France - Rhône Valley Flashcards
(75 cards)
1
Q
What is the climate in Northern and Southern Rhône?
A
- Northern: Continental
- Southern: Mediterranean
2
Q
What are the red grape varieties in Northern and Southern Rhône?
A
Northern: Syrah
Southern: Grenache Noir, Syrah, Cinsaut and Mourvèdre
3
Q
What are the white grape varieties in Northern and Southern Rhône?
A
- Northern: Viognier, Marsanne and Roussanne
- Southern: Blends based on Grenache Blanc
4
Q
What is the area under vine in Northern and Southern Rhône?
A
- Northern: 4,000 ha
- Southern: 66,000 ha
5
Q
What is the difference in appellations between Northern and Southern Rhône?
A
- Northern: mainly clearly defined AOCs (known as cru)
- Southern: individual AOCs AND large volumes of basic Côtes du Rhône AOC and IGP wine
6
Q
How much wine is produced by Côtes du Rhône AOC and Côtes du Rhône Villages AOC?
A
60%
7
Q
How much of the wine is red, white, rosé?
A
- Red: 74%
- White: 10%
- Rosé: 16%
8
Q
How much of the vineyards are organic?
A
8%
9
Q
Syrah
Is it a vigorous variety?
A
Yes
10
Q
Syrah
How is it trained and why?
A
- Plants are tied to 1 or 2 poles (trellising not possible)
- To protect it from Mistral wind
11
Q
Syrah
Describe the typical style (color, intensity, aromas, acidity, tannin)
A
- Deep ruby
- Medium to pronounced intensity
- 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
12
Q
Syrah
What does it add to Southern Rhône blends?
A
- Structure
- Fruit
- Color
13
Q
Grenache Noir
Does it produce high or low yields?
A
High yields
14
Q
Grenache Noir
Early or late ripening?
A
Late -> needs warm climate
15
Q
Grenache Noir
How is it trained?
A
- Bush vine, pruned short to contain its vigor
16
Q
Grenache Noir
What soil is most suitable?
A
Dry, low fertility soil
17
Q
Grenache Noir
What are its characteristics regarding sugar accumulation?
A
- Accumulate sugar quickly
- Good for Vin Doux Naturel
18
Q
Grenache Noir
What does it contribute to the Southern Rhône blend? (color, aromas, alcohol, tannins, acidity)
A
- Pale ruby
- Ripe red fruit (strawberry, red plum, red cherry), spicy and herbal notes
- High alcohol
- Low to medium tannins
- Low acidity
19
Q
Mourvèdre
What is the budding/ripening time?
A
- Late budding
- Late ripening
20
Q
Mourvèdre
What type of climate does it need?
A
- Warm to hot
- Otherwise will not ripen fully
21
Q
Mourvèdre
How is it trained?
A
Cordon system or bush vines
22
Q
Mourvèdre
Does it produce high or low yields?
A
Low yields
23
Q
Mourvèdre
What is it prone to in the winery and where is it aged?
A
- Prone to reduction -> adequate access to oxygen
- Typically aged in old oak
24
Q
Mourvèdre
How is it reacting to drought?
A
- Not drought resistant
- Needs small but regular amounts of water (chalky soils are good)
25
**Mourvèdre**
How is it used?
Almost always as part of a blend
26
**Mourvèdre**
What does it contribute to the blend? (color, aromas, alcohol, tannins)
* Deep ruby colour
* Blackberries, blueberries and violets
* High alcohol
* High, firm tannins
27
**Cinsault**
Does it produce high or low yields?
High yields
28
**Cinsault**
What is the budding time?
Late-budding
29
**Cinsault**
How does it react to heat and drought?
Drought and heat resistant
30
**Cinsault**
How is it typically used?
As a small part of Southern Rhône blends
31
**Cinsault**
What does it contribute to the blend? (color, intensity, aromas, alcohol, tannins)
* Light ruby
* Medium to medium(+) intensity
* Fresh red fruit (raspberry, red cherry)
* High alcohol
* Low to medium tannins
32
**Cinsault**
Is it suitable for ageing?
* Aromas most prominent in the first year
* Highly suitable for early drinking reds and rosés
33
**Viognier**
How is the budding time?
Early budding
34
**Viognier**
What are its yields and how is it grown?
* Low yields
* Trellis or poles to prevent wind damage
35
**Viognier**
How does the timing of harvest influence the quality?
* Too early: Needs full ripeness for pronounced aromas
* Too late: lose flavor and acidity, and rapidly gain sugar -> unbalanced wine
36
**Viognier**
Describe the typical style (color, intensity, aromas, alcohol, acidity)
* Medium lemon
* Pronounced intensity
* Honeysuckle, apricot, and peach
* Medium to high alcohol
* Low acidity
37
**Viognier**
How can it additionally be used?
Up to 20% in some Northern Rhône red wines from Syrah
38
**Marsanne**
What is the budding time?
Late-budding
39
**Marsanne**
What is its vigor and yields?
* High vigor
* Yields need to be kept low
40
**Marsanne**
What soil does it thrive on?
Stony, low fertility soil
41
**Marsanne**
Describe the typical style (color, intensity, aromas, texture, acidity, body, alcohol)
* Medium lemon, sometimes gold
* Low intensity
* Honeysuckle, lemon, and apricot
* Oily texture
* Medium acidity
* Full body
* Medium to high alcohol
42
**Marsanne**
How is it usually used in Northern and Southern Rhône?
