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WSET Diploma Study > Southern Rhône Valley > Flashcards

Southern Rhône Valley Flashcards

1
Q

List the key appellations of Southern Rhone

A

Cotes du Rhone / Cotes du Rhone Villages

Chateauneuf du Pape

Gigondas / Vacqueras

Tavel / Lirac

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2
Q

What is the climate of Southern Rhone?

What are summers/winters like?

What are 2 risks of the climate?

What is the terrain like?

A

Mediterranean

Hot, dry summers tempered by wide diurnal swings.

Mild winters with heavy autumnal rains.

Risks - drought and vine damage from Mistral winds.

Terrain: Rugged garrigue scrubland that turns into a valley.

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3
Q

How is Grenache usually trained and why?

A

Bush trained (Gobelet)

Gives protection from Mistral and increases warmth from stony soils

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4
Q

What are the best soils in Southern Rhone?

A

Sand, gravel and clay, along with large stones called Galets

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5
Q

What are the 5 key black grapes of the Southern Rhone?

A

Mostly Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre plus some Cinsault and Carignan

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6
Q

What are the main differences in style between Northern and Southern Rhone wines?

A

Southern Rhone wines are typically richer, riper and higher in alcohol.

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7
Q

What does Syrah bring to Southern Rhone blends?

A

Extra colour and tannin but struggles in hotter sites

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8
Q

What does Mourvèdre bring to Southern Rhone blends?

A

Very high tannin, dense black fruit and meaty aromas Thrives in the heat

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9
Q

What does Cinsault bring to Southern Rhone blends and what is it often used for?

A

Low tannin, red fruit flavours Often blended with Grenache to make fruity Rosé

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10
Q

What 4 key factors are responsible for the broad differences in style of CNdP wines?

A
  1. Soil Types: Vastly varied over the appellation’s 3000 acres.
  2. Use of oak: Some age for a long time in old oak foudres, others in new barrique.
  3. Assemblage: Producers vary greatly in style when selecting from the 13 varieties allowed.
  4. Use of Carbonic Maceraton / New vinification techniques.
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11
Q

How can Southern Rhone reds style vary?

A

From light / medium body, low tannin fresh fruity wines to high tannin, full body, spicy, meaty, earthy

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12
Q

What white grapes are used in Southern Rhone?

A

White is minority production but Bourboulenc, Clairette and Grenache Blanc plus Northern Rhone trio; Viognier, Marsanne and Rousanne

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13
Q

Whilst a minority interest what is the style of the best Southern Rhone white wines?

A

Rich texture, full body,

high alcohol, low acidity

subtle fruit, usually no oak

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14
Q

How does Cotes du Rhone Villages differ from simple Cotes du Rhone?

A

Higher minimum alc

Lower Max yield limits

Higher % GSM

Generally more body, structure and spiced fruit

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15
Q

Other than the wine what is Chateauneuf-du-Pape’s claim to fame?

A

The first region in France to be granted Appellation Controlee

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16
Q

Which is the largest Cru in the Rhone?

A

Chateauneuf-du-Pape

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17
Q

What is the terrain of Chateauneuf-du-Pape?

A

Very flat with a wide range of soils and aspects.

Many areas have Galets (big stones) on the surface.

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18
Q

What does Tavel produce and what is it made from? What is its style?

A

Rosé only from mostly Grenache with some Cinsault Dry, Full body with intense flavour

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19
Q

What is produced in Lirac?

A

Rosé from Grenache and Cinsault, similar to Tavel

Full bodied red and white in a similar style to Cotes du Rhone Villages wines.

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20
Q

What is produced in Gigondas and Vacqueras?

What style are these wines similar to?

What is significant about these appellations?

A

Grenache led, full body, spicy reds

Chateauneuf-du-Pape

They were the first 2 Cotes-du-Rhone Villages to be promoted to AOC status.

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21
Q

What are the 2 appellations for sweet, fortified wines in the Southern Rhone?

What are they classified as?

A

Muscat de-Beaumes-de-Venise and Rasteau.

“Vin Doux Naturel”

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22
Q

How many grapes can be used to make Chateauneuf-du-Pape?

A

13 (or 18, depending on how you count them.)

23
Q

Why is Grenache well-suited for the Southern Rhone?

A

Able to tolerate droughts and strong winds.

Needs lots of heat to ripen fully, N. Rhone is too cool.

24
Q

Which Pope was responsible for moving the Papal court from Rome to Avignon?

Which Pope was responsible for planting the vineyards around Chateauneuf-du-Pape?

A

Pope Clement V

Pope John XXII

25
Q

Before it was referred to as Chateauneuf-du-Pape, what was wine from this area called?

