Rhone Flashcards
What wines are made in St-Péray?
Still and sparkling wines from Roussanne and Marsanne
What are the permitted grapes in Côte-Rôtie?
Syrah, with a maximum of 20% Viognier
What does adding Roussanne to a Marsanne-based wine do?
Gives the Marsanne (heavy, oily, strange aromas) complexity, sensuality, finesse, more fruit and floral aromas and flavors
List the Northern Rhône AOCs.
Côte-Rôtie Condrieu Château-Grillet St-Joseph Crozes-Hermitage (R side of river) Hermitage (R side of river) Cornas St-Péray
Name the permitted red grapes in CDP
Syrah Grenache Mourvédre Cinsault Counoise Terret Noir Vaccarèse Muscardin
Name the white grapes permitted in CDP
Roussanne Clairette Picpoul Bourboulenc Picardin Grenache Blanc
Which Châteaux still use all 13 grapes in their CDP?
Château de Beaucastel
Clos des Papes
What AOCs in the Northern Rhône have clay-based soils?
St-Joseph
Crozes-Hermitage
What AICs in the Northern Rhône have granite and schist soils?
Côte-Rôtie
Condrieu/Château Grillet
Hermitage
What is the French law concerning CDR-Villages AOCs?
There are 95 communes that can label their wines CDR-V. Of these 95, 17 can attach their names to the CDR-V status.
What kind of soil is dominant in the northern Rhone, and what does it do for the vines?
Granite, schist, slate; maintains heat for vines
What is the Mistral, and how does it affect vineyards in the Rhone?
Strong wind coming down from the Central Massif; cools vines and keeps them free of mildew and rot, but vines need to be staked to the ground
What are Cote-Rotie’s most famous vineyards and what are their defining differences?
Cote Blonde: schist and limestone basilica; wines are soft and elegant
Cote Brune: clay soils; wines are denser and meatier
What are 3 important producer names in Hermitage?
J.L. Chave
Chapoutier
Jaboulet
Describe the character of red wines from Crozes-Hermitage
Most grapes come from flats of valley, where fruit quality becomes more important than soil. Wines are fruity and robust
What is vin de paille?
Extraordinarily long lived sweet white wine; grapes are dried on straw mats (paille)
What is the makeup of red wines from Hermitage?
Min. 85% Syrah
What is the makeup of red wines from St. Joseph?
Min. 90% Syrah
Describe the character of red wines from St. Joseph
Purity of fruit, tight tannins; light and fresh
What is the makeup of red wines from Cornas?
100% Syrah
What is the most famous terroir in CDP?
La Crau; has moist clay underneath the galets
Which was the first village in the southern Rhone to win its own appellation?
Gigondas (1971)
Explain the stylistic differences between the wines of Gigondas and Vacqueyras
Gigondas: mainly Grenache, full bodied wines, yet aromatic and gentle
Vacqueyras: more Syrah; more rustic, headier, more immediate
What dessert wine does Rasteau make?
Vin doux naturel from just-fermented Grenache grapes and grape spirits
