D3 - Northern Rhône

Question 1

What is the climate of Northern Rhône generally?

Answer 1

Moderate Continental (p.99)

Note that Cornas has a warm Mediterranean climate (p.104)

Question 2

What are 3 maladies Syrah is susceptible to in the Northern Rhône?

Answer 2

1. Mites
2. Botrytis bunch rot
3. Syrah decline/disorder (the leaves turn red, the graft point breaks up, and the vine dies)

Question 3

Describe a typical Syrah from the Northern Rhône.

Answer 3

• Deep ruby
• Medium to pronounced intensity aromas and flavors
• Violet, plum (red plum in cooler years and sites, black plum in warmer years and sites), blackberry with black pepper and herbal notes
• Medium to high acidity
• Medium to high tannins

Question 4

Why is Viognier prone to spring frost?

Answer 4

It is early budding.

Question 5

Select the correct answer.

Viognier yields tend to be prone to being:

a. low and unpredictable
b. high and consistent

Answer 5

a. Low and unpredictable

This is due to poor flowering and fruit set (coulure).

Question 6

Give a typical profile of Viognier from the Northern Rhône.

Answer 6

• Medium lemon in color
• Pronounced aromas/flavors of honeysuckle, apricot and peach
• Medium to high alcohol
• Low acidity

Question 7

Why does Syrah see frequent pumpovers, and why is it often aged in oak?

Answer 7

• Syrah is prone to reduction, which is why it has frequent pumpovers
• Aged in oak to provide gentle oxidation

Question 8

For red Cru-level wines in the Northern and Southern Rhône, describe typical harvesting and winemaking practices.

Answer 8

• Grapes harvested by hand and transported in small crates.
• May be left as whole bunches, destemmed, or partially destemmed.
• Grapes may be chilled and cold soaked for 1–3 days to extract color.
• Primary fermentation in stainless steel, large concrete tanks or open top wooden fermenters.
• May use either cultured or ambient yeasts.
• Fermentation is generally at warm temperatures to enhance extraction of color, flavor and tannin.
• Maceration on the skins may last for 20–30 days with punch-downs, pump-overs or rack and return.
• Maturation 12-24 months in large oak (Grenache) or smaller oak (Syrah, Mourvèdre), typically 20-30% new.

Question 9

For inexpensive, high-volume red wines in the Rhône, describe typical harvesting and winemaking practices.

Answer 9

• Most are machine harvested, but hand-picking/carbonic maceration is an option sometimes used.
• Flash détente or thermovinification to gain a low-tannin, fruity style quickly is also sometimes used.
• Cultured yeasts to ensure reliable fermentation.
• Fermentation at mid-range temperatures to retain fruit flavors and avoid high tannin extraction.
• Maceration times usually kept short.
• Stored in stainless steel for a few months before bottling.

Question 10

How are rosés typically made in the Rhône?

Answer 10

• Short skin maceration (12-48 hours)
• Fermentation completed as for white wine
• Typically aged in oak, concrete, large vats, or stainless steel

Question 11

Why do white wines in the Rhône typically avoid malolactic conversion?

Answer 11

To retain natural acidity.

Question 12

Why is lees stirring in white wines sometimes avoided in the Rhône?

Answer 12

The grapes already have natural full body, so for some winemakers lees stirring would pump up the body.

Question 13

Name 2 effects of the Mistral wind on vines in the Northern Rhône.

Answer 13

• Reduces the incidence of fungal disease.
• Decreases vine vigor leading to lower yields and higher concentration in the wines, but also can lower production.

Question 14

Fill in the blanks:

Côte Rôtie AOC produces only ____ wines mainly made with _____.

Answer 14

Red wines mainly made with Syrah

p.100: “All wines are red and made from Syrah, with up to 20 per cent of Viognier permitted in blends, although in practice this is often zero and normally no more than 8 per cent.”

Question 15

What is the maximum percentage of Viognier allowed in Côte Rôtie AOC?

Answer 15

20%

It’s often zero and normally no more than 8%, but when Viognier is used, it is co-fermented with Syrah and adds fruity and floral aromas.

Question 16

Describe the vineyard landscape of Côte Rôtie AOC.

Answer 16

• Steep slopes, often terraced, mostly facing east and southeast –> high sunlight interception and shelter from winds from the north.
• High levels of sunlight and heat + and poor, stony, fast-draining soils result in fully ripe grapes.
• Steepness of the slopes makes it necessary to do most of the work by hand (erosion is a constant problem).

Question 17

What is the maximum yield in Côte Rôtie AOC?

Answer 17

40 hL/ha

Question 18

Who were the two people who helped revive the Côte Rôtie appellation in the late 20th century?

Answer 18

Etienne Guigal and his son Marcel

They started to bottle single vineyard Côte Rôties, La Mouline and La Landonne.

Question 19

Describe how wine is generally made in Côte Rôtie AOC.

Answer 19

• Most winemakers destem, then cold soak the fruit (using a percentage of stems in the ferments is increasingly common).
• Warm fermentation temps are typical for full extraction.
• Natural yeasts frequently used (for greater perceived terroir expression) and malo takes place in cask.
• Maturation is either in small barrels (usually 225L barriques, modeling Guigal’s single-vineyard wines) or in larger wooden vessels, with demi-muids of 500–600L being favored by many for less overt oak notes in young wines.

Question 20

Condrieu AOC must be 100% this grape variety.

Answer 20

Viognier

Question 21

What is the maximum yield in Condrieu AOC?

Answer 21

41 hL/ha

Question 22

What is Château-Grillet AOC?

