Rhone

Question 1

What is the climate of the Northern Rhône?

Answer 1

Continental with some Mediterranean influence

Question 2

What is the climate of the Southern Rhône?

Answer 2

Mediterranean

Question 3

There is no sparkling wine made in the Rhône Valley.

True or False?

Answer 3

FALSE.

Saint-Péray in the Northern Rhône and Clairette de Die and Crémant de Die in the Diois all make sparkling wines.

Question 4

What is the Mistral?

Answer 4

A strong, cold, north wind that blows through the Rhône Valley.

Question 5

The Tavel AOC only produces rosé wines. True or False?

Answer 5

True

Question 6

What are “galets”?

Answer 6

Rounded river stones, most famously found in Chateauneuf-du-Pape.

Question 7

Which Rhône appellation is a monopole?

Answer 7

Château-Grillet

Question 8

Which two Southern Rhône crus are on the right bank of the Rhône River?

Answer 8

Tavel and Lirac

Question 9

The entire Rhône Valley produces Côtes du Rhône AOC.

True or False?

Answer 9

FALSE.

There are Rhône Valley appellations outside the Côtes du Rhône zone of production.

Question 10

How do vines benefit from being located in the foothills of the Dentelles de Montmirail?

Answer 10

The Dentelles act as a wind block and sun trap and blanket the vines with cool air at night.

Question 11

Which Rhône AOCs produce VDN wines?

Answer 11

Rasteau and Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise

Question 12

What is the southernmost appellation in the Rhône Valley?

Answer 12

Costières de Nimes

Question 13

Which Rhône AOC’s name means “burned earth” in Celtic?

Answer 13

Cornas

Question 14

In which century did the Papacy move to Avignon?

Answer 14

14th century

Question 15

Which two “other Rhône Valley” appellations have UNESCO recognition?

Answer 15

Ventoux and Luberon

Question 16

Which Northern Rhône appellations allow white grape varieties to be co-fermented with Syrah in their red wines?

Answer 16

Côte Rôtie – using Viognier.
Hermitage, Crozes-Hermitage & Saint-Joseph – all using Marsanne and Roussanne.

Question 17

Which three grape varieties dominate the red wine blends of the Southern Rhône?

Answer 17

Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre (GSM) blends

Question 18

What is the northernmost cru in the Northern Rhône?

Answer 18

Côte Rôtie

Question 19

What are the main soil types found in the Northern Rhône?

Answer 19

Granite and schist

Question 20

Which two Southern Rhône cru appellations are authorized to produce dry white, rosé and red wines?

Answer 20

Lirac and Vacqueyras

Question 21

Southern Rhône white wines are typically aged in oak. True or False?

Answer 21

FALSE.

They are usually fermented in neutral vessels and consumed within 2-4 years.

Question 22

Condrieu AOC may produce dry and sweet white wines from Viognier grapes.

True or False?

Answer 22

True

Question 23

Southern Rhône cru appellations mandate hand harvesting.

True or False?

Answer 23

FALSE.

Only Beaumes de Venise AOC mandates hand harvesting.

Question 24

Which grape variety forms the backbone of most Côtes du Rhône white wines?

Answer 24

Grenache Blanc

Question 25

The Northern Rhône is bookended by which two cities?

Answer 25

Vienne and Valence

Question 26

The Southern Rhône is bookended by which two cities?

Answer 26

Montélimar and Nîmes

Question 27

What is the Dentelles de Montmirail?

Answer 27

A mountain range on the eastern flank of the Southern Rhône

Question 28

Which Rhône appellation can make Vin de Paille?

Answer 28

Hermitage

Question 29

Which appellation is responsible for the majority of production in the Diois?

Answer 29

Clairette de Die

Question 30

What are the five soil types of the Southern Rhône?

Answer 30

Galets, garrigue, sandstone, clay and loess/molasse

Question 31

What is the most common vine training system in the Southern Rhône?

