Renee's Wine Blog: Educate yourself! Wine Region Review on Côtes du Rhône AOC

Wine Region Report #1: Côtes du Rhône AOC

The Côtes du Rhône is one of the premiere wine regions in Southeastern France. 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. (9) This region begins in Vienne to the north and extends on both banks of the Rhône River to Avignon in the south, and from the foothills of the Massif Central in the west to the fore-slopes of the Vaucluse and Luberon mountains east of the town of Orange. (6) The appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC) is the main government agency that oversees the control of wine production in this region. The English translation for AOC is “controlled designation of origin”. There are two Gaillac Appellations that make up Côtes du Rhône. The Appellation Premières Cotes de Gaillac Controlée stretches over both sides of the Tarn and to the north up to Cordes. (6) In addition, the Appellation Gaillac Mousseux Controlée area follows the boundaries of the Gaillac appellation region. The numerous AOC wines of the Rhône Valley region are produced by more than 1,837 wineries and 103 cooperatives.

Look for the Yellow area in the Southeast part of France! Cotes du Rhone is right above Provence!

Tain-Tournon France - Cotes du Rhone

Overall in this AOC region, there are about 6,000 growers/grape growing properties. (2) Within the region itself, there are about 83,839 hectares of vineyard lane that spans 171 communes in the six French departments across the region. (6) This encompasses a huge span of grape varieities in the region. There are now 2,620 hectares under Viognier vines, though it qualifies for AOC status only in restricted part of the northern Côtes du Rhône wine-growing area.(7)

Rhone Valley Appellations (some of many!!)

Across France, the terroir is fairly distinct to each region. Every aspect of where the grape varietal grows is defined as terroir. That includes special characteristics such as the geology, soil acidity, climate, interaction between different vine species, etc. In the Côtes du Rhône, there are about five similar soil types found across the region consisting of four different kinds of rock. This includes granite, sandy silica, limestone and clay. (9) The first type of soil (that is made up of some of these rock components) is described as shingle clay soil. The soil in the north, from Vienne to Valence, tends to be granite with a mixture of shingle with clay and layered stones on the hillsides. (4) The northern part of Rhône is best characterized by a more continental climate. This entails more harsh winters but fortunately, warm summers. The climate in Côtes du Rhône is heavily influenced by a wind current, called the mistral wind. This wind pattern brings slightly colder air into the region from the Massif Central. (4) This wind also makes the northern part of the region slightly cooler than the south.

More Rhone Appellations (in the southern part of the region)

The second kind of soil type in this region is described as the stony “argilo-calcaireous” soils. (3) The soil is stony, and is mainly composted of granite. On the mountain slopes across the region, the soil is often characterized by containing layered stone too. This type of soil of Côtes du Rhône provides grape vines with a consistent source of water. At night, the rocks and slate buried in the soil gives off heat that has been stored up during the day. (3) For example, a feature of the cultivation of the region is the use of large pebbles around the bases of the vines to absorb the heat of the sun during the day to keep the vines warm at night when. Due to the cloudless skies, there is often a significant drop in temperature. (6) There are soils in Côtes du Rhône that are also sandy and/or loess soil. Unlike slate and stony soils, sandy soils offer an irregular supply of water. Sandy soils, however, are well suited for producing white, rose, and lighter red wines. (3) There are several types of wine that are distinct to this area. In the north, both white and red wines are described as being more full-bodied. In the south, wines are found to be medium to light bodied and typically fruitier. (5)

Red Rhone varieties

White Rhone Varieties

The combination of soil qualities and climate is what makes this region so distinct. The climate in Côtes du Rhône is hot and sunny, more constant than in the other French wine producing regions. (5) In the south, the climate is much more like that of other Mediterranean countries (namely southern Spain, Italy, etc). In the south, winters are typically milder and summers are hotter. (6) As a result, drought sometimes presents itself as a problem for wine growers. Moreover, limited irrigation is permitted as per AOC control. Speaking of AOC, they have much more control over the region besides irrigation. In 1996, following an initiative on the part of the wine growers, a new Appellation decree came into force aimed at endorsing and strengthening the typical characteristics of Côtes du Rhône wines. For the red and rosé wine, Grenache must make up at least 40 percent of the grape variety mix. This excludes northern wines based on the Syrah varietal. (3)

Tasty!

There are both red and white varieties that fair very well in this region given the combination of soil and climate. As mentioned throughout, red grape varieties that succeed in this type of climate are Grenache Noir, Syrah, Carignan, and Mourvèdre. Syrah, for example, is one of the red-grape varieties most characteristic of the northern part of the Côtes du Rhône wine-growing area. Because of its rarity, it is used only to produce some of the great wines. (8) Syrah, Mourvèdre is an important component in the best examples of the southern Rhône’s most famous appellation, Châteauneuf-du-Pape. (1) Common white varietals in the region are Clairette, Genache Blanc, and Ugni Blanc. Other common whites are Bourboulenc, Marsanne, Roussanne, and Viognier. (5) There are many, many, wine types from this region that are set apart based on their appellation. The Rhône Valley wine appellations include Beaumes-de-Venise, Côte-Rôtie, Cairanne, Château-Grillet, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Condrieu, Cornas, Costières de Nîmes, Côtes du Rhône, Côtes du Rhône Villages, Côtes du Tricastin, Crozes-Hermitage, Gigondas, Hermitage, Laudun, Lirac, Lubéron, Massif d`Uchaux, Rasteau, Roaix, Rousset-les-Vignes, Sablet, Saint-Joseph, Saint-Maurice, Saint-Peray, Séguret, Signargues, Tavel, Vacqueyras, Ventoux, Vinsobres, Visan.(6)

Domaine du Pesquier- another heavy hitter from the Rhone Valley!

Here’s the scoop on some of these Rhone appellations- The most northerly Rhone appellation is Côte Rôtie (the "roasted slope"). This region produces fine wine from the Syrah grape, sometimes with a small percentage of Viognier (about 5 percent or so) blended in to give an additional breadth to the wine. (6) Syrah are already available are the wines of Hermitage, Côte Rôtie, and Cornas in the northern Rhône. (1) Wines from Cornas, on the other hand, produce red wines that are frequently 100 percent Syrah. This gives the wines a more dark, intense, and richer flavor. Tavel is an strange appellation in that it is the only one in France to permit only rosé wines. If reds or white wines are produced here they cannot legally be labeled as Tavel. (6) In the Valley, grapes that are produced on the land can be sold as as Côtes du Rhône wines. Some vinyards in Côtes du Rhône that have named appellations can declassify their vinyards. This typically happens where wine growers have younger vines and can produce a cheaper wine without sacrificing the Côtes du Rhône classification. (6) However, its understood and enforced that wines from this region have alcohol content be no lower than 11 percent.

Imagine that! All in such a relatively small area of land!