Rhone Flashcards
Louis Gambert De Loche
French vineyard owner, founded the Rhone Cave De Tain coop in 1933 and helped to establish appellation system
Vacqueyras
After gigondas, the second of the Côtes du Rhône villages to be awarded its own appellation, in 1990. Vacqueyras may be red, white, or rosé, although only a minuscule proportion of a dramatically expanded vineyard total that had reached 1,406 ha/3,473 acres by 2013 (more than neighbouring Gigondas, for example) is planted with white grape varieties. Most of the wine is like a super-concentrated Côtes du Rhône-Villages, made in the communes of Vacqueyras and Sarrians between Gigondas and beaumes-de-venise (see map under rhône). The appellation rules are very similar to those of Gigondas, and thus to those of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, although only half the grapes in a red Vacqueyras have to be Grenache. The rest are usually Syrah, Mourvèdre, and Cinsaut. Vacqueyras tends to be slightly more rustic than good Gigondas, but producers such as Ch des Tours, now operated in conjunction with Ch Rayas of châteauneuf-du-pape, at least back up that rusticity with power and concentration.
Rhone- Identity and History
The Rhone Valley was the result of an epic geological clash between the Massif Central and the Alps, creating a rift valley which was flooded by the Mediterranean. Three hundred million years ago, volcanic activity in the Massif Central produced the granitic rocks of the northern Rhone, while in the South, successive layers of fluvial and calcareous marine sediments formed such reliefs as the Dentelles de Montmirail – a huge bar of worn and scalloped limestone – and Mont Ventoux. Forty million years ago, the Alps were pushed upwards, causing the valley separating the two massifs to collapse. The Alpine Gulf created in this way was filled by the Mediterranean, which gradually deposited a base layer of hard limestone and marl (calcareous clay). Later, the closing of the Strait of Gibraltar considerably lowered the level of the Mediterranean, with the result that the Rhone began digging itself a deeper bed, creating fluvial terraces on either side of the valley and mixing the different elements in the hillside soils: sands, clay containing flinty pebbles. Today, the valley’s soils consists of four different types of rock: granite, sandy silica, limestone and clay. The bedrock plays an essential role in the way in which the growing vines are supplied with water, determining the varied aromas and flavours of Rhone wines.
Rhone- One of the most ancient Wine Making Areas
In the fourth century BC, during the Greek colonisation, grapes were grown in Marseille. In the northern part of the Rhone Valley, wine-growing developed in the first century AD… and Rhone wines soon rivalled the products of Italian vineyards. This period saw the building of the Gallo-Roman villa of Molard, close to the Rhone at Donzère, the most important Roman winery identified to date. Workshops making amphorae developed at around the same time. These earthenware jars (or dolia), designed for transporting wines and fish sauces, provide evidence of the presence of sand and sandstone at this early period, as at Chusclan, Treques and the Cèze massif, and of clay (ceramic vessels found at Saint-Laurent des Arbres, Sauveterre…). These archaeological finds, together with historical research, prove that the Rhone vineyards are some of the very oldest in the world. The Romans, sailing up the Rhone, founded the town of Vienne and planted vineyards, which soon became famous for their wines. This involved heavy labour: double-digging, the planting of the vines and the construction of retaining walls for the terraces… The result was a flourishing wine trade. The collapse of the Roman Empire, however, was a severe blow to the development of the industry, suddenly deprived of outlets for its wines, except for the vineyards close to the Mediterranean ports and the northern Rhone wine-growing area, which supplied the city of Lyon. In the Middle Ages, it was the influence of the Church which gave fresh impetus to the wine industry.
Rhone- The Wine of the Popes
In the 13th century, the French King Louis VIII granted the Comtat Venaissin to Pope Gregory X. In the 14th century, the papacy moved from Rome to Avignon and the popes, great lovers of the local wines, planted extensive vineyards around the city. John XXII, the second of the seven Avignon popes, had a summer residence built at Châteauneuf du Pape. Benedict XII, the third Avignon pope, ordered the building of the Palais des Papes. Later, at the end of the 17th century, and for the next 200 years, the port of Roquemaure (Gard) became a great centre for the shipping of goods by river. “Côste du Rhône” was then the name of an administrative district of the Viguerie d’Uzès (Gard), famous for its wines. Regulations were introduced in 1650 to guarantee their provenance and quality. But not until the mid-19th century did “Côste du Rhône” become “Côtes du Rhône”, when the term was extended to include the vineyards on the left bank of the river. Their reputation, built up over the centuries, was legally validated by the district courts of Tournon and Uzès in 1936.
Rhone- The Birth of the AOC
Concerned for the quality of its wines, the Rhone Valley played an active role in the establishment of French wine-industry appellations. In the 1930s, the visionary Baron Le Roy championed this worthy cause. A wine-grower at Châteauneuf du Pape, he fought for recognition of the characteristics of this great wine, securing Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée status for it in 1933. The terms of reference he presented became the model for all subsequent AOC decrees: limits of the growing area, grape varieties, local practices, methods of cultivation, minimum alcoholic content, harvesting period. He also militated in favour of Côtes du Rhône wines, an ancient name which finally received the credit it deserved. Baron le Roy was then involved in the founding of the INAO (the body responsible for granting AOC status), over which he presided from 1947 to 1967. Since then, striving for quality with a view to achieving AOC status has been a motivating factor throughout the Rhone wine-growing
Rhone- Wine, Grapes and Soils
“Just imagine! 250 km from north to south, 250 communes (local authority areas, often villages)… The vineyards of the Rhone Valley are a world apart, a shifting landscape which winds and unwinds around a fluid axis: the Rhone, king of rivers, carrying silt and a sense of history. The Rhone is the linking factor, holding together these contrasting landscapes. From Vienne to Nîmes and Avignon, and on to the borders of the Luberon, on both banks of the river, there is a wealth of places to explore”. Christophe Tassan, “Flânerie dans le Vignoble de la Vallée du Rhône”.
Rhone Valley (175,475 acres / 71,014 hectares)
Syrah: There are 2 major areas in the Rhône Valley and the smaller region that runs along the Rhône river is where you’ll find Syrah. Northern Rhône Syrah offers a much more savory profile with notes of black olive, plum, and dried green herbs. Look for St. Joseph and Crozes-Hermitage.
Grenache-Syrah Blend: The Southern Rhône is famous for its blends of primarily Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvèdre. Wines exude ripe raspberry, plum and dried lavender with a smoky overtone. The Côtes du Rhône Villages, including Vinsobres, Vacqueyras, Gigondas, and Rasteau, are all quite worthy. The most sought after wineries are mostly found in the sub-region of Châteauneuf-du-Pape.
Marsanne Blend (white): A very small percentage of the Southern Côtes du Rhône area is dedicated to white wines, made with the regional varieties of Marsanne and Roussanne. This bolder white is the gestalt of fine Chardonnay with notes of lemon, beeswax, and apricot.
Hermitage AC was established when?
1937
How big is Hermitage AC under vine?
136 hectares
What is the annual production of Hermitage?
3,824 hl (2014)
What are the soils of Hermitage?
Granite, alluvial deposits, clay, limestone, loess
What is the grape makeup of Hermitage?
76% red (mainly Syrah); 24% white (mainly Marsanne and Rousanne
What yields does Hermitage give?
28hl/ ha avg
What percentage of wine is exported from Hermitage?
42%
What are the number of producers in Hermitage?
19 wineries, 1 co- operative
Recent vintages in Hermitage?
2010, 2015 (excellent)
2012, 2013 (good)
Is Hermitage in North or South Rhone?
North
What were the wines of the Rhone known as in Roman times?
Vins de Vienne
