The Rhône Valley
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Wines of the World VWT 136 Unit 4 Week 3 David Stevens, Instructor Unit 4 - Week 3 Alsace – Caught Between Civilizations The Rhône Valley – All About Diversity To The River Rhône Thou Royal River, born of sun and shower In chambers purple with the Alpine glow, Wrapped in the spotless ermine of the snow And rocked by tempests!—at the appointed hour Forth, like a steel-clad horseman from a tower, With clang and clink of harness dost thou go To meet thy vassal torrents, that below Rush to receive thee and obey thy power. And now thou movest in triumphal march, A king among the rivers! On thy way A hundred towns await and welcome thee; Bridges uplift for thee the stately arch, Vineyards encircle thee with garlands gay, - Starry Night Over River Rhône, Vincent And fleets attend thy progress to the sea! van Gogh (1853–1890) - Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807–1882) American Poet Plan of Study • The Rhône Valley – Maps – LCBO Video – Some Thoughts • Alsace – Maps – LCBO Video – Some Thoughts • Break & Attendance • Quiz 4 • Tasting – Rhône ×6 – Alsace ×3 The Rhône Valley All About Diversity Article 1. — The overflight, the landing and the takeoff of aircraft known as flying saucers or flying cigars, whatever their nationality is, are prohibited on the territory of the community. Article 2. — Any aircraft, known as flying saucer or flying cigar, which should land on the territory of the community will be immediately held in custody. Article 3. — The forest officer and the city policeman are in charge, each one in what relates to him, of the execution of this decree. - Municipal Decree, Châteauneuf-du-Pape (1954) France Rhône Valley Departments Rhône Valley Wine Region Northern Rhône, Southern Rhône And More Words from our Friends at the The Rhône Valley in Numbers • Area of Vineyards: 173,000 acres 602,000 • Production: ~400 million bottles 2,856 million • Number of AoC: 38 107+ • Number of Growers: 6,000+ 5,900 • Red Wine: 79% • White Wine: 6% • Rosé Wine: 15% • Sold to Benelux, UK, Germany, Switzerland: 56% The Rhône River • Originates at the Rhône Glacier in Switzerland – Flows through Lake Geneva • Area of historical importance – Rhône River a Greco-Roman trade route from the Mediterranean into central Gaul – Greeks planted vineyards ~600 BCE • Traditionally been difficult to navigate • First steamship, The Pyroscaphe built by the Marquis de Jouffroy d'Abbans in 1783 The Rhône River Claude-François-Dorothée, marquis de Jouffroy d'Abbans The Pyroscaphe 1751-1832 1783 The Northern Rhône The Northern Rhône The Spiritual Home of Syrah • About 60 miles long • South of Lyon • Probably the oldest vineyards in France • Amazing STEEP terraced hillsides • Dominated by large Family producers – Marcel Guigal (Côte Rôtie) – Michel Chapoutier (Hermitage) – Paul Jaboulet Aîné (Hermitage) Weather of the Northern Rhône Town of Annonay Temperature Rainfall and Rain Days 26 days 25°C = 77°F 100 mm = 4.0 inches Weather of the Northern Rhône Town of Annonay Wind Speed Sun Hours and Sun Days 3 days The Mistral • A cold dry, North/Northwest wind that blows through the Rhoné Valley • Can reach constant speeds of >30 mph with gusts of >50 mph • Usually followed by cool, dry weather • Most common in late winter and spring Red Grapes of the Northern Rhône Red Grape Varieties by • Syrah Vineyard Area Syrah White Grapes of the Northern Rhône • Viogner • Marsanne • Roussanne ? Notable (Cru) AoC of the Northern Rhône • Côte Rôtie – “Roasted Slopes” – South (Côte Blonde) or South East (Côte Brune) Facing Vineyards – Red Wine – usually 100% Syrah sometimes with a little Viogner • Condrieu – White wine – Viogner • Château-Grillet – Single Estate AoC (not a village) – White wine – Viogner • Hermitage – South facing slope of hill above the town of Tain l'Hermitage. – Red wine – Syrah (Marsanne and Roussane at 15%) – White wine - Marsanne and Roussane • Crozes-Hermitage – Largest AoC in Northern Rhône – Red wine – Syrah (Marsanne and Roussane at 15%) – Several large Cooperatives • Cornas – Red wine – Syrah (100%) The Southern Rhône Fun Wines, Serious Alcohol • Large wine growing area – 2nd largest AoC (after Bordeaux) – 79,000 acres • 95% of all Rhône wines from the South • Both Red and White wines made from blends of several grapes • Most alcoholic (14 to 15%) wines in France – No chaptalization allowed • Increasing recent popularity somewhat due to wine critic Robert Parker The Southern Rhône Red Grapes of the Southern Rhône • Grenache • Syrah • Mourvedre • Cinsault ? • Carignan • Counoise White Grapes of the Southern Rhône • Viogner • Marsanne • Roussanne • Bourboulenc ? • Clairette • Grenache Blanc • Picpoul Blanc Wine Classification