Wset Diploma - Unit 3 - Key Factors Of The Rhone Valley

Front 1

LOCATION/GEOGRAPHY/TOPOGRAPHY
›› including altitude and slopes
›› PART 1

Back 1

›› Rhone is one of the great wine rivers of the world
›› Rhone Valley wine growing region last 400kms of river before Mediterranean, south-eastern France - two regions 60kms apart
›› Northern Rhone - south of Lyon, with town of Valence as hub - 70kms between Vienne and Valence
›› Southern Rhone - closer to Mediterranean, with town of Avignon as hub

Front 2

LOCATION/GEOGRAPHY/TOPOGRAPHY
›› including altitude and slopes
›› PART 2

Back 2

›› Lattitudes - NR 45°N, SR 44°N
›› Altitudes - NR 160m, SR 34m
›› NR, small region, limited by mountain range, narrow and steep slopes punctuated with lateral valleys, with vines mostly on western slopes of the Rhone
›› SR large, sprawling region with rollings hills and scrub (garrique) interspersed with vineyards; ground covered in large pudding stones that release warmth at night; 90% production

Front 3

CLIMATE
›› in general terms
›› NORTHERN RHONE

Back 3

›› Southern continental (similar to nearby Beaujolais)
›› Mistral wind dominant feature, strong north wind that cools the climate but inhibits disease
›› Summers hot, but not stifling
›› Spring frost risk and delayed ripening
›› Rain usually in spring and late autumn, with occasional hail
›› Soil erosion a threat

Front 4

CLIMATE
›› in general terms
›› SOUTHERN RHONE

Back 4

›› Mediterranean
›› Mild winters and hot summers
›› Low rainfall and plenty of sunshine
›› Mistral influence particularly strong because there is no protection from slopes

Front 5

WEATHER
›› factors which create variation, e.g. frost, hail

Back 5

›› Avg temp growing season NR 18°, SR 20°
›› Annual rainfall NR 923mm, 677mm
›› September harvest for both regions
›› NR Hazards - poor weather at flowering, fungal diseases
›› SR Hazards - drought

Front 6

SOIL
›› all types in the area in question
›› NORTHERN RHONE

Back 6

›› Mostly steep slopes of granite on slopes and alluvial silt on river edge
›› Mixed with gneiss and mica in the northern half, and becoming decomposed granite mixed with clay like sands in the south
›› Granite with limestone streaks in Cornas
›› Granite with red clay and loess in Crozes-Hermitage

Front 7

SOIL
›› all types in the area in question
›› SOUTHERN RHONE

Back 7

›› Gently rolling hills with little cover from the Mistral
›› Mostly sandy soil with patches of ex-Alpine limestone and mediterranean alluvial
›› Marked feature of many vineyards is pudding stones, or ‘galets’, which trap sun during the day and radiate warmth back at night

Front 8

GRAPE VARIETIES
›› colour, characteristics, ability to age

Back 8

NORTHERN RHONE
›› Reds - Syrah
›› Whites - Viognier, Roussane, Marsanne
SOUTHERN RHONE
›› Reds - Grenache, Syrah, Cinsault, Mourvedre, Carignan
›› Whites - Viognier, Marsanne, Clairette, Grenache Blanc, Bourboulenc

Front 9

VITICULTURE
›› including applicable legislation and current issues
›› NORTHERN RHONE

Back 9

›› Little mechanisation due to steepness of slopes (around 60°)
›› Eroded soil often needs to be put back on the slopes, pulled up by pulley system
›› Vines tend to be individually staked (‘taille en archet’) to combat effect of the Mistral
›› Terraces used to combat erosion problems

Front 10

VITICULTURE
›› including applicable legislation and current issues
›› SOUTHERN RHONE

Back 10

›› Wind breaks essential to protect the vines from the Mistral
›› Low pruning to increase ripening from reflected heat
›› Syrah wire-trained, others spur-trained into a bush
›› Irrigation permitted in drought

