Size of the crus
A
- most of the wines in the Northern Rhône come from one of the cru appellations, although theoretically generic Côtes du Rhone can be made here too
- most of these crus are tiny, with only Saint-Joseph & Crozes-Hermitage covering a significant area
17
Q
Regions in the Northern Rhône
A
- Côte Rôtie
- Condrieu
- Saint-Joseph
- Hermitage
- Crozes-Hermitage
- Cornas
18
Q
where is Côte Rôtie
A
- in Northern Rhône
- around the town Ampuis
- the most northerly appellation of the Rhône valley
19
Q
what is the most northerly appellation of the Rhône valley?
A
Côte Rôtie
20
Q
appellation around the town of Ampuis
A
Côte Rôtie
21
Q
Côte Rôtie translates as …
why?
A
- ‘roasted slope’
- steep, sunexposed slopes
22
Q
what wines are made in Côte Rôtie?
A
- only red wines
23
Q
- how much Viognier can be added to the wines of Côte Rôtie?
- how much is usually added
A
- up to 20%
- only a small percentage
24
Q
characteristics of wines from Côte Rôtie
A
- deeply coloured
- full-bodied
- spicy
- best: aromatic, floral freshness & textural elegance (that distinguishes them from Hermitage)
25
what distinguishes wines from Côte Rôtie from wines from Hermitage?
Côte Rôtie
- deeply coloured, full-bodied, spicy
- best:
**aromatic, floral freshness & textural elegance
--> that distinguishes them from Hermitage**
Hermitage
- the fullest-bodied of the NR
26
where is Condrieu
in Northern Rhône
27
what wines is made in Condrieu?
- white wine made solely from the Viognier grape
28
is the vine area in Condrieu growing?
yes
- the area under vine has grown significantly in recent years
29
the best wines in Condrieu comes from
- low-yielding old vines
- grown on steep, well-exposed, terraced vy
30
single property appellation within Condrieu
Château-Grillet
31
Where is Ch. Grillet?
- it is a single property appellation within Condrieu, Northern Rhône
- produces wines in a similar style
32
where is Saint-Joseph
- in Northern Rhône
- runs along the western bank of the Rhône from Condrieu in the north to Tournon in the south
33
what wines are made in Saint-Joseph?
- the vast majority of the wines are **reds** made from Syrah
- some **white** wines are made from Marsanne & Roussanne
- **best**: generally come from the terraced vineyards near Tournon (fl.int & structure similar to Hermitage)
- **excellent** wines are also produced just south of Condrieu
- **large volumes** of relatively light-bodied wines (carb.mac.), come from the more fertile, flatter sites on the valley floor & the plateau above the slopes. Among the lightest-bodied of the NR, expressing the pepper-perfumed aspects of the Syrah grape
34
where is Hermitage & Crozes-Hermitage
- in the Northern Rhône
**Hermitage**:
- on a steep south-facing slope, behind the town of Tain-l'Hermitage
**Crozes-Hermitage**:
- around the hill of Hermitage
35
how is Hermitage divided?
- into a number of **lieux-dits**, named sites, which are not part of the appellation system
36
describe the lieux-dits of Hermitage
- named sites which are not part of the appellation system
- vary in steepness & aspect
- wines of subtly different style & body
- best: traditionally been a blend of wines from these different sites, but some producers have started to release wines made from specific lieux-dits
37
characteristics of Hermitage
Red
- generally the fullest-bodied of the Northern Rhône
- ages well
38
what wines are made in Hermitage?
**Red**
- from Syrah and up to 15% R/M
- fullest-bodied of the NR
**White**
- from Roussanne & Marsanne
- although up to 15% Roussanne & Marsanne may be fermented with Syrah, this is now rarely done and instead they are made into white wines that account for approximately 1/5 of Hermitage's production
39
the most important appellation in terms of volume
(North Rhône)
Crozes-Hermitage
40
vineyards in Crozes-Hermitage
- lie on mixed terrain around the hill of Hermitage
- north of Hermitage: on slopes
- south of Hermitage: most on flat plain
41
what wines are made in Crozes-Hermitage?
**Red**
- from Syrah and up to 15% MR
- quality, style & price varies significantly depending on the location of the vy
- lighter wines from the higher yielding flatter sites in the south
- more concentrated, complex & tannic wines from the steeper slopes to the north
- some of the more expensive wines may be aged in oak
- overall the red wines of C-H do not enjoy the same reputation as those from Hermitage & Côte Rôtie
**White**
- some white wines are also produced
42
where is Cornas
- in the Northern Rhône
- the most southerly of the red wine *crus*
43
the warmest *cru* in Northern Rhône
Cornas
44
temperature in Cornas compared to the rest of Northern Rhône
by far the warmest
45
vineyards in Cornas
lie on the
- sheltered
- well-exposed
- sun-baked
- south-facing slopes
of the many **lateral valleys** that exist here
46
% white grapes in Cornas red wine
0%
Must be made from 100% Syrah
47
what wines are made in Cornas?
Only red wine from 100% Syrah
- deeply coloured
- full-bodied
- style & quality similar to Hermitage