Answer 22

A single estate appellation (3.5ha) within the Condrieu AOC.

Question 23

Describe how most Condrieu AOC wine is made.

Answer 23

• Fermented in stainless steel or large wooden vessels (though a few producers use expensive, small barrels to produce wines with enhanced texture and flavor.
• Producers decide whether or not to allow malo depending on the vintage (but is normally carried out).
• Wines are typically aged sur lie 10–12 months often with lees stirring.

The above practices are generally the opposite of the info in cards 11 and 12, but Condrieu is a particular style of wine that is rich and textural.

Question 24

Name 2 important Saint-Joseph AOC producers.

Answer 24

1. Domaine Gonon
2. Jean-Louis Chave

Question 25

Are more red or white wines made in Saint-Joseph AOC?

Answer 25

Red ## Footnote 90% of Saint-Joseph wines are red.

Question 26

What is the maximum yield in Saint-Joseph AOC?

Answer 26

40 hL/ha

Question 27

What 2 white grape varieties are permitted to be blended into Saint-Joseph AOC?

Answer 27

Marsanne and Roussanne, though in practice they are rarely used.

Question 28

* In ha, how large is Hermitage AOC? * How much of the total wine production is white wine?

Answer 28

* 137 ha * 30% of the wine made is white

Question 29

What are the maximum yields for red and white grapes in Hermitage AOC?

Answer 29

* Red: 40 hL/ha * White: 45 hL/ha ## Footnote For both, maximum yields are seldom achieved.

Question 30

What vineyard factors contribute to red wines from Hermitage AOC being so concentrated and age-worthy?

Answer 30

* The appellation is a **south-facing slope, maximizing solar interception** and having **protection from cold winds**. * **Hot, dry vineyards** with **thin, stony soils** result in wines of pronounced flavor intensity and high tannins.

Question 31

Describe the process of a traditionally made red wine from Hermitage AOC.

Answer 31

* Warm fermentation temps for maximum extraction of flavor and tannins * Lengthy oak aging (12–18 months) * Proportion of new oak is common (but not always used) * Medium to large wooden vessels are common ## Footnote Some stems are often included in ripe vintages

Question 32

What is the typical composition of white Hermitage AOC?

Answer 32

* Typically a blend of a majority of Marsanne with some Roussanne * Or, it can be pure Marsanne

Question 33

Describe the typical fermentation, maturation and aging of white Hermitage AOC.

Answer 33

* Fermentation -- old wood vats, new or old oak barrels, or in stainless steel * Maturation -- oak, with a minority proportion being new, or stainless steel depending on the style preferred by producers * Typically aged sur lie for 10–12 months

Question 34

What is the largest Northern Rhône appellation?

Answer 34

Crozes-Hermitage AOC

Question 35

Describe the northern sector of Crozes-Hermitage AOC.

Answer 35

* Relatively steep slopes * Continental climate with marked Alpine influences * Can be extremely cold in winter with a strong influence from the Mistral * Long growing season and high diurnal range, resulting in grapes of moderate sugar accumulation and retained acidity

Question 36

Describe the southern sector of Crozes-Hermitage AOC.

Answer 36

* Flatter land which allows for mechanization * More temperate than the northern sector, although there can be heavy rainfall in the late autumn and through the winter

Question 37

What is the maximum yield for Crozes-Hermitage AOC?

Answer 37

45 hL/ha

Question 38

Describe typical winemaking in Crozes-Hermitage AOC.

Answer 38

* Destemming is widely practiced * Fermentation mainly in concrete tanks or stainless steel and maturation in these tanks or large oak vessels * Wines are generally made for early drinking with medium tannins

Question 39

White wines from Crozes-Hermitage AOC only make up __% of total production in the appellation.

Answer 39

9% ## Footnote Made from Marsanne and Roussanne.

Question 40

Briefly describe the landscape and climate of Cornas AOC.

Answer 40

* **Most southerly appellation for red wine production** in the northern Rhône * It's a natural **south and east facing amphitheatre with steep slopes** * **Warm Mediterranean climate** * **Good protection from cold winds** * Its excellent aspect means it is **often the first Syrah to be picked** in the northern Rhône

Question 41

Cornas must be 100% this grape variety.

Answer 41

Syrah

Question 42

What is the maximum yield for Cornas AOC?

Answer 42

40 hL/ha

Question 43

What is the most southerly appellation of all AOCs in the northern Rhône?

Answer 43

Saint-Péray AOC

Question 44

Saint-Péray AOC makes only red wines or white wines?

Answer 44

White wines

Question 45

What are the soils in Saint-Péray AOC?

Answer 45

Limestone and granite ## Footnote Good water-holding capacity and drainage.

Question 46

Which white grape accounts for the majority of plantings in Saint-Péray AOC?

Answer 46

Marsanne

Question 47

What is the maximum yield in Saint-Péray AOC?

Answer 47

45 hL/ha

Question 48

Describe typical winemaking for Saint-Péray AOC.

Answer 48

* Fermented in stainless steel or oak barrels * Aged in the same vessels or in large old oak vessels * Higher quality wines typically aged sur lie 10–12 months * Some producers stir the lees to add body to the wines

Question 49

What colors of wine are permitted in the Collines Rhodaniennes IGP?

Answer 49

Red, white, and rosé

Question 50

What are the maximum yields allowed in Collines Rhodaniennes IGP?

Answer 50

80 hL/ha

Question 51

Generally speaking, winemaking in the Rhône Valley is "traditional." What does that mean?

Answer 51

* **Concrete vats for fermentation** (although stainless steel and large wooden vessels are also used) * **Small and large wooden vessels for maturation**