FRANCE 🇫🇷 > Rhône > Flashcards

Rhône Flashcards

(42 cards)

Study These Flashcards
1
Q

Where is Rhône valley?

A

Southeastern France, stretching alone the Rhône River, between the cities of Lyon (north) and Avignon (south)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

What is the climate here?

A

Northern Rhône: continental, steep south facing vineyards maximise sun exposure

Southern Rhône: Mediterranean, lower rainfall

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

What is the wind that influence the wine region?

A

Mistral

powerful, cold and dry wind helps cool down the vineyards

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

What are the soils you can found here?

A

Northern Rhône:
•granite (retain heat)
•schist
•mica
•clay
•Arzelle (Condrieu & Chateau-Grillet)

Southern Rhône:
•limestone and clay
•sandy soils
•Galets Roulés (rounded pebbles) - absorb heat during day and release at night

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

What is the unique soil you can found in Condrieu AOP / Chateaue-Grillet?

A

Arzelle

a rich powdery thin topsoil with decomposed mica, helps the bedrock of fine sand and loess prevent from erosion

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

What are the grape varieties you can find here?

A

Northern Rhône:
•Syrah
•Viognier
•Marsanne and Roussanne

Southern Rhône:
•Grenache
•Syrah and Mourvèdre
•Cinsault and Carignan
•Counoise
and more

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

What is the mountain found in Southern Rhône?

A
  1. Dentelles de Montmirail
    -smaller, limestone hills located near Gigondas, Vacqueyras, Beaumes-de-Venise
  2. Mount Ventoux
    -known as “Giant of Provence” or “windy mountain”, dominating the landscape east of Dentelles de Montmirail
    -Ventoux AOP
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

How many AOPs are there in Northern Rhône? And what are them?

A

8 AOPs, north-south:

  1. Côte-Rôtie AOP
  2. Condrieu AOP
  3. Château-Grilllet AOP (François Pinault)
  4. Saint-Joseph AOP (W/R)
  5. Crozes-Hermitage/Ermitage AOP (W/R) (left bank)
  6. Hermitage/Ermitage AOP (W/R/Vin de Paille) (left bank)
  7. Cornas AOP
  8. Saint-Péray AOP (W/SPARKLING)

there are 4 minor AOP (lie on Drôme River):
1. Chatillon-en-Diois AOP (W/R/R)
2. Clairette de Die AOP (sparkling)
3. Coteaux de Die AOP (BLANC)
4. Crémant de Die AOP (sparkling)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

What is Côte-Rotie AOP?

A

ROUGE only

Syrah plus max 20% Viognier
(co-fermented)

3 communes:

  1. Ampuis (E. Guigal based here)
  2. Saint-Cyr-sur-Rhône
  3. Tupin-Semons
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

What are the two slopes near to commune of Ampuis in Côte-Rôtie?

A

Côte Blonde & Côte Brune

often considered as the heart of the appellation’s terroir

Côte Blonde = softer, alluring wines (mica-schistous rock)
Côte Brune = stronger, assertive wines (gneiss)

both are the lieux-dits of Ampuis, along with La Landonne, La Vialliere and more

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

What is Condrieu AOP?

A

BLANC only

100% Viognier

soils: Arzelle (powdery of decomposed mica)

has 6 communes, originally 3, added 4 more in 1967:

  1. Condrieu
  2. Vérin
  3. Saint-Michel-sur-Rhône
  4. Limony (added in 1967)
  5. Chavanay
  6. Malleval
  7. Saint-Pierre-de-Boeuf
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

What is Saint-Joseph AOP?

A

BLANC & ROUGE

blanc: marsanne & roussanne
rouge: Syrah plus max 10% marsanne/roussanne (blended)

soils: schist and gneiss on granite bedrock

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

What is Crozes-Hermitage AOP?

A

BLANC & ROUGE

blanc: marsanne & rousanne
rouge: Syrah plus max 15% marsanne/roussanne (blended)

lighter and less age-worthy

soils: north (granitic slopes), south (alluvial)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

What is Hermitage AOP?

