-
The Grapes of Châteauneuf-du-Pape
- Grenache(Noir/Blanc/Gris)
- Mourvèdre
- Syrah
- Cinsault
- Counoise
- Picpoul (Noir/Blanc/Gris)
- Terret Noir
- Bourboulenc
- Clairette/Clairette Rosé
- Roussanne
- Vaccarèse
- Picardan
- Muscardin
-
Soils of Chateauneuf-du-Pape
The iconic galets; distinct pockets of alluvial sediment exist for gravel, calcareous clay, and sand.
-
Barrel use in Chateauneuf-du-Pape
Traditional producers tend to use old oak foudres for extended aging.
other producers use Barriques
-
Côtes du Rhône AOP
Southern Rhône’s largest appellation and the base designation for wines from the entire Rhône Valley.
Over two-thirds of the Rhône Valley’s wines are released as Côtes du Rhône AOP. Most of the wine is red, although whites and rosés are allowed.
-
Côtes du Rhône-Villages AOP
A superior designation for red, white and rosé wine from a delimited area within the Southern Rhône.
18 communes may append their names to the appellation. Grenache, Mourvèdre, and Syrah are the principal red grapes for Côtes du Rhône-Villages.
-
Côtes du Rhône-Villages Geographic Designations
- Cairanne
- Chusclan
- Gadagne
- Laudun
- Massif d'Uchaux
- Plan de Dieu
- Puyméras
- Roaix
- Rochegude
- Rousset les vignes
- Sablet
- St-Gervais
- St-Maurice
- St-Pantaleon-les-vignes
- Séguret
- Signargues
- Valréas
- Visan
-
Gigondas AOP
In 1971, the Gigondas AOP was created for red and rosé wines sourced from the commune’s red clay alluvial soils.
Red wines are minimum 50% Grenache, typically blended with smaller proportions of Syrah and Mourvèdre.
Other Rhône grape varieties—excluding Carignan—are permitted to be present as a maximum 10% of plantings in the Gigondas vineyard.
-
Vacqueyras AOP
In 1990,Vacqueyras AOP became the former Côtes du Rhône village to be promoted to full appellation status. The rustic wines are usually red, although a small amount of white and rosé wine is produced.
A minimum 50% Grenache is required for the red wines.
-
Côtes du Rhône village that where promoted to full appellation status
- Gigondas AOP - 1971
- Vacqueyras AOP - 1990
- Beaumes-de-Venise AOP - 2005
- Vinsobres AOP - 2006
All four appellations share Châteauneuf-du-Pape’s 12.5% minimum potential alcohol requirement for red wines.
-
Lirac AOP
- Predominant grapes:
- Grenache (Noir/Blanc)
- Clairette
- Bourboulenc
Despite its sandier soils, the commune of Lirac in 1863 unwittingly served as France’s doorway to the phylloxera incursion
-
Tavel AOP
The only communal appellation in France exclusively dedicated to rosé wines.
The wines are based on Grenache and made in a dry style.
-
Vin doux naturel
The white, red, and rosé wines retain natural grape sugar through mutage.
-
Mutage
Pure grape spirit is added to arrest fermentation in a proportion of 5-10%
-
What two appellations exist for Vin doux naturel in Southern Rhone
- Rasteau AOP
- Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise AOP
-
Rasteau AOP
- AOP for:
- reds
- whites
- vin doux naturel
-
Appellations of the Southern Rhône
- Côtes du Rhone
- Côtes du Rhone-Villages
- Gigondas
- Vacqueyras
- Vinsobres
- Beaumes-de-Venise
- Rasteau
- Châteauneuf-du-Pape
- Lirac
- Tavel
- Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise
- Grignan-les-Adhémar
- Côtes du Vivarais
- Luberon
- Ventou
- Pierrevert
- Costières de Nîmes
- Clairette de Bellegarde
- Duché d'Uzès (added in 2013)
-
Bandol AOP
minimum 50% Mourvèdre blended primarily with Grenache, Cinsault
The wines must spend 18 months in oak
- Domaine Tempier
- Château de Pibarnon
- Château Pradeaux
|
|