Front 11

VINIFICATION
›› including applicable legislation and current issues
›› NORTHERN RHONE

Back 11

›› Red winemaking mostly still traditional:
- lengthy maceration abd barrel ageing for up to 3 years
- partial carbonic maceration used for cheaper wines
›› White wines generally cool-fermented in stainless steel and bottled in 6 months
›› Fine Condrieu and White Hermitage may see some oak ageing

Front 12

VINIFICATION
›› including applicable legislation and current issues
›› SOUTHERN RHONE

Back 12

›› Many different winemaking techniques - difficult to pinpoint a typical style
›› Carbonic maceration used, even in Chateauneuf-du-Pape
›› Traditional fermentation following by ageing in oak, resulting in wines being full-bodied and meaty

Front 13

WINE STYLES
›› including spectrum of quality and ability to age
›› NORTHERN RHONE
›› PART 1

Back 13

›› Prestigious wines - some serious rivals to the great names of Bordeaux and Burgundy
›› Very high quality reds made from Syrah, sometimes blended with a little white wine to add perfume
›› Very high quality full-bodied white wine
›› All wines have a very good propensity for ageing

Front 14

WINE STYLES
›› including spectrum of quality and ability to age
›› NORTHERN RHONE
›› PART 2

Back 14

›› COTE-ROTIE - deep-coloured, full-bodied spicy, complex reds, with 20% white wine permitted
›› CONDRIEU - unique, floral perfumed white wines made only from Viognier; best from low-yielding vines
›› CHATEAU-GRILLET - single vineyard producing exceptional oak-aged viognier
›› SAINT-JOSEPH - long west-bank area; mostly syrah with small quantities of Marsanne and Roussane; reds tend to be lighter with more raspberry and pepper notes; terraced vineyards near Tournon provide best wines, otherwise mostly from flatter sites

Front 15

WINE STYLES
›› including spectrum of quality and ability to age
›› NORTHERN RHONE
›› PART 3

Back 15

›› CROZES-HERMITAGE - east-bank around town of Hermitage; highest production, light-bodied wines from flatter sites; some expensive wines aged in oak; white wine from Marsanne, fresh and fruity, meant to be drunk young
›› HERMITAGE - premium syrah fermented with up to 15% white grapes; ageing potential up to 50 years
›› CORNAS - undervalued red wine, 100% syrah, full-bodied red wines

Front 16

WINE STYLES
›› including spectrum of quality and ability to age
›› SOUTHERN RHONE
›› PART 1

Back 16

›› COTES-DU-RHONE AC - 80% production, light, fruity style of red, sometimes partial carbonic maceration
›› COTES-DU-RHONE VILLAGES - again, light, fruity style of red, but a little more depth and higher minimum alcohol
›› COTES-DU-RHONE VILLAGES + COMMUNE - slightly higher quality red wine, granted the right to append their name to the CDR appellation name

Front 17

WINE STYLES
›› including spectrum of quality and ability to age
›› SOUTHERN RHONE
›› PART 2

Back 17

›› CHATEAUNEUF-DU-PAPE - first appellation declared in France; hand harvesting only, and hand-sorted; up to 13 varieties permitted, but mostly Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre, Cinsault, Counoise, Clairette, Bourboulenc
›› GIGONDAS - similar in style to CDP, but Grenache must make up 80% of the blend
›› VACQUEYRAS - similar to CDP and GIG but tend to have more Syrah and Mourvedre, and so are darker and more tannic

Front 18

WINE STYLES
›› including spectrum of quality and ability to age
›› SOUTHERN RHONE
›› PART 3

Back 18

›› TAVEL - limestone soil, produces grapes with higher acidity, produces roses that are full-bodied, intense and that develop a savoury character with age
›› LIRAC - similar grapes to Tavel, but red and white production, as well as rose