A

Vin d’Avignon

26
Q

The Southern Rhone Valley accounts for __% of all wine production in the Rhone Valley.

A

95%

27
Q

What is the name of the “pudding stones” found in Chateauneuf-du-Pape?

What are they made from?

Why are they useful for viticulture?

A

“Galets”

Quartzite.

They store heat and release it to the vines at night.

28
Q

What are the 13 permitted varietals for Chateauneuf-du-Pape?

A
  1. Grenache (noir/gris/blanc).
  2. Syrah.
  3. Mouvedre.
  4. Terret Noir.
  5. Cinsault.
  6. Counoise.
  7. Picpoul (noir/gris/blanc).
  8. Bourboulenc.
  9. Clairette/Clairette Rosé.
  10. Roussanne.
  11. Vacarese.
  12. Picardin.
  13. Muscardin.
29
Q

How many villages may append their name to Cotes-du-Rhone Villages wines?

A

20

30
Q

What is “Le Râpé” in Chateauneuf-du-Pape law?

What is its purpose?

A

An AOC mandate that producers must discard/declassify at least 2% of harvested grapes.

Its purpose is to safeguard against underripness.

31
Q

Grenache was imported to France from what country?

A

Spain

32
Q

Where does the Chateau de Beaucastel estate primarily produce wine?

What is noteworthy about their wine?

A

Chateauneuf-du-Pape

The red is based on Mouvedre and includes every permitted varietal in CNdP.

33
Q

Where does the Chateau Rayas estate primarily produce wine?

What is noteworthy about their wine?

A

Chateauneuf-du-Pape

Their CNdP red is 100% Grenache.

34
Q

What is the minimum abv allowed for

Chateauneuf-du-Pape AOP?

A

12.5%

35
Q

In which region is the Cote du Vivarais AOP located?

A

Southern Rhone

36
Q

Most Cotes du Rhone AOP red wines must have 30% Grenache. When is an exception allowed?

A

The rule does not apply to vineyards north of Montélimar.

37
Q

Put these Southern Rhone appellations in order from North to South:

Gigondas

Luberon

Tavel

Vacqueyras

Grignan-les-Adhémar

Lirac

A
  1. Grignan-les-Adhémar.
  2. Gigondas.
  3. Vacqueyras.
  4. Lirac
  5. Tavel
  6. Luberon
38
Q

Chateau Rayas owns 2 other properties.

What are they and where are they located?

A

Chateau des Tours: Vacqueyras

Chateau de Fonsalette: Cotes-du-Rhone

39
Q

What is the minimum % of Grenache required for Vacqueyras AOP wine?

A

50%

40
Q

Is Chateauneuf-du-Pape East or West of the Rhone?

A

East

41
Q

Describe the

Body

Acidity

Alcohol

of Chateauneuf-du-Pape red wine.

A

Full body.

Medium Acidity.

High alcohol.

42
Q

What types of wines are produced in St.-Peray?

From which grapes?

A

Still white and traditional method sparkling (mousseux) from Marsanne and Roussanne.

43
Q

What is “Vin de Paille”?

Where is it commonly found?

A

“Straw wine”, sweet wine made from grapes that have been dried on straw mats.

Made in Hermitage

44
Q

What grape is used for Chateau de Beaucastel Vieilles Vigne Blanc?

A

Roussanne

45
Q

What AOP unknowingly served as the entry for phylloxera into France in the 1860s?

A

Lirac

46
Q

Vieux Telegraphe is associated with which wine/vineyard area?

A

Rhone South/Chateauneuf de Pape

47
Q

Where is the producer Chateau la Nerthe located?

What is the name of their prestige cuvée?

A

Chateauneuf-du-Pape

Cuvée des Cadettes

48
Q

What is the prestige cuvée of Chateau de Beaucastel?

A

Hommage a Jacques Perrin

49
Q

Domaine du Pegau is a producer located in:

Their winemaking style is considered:

Their top cuvée made from old-vine selections is:

A

Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Southern Rhone Valley

Very traditional style, wines made for long-term aging, no de-stemming or filtration, aging in old foudres for 18 months.

“Cuvée da Capo”

50
Q

What kind of wine is produced in Beaumes-de-Venise and from which grape?

A

Red wine from at least 50% Grenache.

51
Q

What is the minimum amount of residual sugar permitted for Rasteau Vin Doux Naturel?

A

45g/l

52
Q

Clairette de Bellegarde is a single commune appellation within which larger appellation?

A

Costiere de Nimes

53
Q

Which appellation accounts for over two-thrids of production in the Southern Rhone?

A

Cotes-du-Rhone

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