Wset Advanced: Section 20 The Northern Rhone

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The Northern Rhone

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- one of the great wnie rivers of the world
- divide on two parts with different climate and largelly different grape varieties
- lie between Vienne (вијен) on north and Valence (валонс) on south
- only 5% of wine production, but is home for many wines with hgigh reputation and price.
- most of the wines are made in eight Cru appellations
- important development is recent teh progressive replanting of top quality sites to the north of Vienne (вијен) , this wines is otside AC system but have growing reputation and premium prices.

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Climate and Viticulture

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- windy, quite narrow and steep valley
- most vineyards are plantet close to river
- winds help to decrease possibility of fungal desises
- vines is supported by indivitual stake or tepee arranged from stakes
- granitic soil, from time to time need to carried back up after its washed down from heavy rains.
- Continental climate as Beaujolais with warm summers

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Syirah

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- only one black grape variety permitet in Northern Rhone
- is in very northen limit where can full ripen
- deep colour, high levels of tannin, black fruit, black pepper and floral aromas, no obvious new oak flavour.
- develop gamey (dark meat) aromas as they matured.
- Co-fermentation with white varieties was traditionally practiced, now a days is only done in Cote Rotie, Viognier tannins help to stabilise colour and tannin in wine.
- Carbonic maceration it is also sometimes used to provide blenders of less expencive wines, with less tannins for early consuption.

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Viognier

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- was close to extinction in the 1970s, it was become unpopular because of low yields
- exotic apricot, spice and floral aromas, rich mouthfeel
- wines had low acidity and high alcohol
- the grapes need careful handling in winery to not develop an overtly oily character that can mask varietal aromas, same with new oak.
- smal number is made in off-dry style, late harvest wines.

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Marsanne and Roussanne

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- perfect blanding partners
- Marsanne has richness and weight
- Roussanne has aciddity and perfumed fruit
- do not have exuberance as Viognier but thay age well and develop coplex honey aroma.
- Roussanne is susceptible to rot and wind damage

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Cote-Rotie AC

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- translation (roasted slope), because of slope exposition to sun. Percipitous narow teraces, small valleys that offer protection from wind.
- Production of Syirah grape
- The extremely elegant wines are deeply coloured, full bodied, spicy and the best have aromatic floral freshnes and textural elegance.
- premium and super-premium prices

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Condrieu AC

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- white wines produced only from Viognier
- low-yielding vineyards, slope teraces well exposed
- tiny quantities of wine affect to price of atractiv Viognier, premium price
- Chateau Grillet AC is enclave in Condrieu producing similar wines.

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Saint Joseph AC

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- vast majority of production is red wines from Syrah, rest of are white wines from Marsanne and Roussanne.
- lightes bodied of the Northern Rhone, raspberry and pepper flavours

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Hermitage AC

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- longest pedigre for producing quality wines (19th century world class wines)
- single vineyard devide with lieux dits (лијо ди), named sites which vary in steepeness and aspect.
- Red Hermitage is the full body, age wel, greates wines may last 50 years or more.
- 50% of Hermitages production are white wine from Roussanne and Marsanne

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Crozes - Hermitage AC

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- around the hills of Hermitage, producing red wines from Syrah (with option to add in co-fermentation up to 15% of Marssanne and Rousanne)
- on some sites is possible mechanical harvestig
- medium priced

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Cornas AC

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- meny consider that wines from Cornas is most undervalued wines of the Rhone Valley, although they are still high-priced.
- it is must be made only from 100% Syrah
- deeply coloured, full-bodied and style and quality similar to Hermitage.