* Northern: Single-varietal or blended with Roussanne
* Southern: Usually part of a blend
43
**Roussanne**
What is the budding time?
Late-budding
44
**Roussanne**
What soil does it thrive on?
Low fertility, well-drained soil
45
**Roussanne**
What is it vulnerable to? What does that mean?
Strong wind -> careful site selection
46
**Roussanne**
What is easier and therefore, more grown? Marsanne or Roussanne?
Marsanne
47
**Roussanne**
Describe the typical style (color, intensity, aromas, acidity, alcohol)
* Medium lemon, sometimes gold
* Medium to medium(+) intensity
* Pear with herbal notes
* Medium to medium(+) acidity
* Medium to high alcohol
48
**Roussanne**
How is it used in Northern and Southern Rhône?
* Northern: Blend with Marsanne
* Southern: Blend with Clairette and Grenache Blanc
* In both: Single varietal wines possible
49
**Grenache Blanc**
What is its budding time?
Early budding
50
**Grenache Blanc**
Where is it mainly grown and how is it used?
* Southern part
* Used for dry white wines and Vins Doux Naturels
51
**Grenache Blanc**
What does it contribute to a wine? (intensity, aromas, alcohol, acidity)
* Low intensity
* Ripe green fruit and some floral notes
* High alcohol
* Low acidity
52
**Clairette**
How is its vigor and yields?
* High vigor
* Needs to be pruned short to contain vigor
53
**Clairette**
What soil does it thrive on? And where is it mostly grown?
* Low fertility, dry soils
* Southern Rhône
54
**Clairette**
What is the ripening time?
Late ripening
55
**Clairette**
What is it mostly resistant to?
Wind
56
**Clairette**
What does it have a tendency to?
Oxidizing in the winery
57
**Clairette**
How is it used?
White blends in Southern Rhône
58
**Clairette**
What does it add to the blend? (Aromas, alcohol, acidity)
* White flower, fennel, apple and grapefruit notes
* High alcohol
* Low to medium(–) acidity
59
**Bourboulenc**
What is its ripening time?
Late ripening
60
**Bourboulenc**
In what environment does it thrive? Hence, where is it planted?
* Warm and dry locations
* Southern Rhône
61
**Bourboulenc**
How is it used and what does it contribute? (aromas, acidity, alcohol)
* White southern Rhône blends
* Lemon
* Medium(+) acidity
* Medium alcohol
62
**Winemaking**
What is Grenache Noir prone to and how is it, hence, handled?
* Prone to oxidation (premature loss of color)
* Typically fermented and aged in concrete vats or stainless steel tanks
63
**Winemaking**
What is Syrah prone to and how is it, hence, handled?
* Prone to reduction
* Pumped over more often and often aged in oak to provide gentle oxidation
64
**Production of red Cru-level wines**
Describe the winemaking options until pressing (incl. harvest)
* Harvested by hand
* Destemmed, chilled and cold soaked
* OR wholebunch vinification to promote more intense aromatics
65
**Production of red Cru-level wines**
How is fermentation conducted?
* Cultured or ambient yeasts
* Warm fermentation temps
* Maceration on the skins for 20–30 days with punch-downs, pump-overs or rack and return
66
**Production of red Cru-level wines**
How are the wines aged?
* Typicall, maturation for 12–24 months
* Large oak vessels used for Grenache Noir
* Small barrels for Syrah and Mourvèdre
* Proportion of 20–30% new oak
67
**Inexpensive high-volume red wines**
What are the winemaking options until fermentation?
* Harvested by machine
* Hand picking and carbonic maceration is an option
* Large producers may use flash détente or thermovinification to gain a low-tannin, fruity style quickly
68
**Inexpensive high-volume red wines**
Describe fermentation and ageing
* Cultured yeasts
* Mid-range temperatures
* Short maceration
* Stored in stainless steel for a few months
69
**Rosé Winemaking**
Describe the production steps
* Short, cold maceration (12–48 h)
* Fermentation as for white wine
* Typically aged in oak or concrete large vats or stainless steel
* Some age in old small oak barrels to add texture
70
**White Winemaking**
Describe the production steps
* Mid-range temperatures
* Malo sometimes avoided
* Mostly aged in large old oak or stainless-steel vessels
* Some wines are matured and fermented in oak
* Lees stirring is sometimes avoided
71
**Wine Business**
What are the major négociants, where are they located, and where do they operate?
* Guigal, Jaboulet, and Chapoutier
* Northern Rhône
* Across the whole region
72
**Wine Business**
What is an example for a co-op in northern and in southern Rhône?
* Northern: Cave de Tain
* Southern: Cellier des Princes
73
**Wine Business**
How much is exported and what are the top export countries?
* 1/3
* USA, UK, Belgium
74
**Wine Business**
What is a trend regarding the businesses involved in production and why is it happening?
* More growers make their own bottlings
* Values of wines have risen
75
**Wine Business**
What are the three top appellations and where and for what are the wines sold?
* Côte-Rôtie, Hermitage, and Châteauneuf-du-Pape
* En Primeur and investment market