System of the (Southern) Rhône 2016 the village Cairanne moved to Cru status Notable AoC of the Southern Rhône • Côtes du Rhône – Huge, catch all AoC ~50% of production – Can contain wines from anywhere in the Rhône region – Red (89%), White (4%), and Rosé (7%) wines – Alcohol 11% minimum • Côtes du Rhône-Villages – Higher quality parameters than Côtes du Rhône – Red wines must be minimum 50% Grenache – Alcohol 12% minimum • Côtes du Rhône-Villages + Village Name – Higher quality parameters than Côtes du Rhône-Village – Vineyards from 20 villages – Red wine alcohol 12.5% minimum, white wine alcohol 12% minimum • Cru – 18 villages can just use village name (and not include Côtes du Rhône) • 8 in the North, including: Côte-Rôtie, Condrieu, Château-Grillet, Hermitage, Crozes- Hermitage, and Cornas • 10 in the South including: Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Gigondas, Tavel Notable Cru AoC of the Southern Rhône • Châteauneuf-du-Pape – Vineyards around village of Châteauneuf-du-Pape and three neighboring villages – 7,900 acres – "The Pope's new castle“ due to the relocation of the papacy to the area in 1308 by Clement V who planted vines in the village, John XXII built a castle and called the wine “Vin du Pape” – 13 grape varieties • Red: Grenache, Cinsault, Mourvèdre, Syrah, Muscardin, Counoise, Clairette, and Bourboulenc – First AoC (1933) • Gigondas – Vineyards around village of Gigondas – Ancient wine growing region dating from the 2nd Roman Legion – 1591 laws regulated wine trade between villages and forbid sale to “foreigners” – Red and Rosé wine from Grenache (80%) Syrah and Mourvèdre (15%) • Tavel – Makes ONLY Rosé wine from Grenache (red, white, grey) (<60%) and other varieties – Only Rosé that are said to age Papa drinks Rosé “What I want to be when I am old is a wise old man who won’t bore,” he said, then paused while the waiter set a plate of asparagus and an artichoke before him and poured the Tavel. Hemingway tasted the wine and gave the waiter a nod. “I’d like to see all the new fighters, horses, ballets, bike riders, dames, bullfighters, painters, airplanes, sons of bitches, café characters, big international whores, restaurants, years of wine, newsreels, and never have to write a line about any of it,” - Ernest Hemingway (1899-1961), From The New Yorker (1950) The Alsace Caught Between Civilizations • 1648-1871 France – Thirty Years’ War ends rule by Holy Roman Empire • 1871-1918 German Empire – Treaty of Frankfurt – Alsace-Lorraine • 1919-1940 France – Treaty of Versailles • 1940-1945 Nazi Germany – Occupation during World War II • 1945-Present France – Potsdam Agreement France Alsace Departments Alsace Wine Region Alsace Yet More Words from our Friends at the The Alsace in Numbers • Area of Vineyards: 38,500 acres 602,000 • Production: 150+ million bottles 2,856 million • Number of AoC: 3 107+ • Number of Growers: 4,200+ 5,900 • Still Wine: 75% • Sparkling Wine: 25% • White Wine: 90% • Red & Rosé Wine: 10% • Wine bottled in tall (Rhine) bottles: 100% Three French Bottle Types Weather in the Alsace Strasbourg Temperature Rainfall and Rain Days 25 days 25°C = 77°F 100 mm = 4.0 inches Weather in the Alsace Strasbourg Wind Speed Sun Hours and Sun Days 5 days Red Grapes of the Alsace Red Grape Varieties by • Pinot noir Vineyard Area Pinot noir White Grapes of the Alsace White Grape Varieties by • Riesling Vineyard Area • Pinot blanc • Gewurztraminer • Pinot gris • Sylvaner • Other Pinot blanc Riesling Gewurztraminer Pinot gris Sylvaner Other AoC of the Alsace • Alsace – Major AoC - 74% of production – Can contain wines from anywhere in the Alsace region – White (92%), Red and Rosé (8%) wines – Must contain 100% of varietally labeled grape variety – If no varietal, then a blend often with a unique name – Allow chaptalization • Crémant d’Alsace – 22% of production – Use méthode champenoise – Rapidly increasing in sales • Alsace Grand Cru – 4% of production – 51 Specific vineyards scattered throughout the area • Vineyards range in size from 7 to 198 acres – Higher alcohol than Alsace AoC – Only from Riesling, Pinot Gris, Muscat, Gewurztraminer Next Week Two for the Price of One • Champagne – Significant, Elemental, and Profound • The Final Exam Wines of the Rhône Valley • Flight 1 * Rhône Wines – E. Guigal, White Côtes Du Rhône AoC, 2015 – Domaine de la Mordorée, Tavel AoC, 2016 – Louise Dubois, Red Côtes Du Rhône AoC, 2015 – Domaine des Lises, Crozes-Hermitage AoC, 2015 – Domaine Barville, Châteauneuf-du-Pape AoC, 2014 – Domaine la Bouïssiere, Gigondas AoC, 2015 Wines of Alsace • Flight 2 * Alsace Wine – Lucien Albrecht, Pinot Blanc, Cuvée Balthazar, Alsace AoC, 2016 – Domaine Zind Humbrecht, Gewurztraminer, Alsace AoC, 2015 – Trimbach, Riesling, Alsace AoC, 2014.