A

footnote

BLANC / ROUGE / Vin de Paille

blanc: marsanne & roussanne
rouge: Syrah plus max 15% marsanne/roussanne (blended)
Vin de Paille: marsanne/roussanne (dried 45 days, min must weight 350g/L)

Gérard Chave revived Vin de Paille in 1970s and again by Chapoutier in 1990

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

What are the major lieux-dits of Hermitage?

A

total 17:

  1. Les Grandes Vignes (Syrah)
  2. L’Hermite (both)
  3. Varogne
  4. Les Vercandières
  5. Les Bessards (Syrah)
  6. Les Diognières
  7. Les Beaumes
  8. Le Méal (both)
  9. Les Murets (Marsanne)
  10. La Croix
  11. Péleat (Marsanne, Jean Louis Chave has a monopole here)
  12. Les Rocoules (Marsanne & Rousanne)
  13. La Pierelle
  14. Les Greffieux (Syrah)
  15. Maison Blanche (Marsanne & Rousanne)
  16. L’Homme (Marsanne)
  17. Torras et les Garennes
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

What is Cornas AOP?

A

ROUGE only

100% Syrah

soils: granite (locally known as “Gore”)

major lieux-dits:

1.) Reynard
2.) Chaillot
3.) La Côte
4.) Les Mazards

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

What is Saint-Péray AOP?

Study These Flashcards
A

BLANC only, STILL & SPARKLING

made from Marsanne & Rousanne

soils: limestone, granite, clay

sparkling is made by METHODE TRADITIONNELLE (released after 12 months aging after tirage)

18
Q

What is Clairette de Die AOP?

Study These Flashcards
A

SPARKLING only
(located on Drôme River)

METHODE TRADITIONNELLE or METHODE ANCESTRALE

TRADITIONAL METHOD: 100% Clairette (max 15g/L), min 9 months lees aging

ANCESTRALE METHOD: min 75% Muscat à Petits Grains plus Clairette (min 35g/L, Demi-Sec like), min 4 months lees aging

Methode Ancestrale is only single fermentation (secondary fermentation in bottle), no addition sugar and yeast, natural carbonation, cloudy appearance, rustic authentic profile

19
Q

What is Châtillon-en-Dois AOP?

Study These Flashcards
A

BLANC / ROUGE / ROSÉ
(located on Drôme River)

blanc: Chardonnay & Aligoté
rouge/rosé: min 75% Gamay, plus Pinot Noir & Syrah

20
Q

What is Cremant de Die AOP?

Study These Flashcards
A

SPARKLING only
(located on Drôme River)

METHODE TRADITIONNELLE

min 55% Clairette, min 10% Aligoté, 5-10% Muscat Blanc a Petit Grains

max 15g/L residual sugar

aging: min 9 months on lees (12 months total)

the last sparkling appellation in Northern Rhône

21
Q

What is Coteaux de Die AOP?

Study These Flashcards
A

BLANC only
(located on Drôme River)

made from 100% Clairette

22
Q

How many AOPs are there in Southern Rhône? And what are them?

Study These Flashcards
A

18 AOPs, north-south:

  1. Vinsorbes AOP (R)
  2. Côte du Rhône Villages AOP (W/R/R)
  3. Cairanne AOP (W/R)
  4. Rasteau AOP (R/S)
  5. Gigondas AOP (W/R/R)
  6. Vacqueyras AOP (W/R/R)
  7. Beaumes-de-Venise AOP (R)
  8. Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise AOP (S,W/R/R)
  9. Châteauneuf-du-Pape AOP (W/R)
  10. Tavel AOP (Rosé)
  11. Lirac AOP (W/R/R)
  12. Clairette de Bellegarde AOP (W)
  13. Duché d’Uzès AOP (W/R/R)
  14. Costières de Nimes AOP (W/R/R)
  15. Grignan-Les Adhémar AOP (W/R/R)
  16. Côtes du Vivarais AOP (W/R/R)
  17. Ventoux AOP (W/R/R)
  18. Luberon AOP (W/R/R)
23
Q

What is Châteauneuf-du-Pape AOP?

