D3 Rhone & South France Flashcards

1
Q

Languedoc-Roussillon Fact?

A

More area under vine than Chile, Australia or South Africa!

Also, roughly half yields of Champagne or Alsace.

Lots of Co-operatives

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2
Q

Languedoc Features & Climate?

A

Mostly low-lying alluvial plain, though some hillside slopes

Warm Mediterranean

Tramontane winds from Pyrenees, lowering disease pressure, hence high organic production

Variable and quite low rainfall - risk of low yields without irrigation

Lots of IGP Production

Co-operatives very common - majority producer

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3
Q

Languedoc Grapes?

A
Carignan
Syrah
Grenache Noir
Merlot
Cabernet Sauvignon
Cinsault
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4
Q

Carignan?

A

Late budding

Late Ripening

High yields and often of lower intensity, though can be made in a richer oaked style

Prone to powdery mildew and grape moths

Ill-suited to mechanical harvesting as bunches are firmly attached to vine

High acidity

High tannins

Black fruit aromas

Carbonic maceration popular in lighter iterations

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5
Q

Languedoc Training?

A

Bush vines historically

Moving towards trellising, especially in light of need for mechanisation and cheaper wines

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6
Q

Languedoc IGP?

A

Pays d’Oc

Maximum yield 90 hL/ha

Very relaxed re. varieties used

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7
Q

Languedoc AOC Wines?

A

Necessarily blends - usually maximum 80% of any permitted grape

Vast majority require Grenache Noir, and most also Syrah and Mourvedre

Maximum yields typically 40-45 hL/ha

For Languedoc AOC itself:
GSM are principal - minimum of 40% of the blend
Minimum 2 varieties including at least one principal
No variety more than 80%
Other individual varieties cannot make up more than 30%

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8
Q

Corbieres AOC?

A

Slopes and elevation up to 450m

Almost entirely black grapes

Minimum 40% of GSM and Carignan

Maximum yield 50 hL/ha

Corbieres-Boutenac AOC requires minimum 70% GSM and Carignan

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9
Q

Notable Languedoc AOCs and Why?

A

Fitou AOC: Carignan 10-40%, Grenache > 20%

Faugers AOC: Maximum yield 50 hL/ha, though often ~33 in practice, Aged minimum one year, Lots of organic

Pic Saint-Loup AOC: Red & Rosé, Most continental appellation, High rainfall, Syrah > 50%

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10
Q

Other Languedoc AOCs?

A

Minervois AOC:
Varied terroir
GSMCC minimum 50% of blend, with no variety exceeding 80%

Minervois La Liviniere AOC:
Red wine only
GSM > 40% GSMCC< 80%

Saint Chinian AOC:
Reds and Rosés

GSM > 50%

Terrasses du Larzac AOC:

New appellation

Red Wines

Minimum 3 varieties

La Clape AOC:

New Appellation

Red Majority

Whites must be Grenache Blanc or Bourboulenc >60%

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11
Q

Picpoul de Pinet AOC?

A

Piquepoul grape

Maximum yield 55 hL/ha

Dry, medium-high acid, medium body, lemon and floral

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12
Q

Malepere AOC?

A

Atlantic influenced

Minimum 2 varieties

Merlot > 40%

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13
Q

Cabardes AOC?

A

Atlantic and Mediterranean influence

Bordeaux varieties (CS/CF/ME) > 40%

Grenache Noir or Syrah > 40%

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14
Q

Roussillon Climate & Features?

A

Warm Mediterranean Climate

Windy

Moderate rainfall - occasional drought

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15
Q

Roussillon Grapes?

A

Grenache Noir
Syrah
Carignan

Muscat Blanc
Muscat of Alexandria
Macabeu

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16
Q

Roussillon Vineyards?

A

Still many bush vines

Some trellising increasingly, but less so than Languedoc

17
Q

Cotes du Roussillon AOC?

A

Lower Slopes

Maximum yield 48 hL/ha

Principal red/rosé varieties - GSM and Carignan

In vineyard, no more than 50% Carignan, while collectively Syrah and Mourvedre must be 25%+

Minimum 2 varieties

No variety more than 80%

18
Q

Cotes du Roussillon Villages AOC?

A

Red only

Minimum 2 varieties

No variety more than 80%

Maximum yield 45 hL/ha

Some villages require carbonic maceration of the Carignan

19
Q

Collioure AOC?

A

Same boundaries as Banyuls

Reds made from GSM

Whites made from Grenache Gris

Maximum yields 40 hL/ha, though in practice 20-25

20
Q

Provence AOC?

A

Predominantly Rosé from Grenache Noir & Cinsault (with up to 20% whites blended in)

Limited amount of GSM&C Reds

Tiny volumes of Vermentino (Rolle) and Clairette

21
Q

Provence Climate & Features?

A

Warm Mediterranean Climate

Mistral helps to cool vines and reduce disease pressure, though can also impair flowering and fruit-set

22
Q

Provence Training?

A

Historically bush vines, increasingly trellised

23
Q

Must Adjustment in Provence?

A

Acidifcation is common

24
Q

Cotes de Provence AOC?

A

Must be a blend of varieties

Grenache Noir, Cinsault, Mourvedre, Syrah, Tibouren

Maximum yield 55 hL/ha

Typically medium everything (down to even light intensity)

25
Q

Bandol AOC?

A

Steep South-facing slopes

Terraced to reduce erosion

Mourvedre is principal grape

Reds must be 50-95% Mourvedre, Rose 20-95%

Maximum yield 40 hL/ha

26
Q

Northern Rhone Climate & Features?

A

Moderate Continental Climate generally, moving to Warm Mediterranean in Cornas

Mistral wind

Heavily sloped in many parts, requiring hand harvesting

27
Q

Co-fermentation?

A

Cote Rotie - Viognier up to 20%

St. Joseph - Marsanne & Roussanne permitted

28
Q

Saint Péray AOC?

A

Whites, predominantly from Marsanne

29
Q

Southern Rhone Climate & Features?

A

Warm Mediterranean Climate

Mistral wind

Flatter and less sloped, with little protection from Mistral, so bush-training is common

30
Q

Cotes du Rhone AOC?

A

GSM > 60% of blend
GN >30%
SY and Mourvedre > 20%

For whites, the standard 6 (Marsanne, Rousanne, Viognier, Clairette, Grenache Blanc, Bourbolenc) > 80% of blend

31
Q

Cotes du Rhone Villages AOC?

A

As above

2 of 3 principal varieties > 66%

32
Q

Gigondas AOC?

A

Elevations of up to 600m

33
Q

Vacqueryas AOC?

A

Elevations of up to 440m

Good to Very Good

34
Q

Vinsobres AOC?

A

Elevations of up to 200-500m

Good to Very Good

35
Q

Rasteau AOC?

A

Elevations of up to 100m

Sheltered from Mistral, and warmer

Good to Very Good

36
Q

Cairanne AOC?

A

Not as steep as Gigondas, or as warm as Rasteau

37
Q

Chateauneuf-du-Pape AOC?

A

Minimum 12.5% ABV; No chaptalisation

13 permitted varieties

Must be hand-harvested

No requirements on blend composition (unlike GN dominance elsewhere)

Galets (stones) radiate heat at night

For whites: Marsanne and Viognier NOT ALLOWED

38
Q

Lirac AOC?

A

Mainly red, some rosé

39
Q

Tavel AOC?

A

Solely rosé wine

Must include Grenache Noir

Darker colour, lower acid potentially