Front 19

SCALE OF PRODUCTION AND INDUSTRY SIGNIFICANCE
›› quality, quantity, icon wines

Back 19

VINEYARD SIZE
›› Second largest AOC area - 83,000 ha
PRODUCTION
›› 2.86 million hecolitres - 2nd after Gironde

Front 20

LEGISLATION
›› classification systems and QWPSR structure, if relevant
›› GENERAL

Back 20

GENERAL
›› 26 appellations
›› Extensive differences in terroir and laws governing legal grape varieties
›› Northern Rhone dominated by negociants, whereas south is dominated by cooperatives
›› Distinct hierarchy within the wines of the Rhone, but no grading system per se

Front 21

LEGISLATION
›› classification systems and QWPSR structure, if relevant
›› COTES DU RHONE

Back 21

COTES DU RHONE
›› Generic appellation, almost entirely made with wine from the south
›› Min alcohol level of 11%
›› Average yield 52hl/ha

Front 22

LEGISLATION
›› classification systems and QWPSR structure, if relevant
›› COTES DU RHONE VILLAGES

Back 22

COTES DU RHONE VILLAGES
›› From a small number of villages, all in the south
›› Grenache must make up at least 50% of blend
›› Syrah and/or Mourvedre must make up at least 20% of blend
›› Maximum 20% other varieties permitted
›› Min alcohol level of 12%
›› Average yield 38 hl/ha

Front 23

LEGISLATION
›› classification systems and QWPSR structure, if relevant
›› COTES DU RHONE VILLAGES + COMMUNE

Back 23

COTES DU RHONE VILLAGES + COMMUNE
›› 18 Individual crus with their own AC status (4 joined in 2011, and 1 more in 2012)
›› Average yield 37hl/ha
›› Min alcohol level of 12.5% for reds and 12% for whites and roses
›› Allowed to append their village name to the CDR appellation

Front 24

LEGISLATION
›› classification systems and QWPSR structure, if relevant
›› CRUS

Back 24

CRUS
›› 16 Crus recognised in their own right without having to append CDR to their village name
›› Exception is Chateau-Grillet AC, a Condrieu which uses its chateau name
›› 8 in Northern, 10 in Southern

Front 25

LEGISLATION
›› classification systems and QWPSR structure, if relevant
›› NORTHERN CRUS

Back 25

›› Cote-Rotie R100
›› Condrieu W100
›› Château-Grillet W100
›› Saint Joseph R90:W10
›› Crozes-Hermitage R91:W9
›› Hermitage R70:W30
›› Cornas R100
›› Saint Péray W100

Front 26

LEGISLATION
›› classification systems and QWPSR structure, if relevant
›› SOUTHERN CRUS

Back 26

›› Vinsobres R100
›› Rasteau R100
›› Vin Doux Naturel de Rasteau Sw 100
›› Gigondas R100
›› Vacqueyras R96:W3:Ro1
›› Beaumes de Venise R100
›› Muscat de Beaumes de Venise Sw100
›› Châteauneuf-du-Pape R94:W6
›› Lirac R81:W9:Ro10
›› Tavel Ro100

Front 27

HISTORY
›› including factors which are relevant to the question and today’s position

Back 27

›› 2000 years of winemaking
›› No record of local wines until 14th Century when Pope moved his court to Avignon in 1309
›› Late 19thC phylloxera louse caused start of cooperatives - louse couldn’t survive on sandy soils of Languedoc
›› Chateauneuf-du-Pape first AOC 1936

Front 28

CURRENT ISSUES INCLUDING MARKETING
›› key producers, hot topics, brands, generic activity

Back 28

KEY PRODUCERS
›› Jaboulet, Chapoutier, Chateau de Beaucastel, Tain L’Hermitage, Delas, Domaine de Durban, Perrin, Guigal, Chateau la Nerthe, Roger Sabon, Vieux Telegraphe
HOT TOPICS
›› Erosion of slopes in Northern Rhone - replacing old terraces with new re-inforced ones
›› Collapse of sales of entry-level wines, encouraging drinkers to trade-up