Study These Flashcards
A

BLANC / ROUGE
(3000+ hectares)

CDP grape varieties

soils: Galets Roulés
(large smooth pebbles with glacier melt-water)

min 12.5% abv (highest min abv req for dry wines in France)

5 communes:

  1. Châteauneuf-du-Pape
  2. Orange
  3. Bédarrides
  4. Courthézon
  5. Sorgues

AOP was established in 1936, earliest AOP in France

24
Q

How many grapes permitted in CDP? And what are them?

Study These Flashcards
A

13 grapes (18 in different varieties):

  1. Grenache (Blanc/Noir/Gris)
  2. Syrah
  3. Mourvèdre
  4. Cinsault
  5. Counoise
  6. Muscardin
  7. Terret Noir
  8. Vaccarèse
  9. Clairette (Blanc/Rosé)
  10. Bourbelenc
  11. Piquepoul (Blanc/Noir/Gris)
  12. Picardan
  13. Roussanne
25
What is *Côtes du Rhône-Villages AOP*?
BLANC / ROUGE / ROSÉ Mediterranean grapes 21 villages: rouge & rosé: **Chusclan** rouge: **Puyméras**, **Sainte-Andéol**, **Sainte-Cécile** both: **Sablet**
26
What is *Gigondas AOP*?
BLANC / ROUGE / ROSÉ (located *Dentelles de Montmirail*, north-east of CDP) blanc: min 70% Clairette (principal) rouge/rosé: min 50% Grenache and combined others soils: stony red clay alluvium, limestones
27
What is *Vacqueyras AOP*?
BLANC / ROUGE / ROSÉ (located *Dentelles de Montmirail*, north-east of CDP) blanc: Bourbelenc, Grenache blanc, Marsanne, Roussanne, Viognier (*no single variety is more than 80%*) rouge: min 50% Grenache and combined others
28
What is *Beaumes-de-Venise AOP*?
ROUGE only (located *Dentelles de Montmirail*, north-east of CDP) min 50% Grenache, 25-50% Syrah plus other Rhone varieties soils: clay-limestone
29
What is *Cairanne AOP*?
BLANC & ROUGE (north-east of CDP) blanc: Clairette, Grenache, Roussanne rouge: min 50% Grenache, plus other Rhone varieties
30
What is *Vinsobres AOP*?
ROUGE only (north-east of CDP) min 50% Grenache, plus other Rhone varieties
31
What is *Tavel AOP*?
ROSÉ only (west of CDP) required 30-60% Grenache Gris, Blanc, Noir. Plus other Rhone varieties 2 communes: 1. Tavel 2. **Roquemaure** (shared with *Lirac*)
32
What is *Lirac AOP*?
BLANC / ROUGE / ROSÉ (west of CDP) blanc: Rhone varieties (no single variety more than 60%) rouge/rosé: min 40% Grenache and add other Rhone varieties 4 communes: 1. Lirac 2. **Roquemaure** (shared with *Tavel*) 3. Saint-Geniès-de-Comolas 4. Saint-Laurent-des-Arbres
33
What is *Muscat Beaumes-de-Venise AOP*?
FORTIFIED natural sweet wine **Vin Doux Naturel (VDN)** (south of *Vacqueyras*) BLANC / ROUGE / ROSÉ made from 100% Muscat a Petits Grains (blanc/rouge) min residual sugar: 100g/L (110g/L prior to 2011) min must weight: 252g/L
34
How is *Muscat-Beaumes-de-Venise* is made?
•aimed to be as pure varietal as possible, typically sweet but not luscious •grapes are picked when ripe and healthy, no raisin (will mask the pure varietal characteristics) •grapes are crushed, some skin contact is widely used to increase aromatic intensity, add some richness •cool fermentation, and stopped by fortification with 96% abv grape spirit to give sweet wine (a process called **”mutage”**) •wines are stored in inert vessels (no oxidation)
35