Answer 31

Gobelet

Question 32

Which three Southern Rhône Crus surround hilltop towns?

Answer 32

Vinsobres, Rasteau & Cairanne

Question 33

There is tremendous consistency in the vintages of the wines of the Northern Rhône. True or False?

Answer 33

FALSE. There is high vintage variation in Northern Rhône wines.

Question 34

What is “loess”?

Answer 34

Fine wind-blown soil deposits usually comprised of silt and sand.

Question 35

What does “Méridionaux” mean?

Answer 35

Of the Southern Rhône (in nature, style or location)

Question 36

1. Which of Rhône’s grape varieties proved difficult to graft onto American rootstock? a. Syrah b. Mourvèdre c. Cinsaut d. Carignan

Answer 36

b. Mourvèdre

Question 37

2. Which of the following AOCs is not part of the Northern Rhône? a. Cornas b. Saint-Joseph c. Côte Rôtie d. Cairanne

Answer 37

d. Cairanne

Question 38

3. Where in the Rhône Valley will you find Pinot Noir, Gamay, Chardonnay and Aligoté? a. Saint-Péray b. Ventoux c. Diois d. Luberon

Answer 38

c. Diois

Question 39

4. Which of the following appellations crafts a Vin Doux Naturel? a. Clairette de Die b. Rasteau c. Saint-Péray d. Luberon

Answer 39

b. Rasteau

Question 40

5. Syrah is a natural cross between which two grape varieties? a. Grenache Blanc and Mourvèdre b. Clairette and Grenache Noir c. Bouboulenc and Mourvèdre d. Mondeuse Blanche and Dureza

Answer 40

d. Mondeuse Blanche and Dureza

Question 41

6. Which of the following Rhône AOCs produces more dry rosé than red or white wine? a. Rasteau b. Luberon c. Gigondas d. Vacqueyras

Answer 41

b. Luberon

Question 42

7. Which grape typically dominates the white Côtes du Rhône blend? a. Roussanne b. Marsanne c. Grenache Blanc d. Viognier

Answer 42

c. Grenache Blanc

Question 43

8. Which statement is false? a. Condrieu can produce dry and sweet wines. b. Saint-Péray can produce dry white and sparkling white wines. c. Château-Grillet is located within the boundary of Condrieu. d. Crozes-Hermitage can produce a rare Vin de Paille.

Answer 43

d. Crozes-Hermitage can produce a rare Vin de Paille.

Question 44

9. Which of the following AOCs is on the right bank of the Rhône? a. Cairanne b. Rasteau c. Lirac d. Gigondas

Answer 44

c. Lirac

Question 45

10. Which of the following pairings is correct? a. Northern Rhône: chalk soils b. Northern Rhône: granite soils c. Southern Rhône: volcanic soils d. Southern Rhône: slate soils

Answer 45

b. Northern Rhône: granite soils

Question 46

11. Which of the following AOCs is not allowed to co-ferment white grapes with their red grapes? a. Côte Rôtie b. Hermitage c. Crozes-Hermitage d. Cornas

Answer 46

d. Cornas

Question 47

12, The Côtes du Rhône zone of production extends from… a. Vienne to Valence b. Montilimar to Nîmes c. Vienne to Avignon d. Vienne to Nîmes

Answer 47

c. Vienne to Avignon

Question 48

13. Which of the following Southern Rhône Crus crafts red wine only? a. Vinsobres b. Gigondas c. Vacqueyras d. Lirac

Answer 48

a. Vinsobres

Question 49

14. Which of the following appellations lies on the left bank of the Rhône? a. Lirac b. Tavel c. Costierès de Nîmes d. Ventoux

Answer 49

d. Ventoux

Question 50

15. What are échelas? a. A teepee-like vine support of the Northern Rhône b. Roman-built terraces of the Northern Rhône c. Straw mats used to dry grapes for Vin de Paille d. Salts from the Camargue

Answer 50

a. A teepee-like vine support of the Northern Rhône