HWG Price Book May-Aug 2017

The Henry Wine Group

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May–August 2017

The Southern Rhône Val ley

BY PETER NEPTUNE, MS, AIWS, CWE, FWS

Senior Vice President, Corporate Training & Wine Education for

The Henry Wine Group

The mighty Rhône river begins high

in the Alps, south of the Swiss city of

Lucerne, and flows west through the

vineyards of the Valais, then northeast

into Lake Geneva. From there it flows

south through the vineyards of Savoie,

then west to join the Saône River at

Lyons. There it turns due south and

flows through a steep river gorge as it

makes its way to the Mediterranean

Sea west of Marseilles.

Although the Rhône is considered

to be one region, it is effectively

divided into two distinct parts: the

Syrah-dominated north

(Rhône

septentrionale)

and the Grenache-

influenced south

(Rhône méridionale)

The climates are different, as are the

soils. The northern Rhône vineyards

lie between Vienne and Valence, a

distance of approximately 40 miles.

Then there is a gap of around 35 miles,

before the southern Rhône vineyards

begin again just south of the town of

Montélimar. This article will take a

look at the Southern Rhône.

The AC structure is three-tiered. First

is the generic AC of Côtes du Rhône,

from vineyards anywhere in the

region. Second is the Côtes du Rhône

-Villages AC, reserved for certain

villages in the south only. Finally,

at the commune level, are the

crus

villages with individual AC status.

As the Rhône makes its way south the

valley begins to spread out around

Montelimar, losing its steep slopes

and giving way to pockets of sandy

soil amidst the

garrigue,

the wild

herbs that dot the scrubland. The

climate changes from continental to

Mediterranean, with hotter summers

and milder winters. With nothing

to shelter the vineyards from the

Mistral, windbreaks of trees have to be

planted. Instead of Syrah dominating

the plantings, this is a blender’s

appellation, with more than 13

different varietals cultivated in varying

numbers. Grenache is the most

important, with a natural high sugar

content that results in wines of high

alcohol. Cinsault and Mourvedre are

also significant, the former is low in

tannin, with high acid fruitiness, and

the latter is deep-colored and tannic,

adding a meaty weight to the blend.

Carignan is also used in a red blend,

along with others. For the whites,

Marsanne and Roussanne are joined

by Clairette, Ugni Blanc, Rolle, and

others. Muscat blanc a petits grains

is also cultivated, to be used in the

production of

vins doux naturels

All vines are pruned low, to resist

the fierce wind and to maximize

the reflected heat of the soil. Syrah

is often wire trained to the Guyot

single system, while the others are

bush-pruned.

THE TOP APPELLATIONS OF THE

SOUTHERN RHÔNE

CÔTES-DU-RHÔNE AOC:

this

is a generic AC that covers the

entire Rhône region, with the vast

majority produced in the Southern

Rhône (over 90%). The quality

and character varies widely, with a

number of high-quality wines being

made, representing tremendous

value. Reds, whites and rosé wines

are from Grenache, Clairette, Syrah,

Mourvedre, Picpoul, Terret noir,

Picardin, Cinsault, Roussanne,

Marsanne, Bourboulenc, Viognier,

with up to 30% Carignan, and a

maximum 30% of (in total) Counoise,

Muscardin, Vaccarese, Pinot blanc,

Mauzac, Pascal blanc, Calitor,

Camarese, etc. Nearly every top

Rhône producer has a Côtes-du-

Rhône in their stable.

CÔTES-DU-RHÔNE-VILLAGES

AOC:

within the southern Rhône

there are a number of villages

entitled to call their reds (and some

rosés) Côtes-du-Rhône-Villages, if

they meet a higher criteria set out

in the regulations of the AC. Here,

for example, the minimum alcohol

is 12.5% instead of 11%, and the

maximum yield is 42 hl/ha, instead of

52 hl/ha. When wine from a number

of these villages is blended, its AOC

is simply Cotes-du-Rhone-Villages.

There are 20 villages that can append

their name to the Appellation if

the wine comes exclusively from

that stated village, such as Côtes-

du-Rhône-Villages Sablet AC (see

below for full list). Compared to

generic Côtes-du-Rhône, these wines

generally have better depth, character

and quality. The reds are generally

excellent, from a minimum of 50%

Grenache, plus a minimum of 20%

Syrah and/or Mourvedre, and up to

20% Carignan and Cinsault. Whites

are improving, made from a minimum

of 80% Clairette, Roussanne, and

Bourboulenc, with up to 20% of

others. There are excellent rosés from

Grenache, Carignan, and Cinsault

with others.

The list of the 20 villages of the

Côtes-du-Rhône-Villages (all must

be preceded by Côtes-du-Rhône-

Villages):

Cairanne, Chusclan,

Gadagne, Laudun, Massif d'Uchaux,

Plan de Dieu, Puyméras, Roaix,

Rochegude, Rousset-les-Vignes, Sablet,

St. Cecile, St.-Gervais, St.-Maurice-

sur-Eygues, St.-Pantaleon-les-Vignes,

Séguret, Signargues, Suze-la-Ruisse,

Valreas, Vaison la Romaine, and Visan.

VINSOBRES AOC:

This former

Côtes-du-Rhône village was

justifiably upgraded to AOC status in

February 2006. Located in the Drôme

department (the same as Hermitage),

Vinsobres is the most Northern-

Rhône style Southern-Rhône wine,

and is one of the best places to grow

Syrah in the Southern Rhône valley,

because in this climate the syrah keeps

the finesse and elegance that it can

lose in other places of the Southern

Rhône (due to altitude and also cooled

by the valley of the Aigues river and

its east-west Le Pontias wind).

The blend is a minimum 50%

Grenache and an additional minimum

25% Syrah and/or Mourvedre, with

the wines showing an appealing

peppery/lavender, blue and red fruit