What is *Rasteau AOP*?
ROUGE / FORTIFIED SWEET (BLANC / ROUGE / ROSÉ) **Vin Doux Naturel (VDN)** (north of *Gigondas*) rouge: min 50% Grenache, plus other Rhone varieties VDN blanc: Grenache Blanc & Gris, plus others VDN Ambré (Tawny blanc) / VDN Rosé: Grenache, Gris, Blanc and others VDN Grenat & Tuilé (rouge): min 75% Grenache, plus Grenache Blanc & Gris, and others aging: -Ambré / Tuilé (min 3 years) -“Hors d’Age” (min 5 years) -VDN “Rancio” (must show oxidative characteristics) 3 communes: (*all must VDN*) 1. Cairanne 2. Rasteau (the only one can do unfortified rouge, added in 2010) 3. Sablet
36
What is *Clairette de Bellegarde AOP*?
BLANC only (part of *Costières de Nîmes AOP*) 100% Clairette
37
What are the more generic AOPs that located around the mountain ranges?
6 AOPs: 1. Côtes du Vivarais AOP (north-western) 2. Duché d’Uzès AOP (far west) 3. Grignan-les-Adhémar AOP (north-eastern) 4. Ventoux AOP (south-eastern) 5. Luberon AOP (south-eastern) 6. Costières de Nîmes AOP (south-western) all can do BLANC / ROUGE / ROSÉ, with Mediterranean grapes
38
What are the *E. Guigal* famous wines?
1. **La Mouline** (1966) -located in *Côte Blonde*, 89% Syrah & 11% Viognier -most Burgundian / perfumed 2. **La Landonne** (1978) -located in *Côte Brune*, 100% Syrah -most powerful, structured, age-worthy 3. **La Turque** (1985) -located in *Côte Brune* but with “blonde accents”, 93% Syrah & 7% Viognier -style is in between two 4. **La Viallière** -newest La from *Guigal* 5. **Château d’Ampuis** -blends from seven of the most exceptional plots, 93% Syrah & 7% Viognier 6. **Ex-Voto** -produced only in exceptional vintages, age-worthy, *Ermitage* -100% Syrah 7. **La-Doriane** -100% Viognier, Condrieu -12 months in new oak, 100% MLF
39
What are some of the producers make *La Landonne*?
1. E. Guigal 2. Rene Rostaing 3. Domaine Jamet 4. Jean-Michel Gerin 5. Delas Fréres 6. Xavier Gerard
40
What are the AOPs in *Southern Rhône* that have to acquired min 50% Grenache for rouge?
total 6: 1. Gigondas AOP 2. Vacqueyras AOP 3. Beaumes-de-Venise AOP 4. Cairanne AOP 5. Vinsobres AOP 6. Rasteau AOP (rouge)
41
What are the AOPs lie on the *Drôme river*?
5 AOPs: 1. Côte du Rhône AOP 2. Clairette de Die AOP 3. Coteaux de Die AOP 4. Crémant de Die AOP 5. Châtillon-en-Diois AOP
42
What are some of the prestige cuvées from CDP?
1. **Cuveé Célestins** / **Réserve du Célestins** / **Marie Beurrier** (*Henri Bonneau*) 2. **CDP Reserve** / **BLANC** (*Château Rayas*) 3. **Cuvée da Capo** (*Domaine du Pegau*) 4. **Hommage a Jacques Perrin** (*Beacastel*) 5. **Cuvée XXL** (*Janasse*) 6. **Not For You** / **Réserve des Deux Frères** / **Cuvée de mon Aïeul** (*Pierre Usseglio*) 7. **Sanctus Sanctorum** / **La Combe des Fous** (*Clos Saint Jean*) 8. **Le Petit Livre de A.M Bach-60 Mensis** (*Rotem et Mounier Saouma*, own by *Lucien Le Moine*) 9. **Le Secret des Sabon** (*Roger Sabon*) 10. **La Crau** (*Vieux Telegraphe*)
FRANCE 🇫🇷
flashcards
Decks in class (13)
# Cards
Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2026 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions