Seductive Reds of Chateauneuf-du-Pape

            Rocks from the nearby Rhone River help warm the vines in winter & cool them in summer 

This is the second article in November's trio on the wines of the Southern Rhone.

The first blog of this series discussed the genesis of the name Chateauneuf-du-Pape (CdP), the "new chateau of the Pope," which came about when the papacy was moved from Rome to the southern Rhone Valley.  Today, we'll learn about the highly coveted reds of CdP.  It is important to note that these red wines are blended wines...from both red and white grapes.  This blog will address the main red grapes used in these red wines. 

                          CdP is located <10 miles north of the Papal Palace in Avignon

With more than 8,000 acres of vines planted, CdP is the largest appellation in the Rhone.  Red wine is King in this area and represents 94% of the district's production.  Of the eight red varietals planted, Grenache leads the pack accounting for approximately 3/4 of the vines.  Grenache offers medium tannins and acids so it is often much more approachable at a younger age than a Cab Sauvignon.  Flavors of Grenache are strawberry, cherry and raspberry laced with nuances of cinnamon and licorice.  As CdP's reds are blended, however, Grenache is never vinified as a varietal in this appellation.

Syrah, the second most popular red grape, is another important part of CdP's blends.   While Syrah grapes are only 12% of the vines, this variety is important to the blend.  Deep colored Syrah is added to darken up Grenache which is far lighter in color.   Syrah also has more tannins and acids than the far more gentle Grenache so it adds structure to the blend.   While Grenache offers red fruit flavors, Syrah's contribution is black fruit, as well as chocolate and pepper notes.

                                Everything in the village of CdP is wine centric

The third grape most used in CdP reds is Mourvedre.  While accounting for <10% of the vines planted, Mourvedre adds an important profile to these blended wines.  Like Syrah, Mourvedre adds structure and dark fruit flavors, however, it also brings the grapes' signature nuances of cedar and herbal aromas...both adding layered complexity to the blend.   As Mourvedre thrives in the heat and is drought tolerant, this grape is now seen as a hedge against global warming.

Wine-Knows will be spending a day in Chateauneuf-du-Pape learning about these gorgeously complex blends.   We have 2-3 spaces available on our September 2024 harvest trip.     Burgundy & Champagne – Wine-Knows Travel (wineknowstravel.com)

How the Popes Changed French Wine History

                 Pape Clement V changed the location of the Popes from the Vatican to France

This is the first article in a three-part series during November on the illustrious wines of France's Southern Rhone wine district.

Did you know the Papacy moved from Vatican City in Rome to the French city of Avignon from 1309 to 1376?  For nearly seventy years seven Popes ruled the Catholic Church from southern France's Rhone Valley.   Today, their majestic Papal Palace remains one of the largest and most important medieval Gothic buildings in all of Europe.

                           Avignon's Papal Palace is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site

The first French Pope, Clement V, was the former Archbishop of Bordeaux.  Fearing chaos in Rome after his controversial election to Pople, he refused to move to Rome.  Instead, Clement V did the unthinkable and set up oversight of the Papacy in the Episcopal place of the Bishops of Avignon.  Located on a natural rocky outcrop, the palace offered unobstructed views of the Rhone River just below it. 

                      The hilltop "new chateau of the Pope" offers a 360 panorama of vineyards

Clement V loved the countryside just outside of Avignon and stayed at various chateaux in the rural area frequently for extended periods.  His rule as Pope was cut short when he died in 1315.  His successor, Pope John XII, decided to build a summer chateau in this very area.   His Papal residence was called Chateauneuf du Pape, the "new castle of the Pope."   It wasn't long before the area around the chateau prospered and a village evolved at the foot of the castle.   A sea of wine grapes was soon planted as far as the eye could see as Clement V and all of the subsequent "Avignon Popes" were great lovers of wine.

Come experience the Chateauneuf-du-Pape harvest with Wine-Knows in September 2024

Today, this area is one of the most famous wine appellations in France:  Chateauneuf-du-Pape.  Wine-Knows will be visiting Chateauneuf-du-Pape next year for the grape harvest.  At this point, we have spots remaining for two or three lucky travelers.

Learn about the magnificent red wines of Chateauneuf-du-Pape in the next article of this series which will appear on November 15.  In the meanwhile, explore Wine-Knows' trip to Chateauneuf-du-Pape, which also visits Champagne & Burgundy!

Burgundy & Champagne – Wine-Knows Travel (wineknowstravel.com)

Ground Zero for Luscious White Viognier

                 Wine-Knows will be visiting the home of Viognier wines next September, 2024

This is a second article in this month’s series devoted to wines of the Northern Rhone wine district.    Do you know Viognier wine?  If not, you should!  The appellation of Condrieu is ground zero for lovers of the highly perfumed white Viognier grape.  While Viognier is often used for blending in the Rhone, in the AOC of Condrieu it is 100% varietal.  In fact, the only wine that can be sold under the Condrieu AOC is a white wine made entirely from the Viognier grape.

                    Condrieu's appellation allows only one wine:  white wine made from Viognier

Viognier from Condrieu is a rich, opulent wine.  One of its pleasures comes before sipping.  The Viognier grape makes highly aromatic wines (think summer honeysuckle and/or fragrant roses).  For Viognier’s flavor you’re in store for another exotic summer experience (think ripe mango & papaya or even sweet tangerine).  

                             Viognier is known for its aromatic intensity and full bodied taste

Now for the bad news.  The Rhone’s Viognier production is very small.  If you see Viognier from the Rhone on a wine list (or on the shelf in a wine store) you’ll most likely be somewhere in the Rhone Valley.   While Michelin star restaurants in France will usually have a few Viogniers, the wine is not plentiful outside of the Rhone Valley.  That being said, here’s a magical trio worth every dollar and they’re all available through K& L Wine Merchants.

• Andre Perret Coteau du Chery Condrieu ($80)
• Clos de la Bonnette Legende Bonnetta ($60)
• Francois Villrad “De Poncins: Condrieu ($70)

 

If you’re interested in tasting Viognier in the Rhone, why not come with Wine-Knows next September (2024) on its trip through the Rhone, Champagne, Burgundy & Provence.   There are 3-4 spots remaining.

Wine-Knows Travel – For the Discerning Traveler (wineknowstravel.com)

Wine on the Rocks

                                         Rocks can be instrumental in making a complex wine

This is not an article for novices on wine coolers or putting ice in your wine.  It is an article for serious wine lovers on the important role that rocks can have in a vineyard.  Rocks can be instrumental in the difference between a ho-hum wine, and some of the best wines on the planet.   Perhaps the most famous wine rocks are those of Bordeaux and the Rhone (especially Chateauneuf du Pape).   But, many other world-class wines owe part of their greatness to rocks.

                                     Galets can vary from pebble-sized to larger rocks

The French actually have a specific term for these vineyard rocks. They are called “galets.”   Galets can vary anywhere in size from several pounds to large pebbles.  Regardless of size, however, rocks are integral to the growth of vines and their fruit in several ways.  Rocks absorb heat from the daytime sunshine and then slowly release the heat back during the night.  During cold winters this is important so that vines don’t freeze.  During cool summer evenings, on the other hand, heat retention and heat transmission are critical for vine’s growth and fruit ripening.

 

Rocks can also be critical for drainage.  Vines need proper drainage in order to produce quality fruit.   Layers of pebbles or even smaller sized rocks can create a perfect drainage system and allow the vine to send its roots downward to seek water and nutrition for the plant.   In this search downward through the vineyard’s stratum, the plant also brings back nuances from the earth that create complexity in wine.

  

                                                   "Graves" is all about it's "gravel" soil

Rocks are an important part of the vineyard’s terroir.  In the case of Bordeaux’s left bank and Chateauneuf du Pape, both of these wine districts lie beside large rivers.  In Bordeaux, millenniums of granite from the Pyrenees have been washed downward and were deposited in vineyards when rivers overflowed their banks.  Graves, one of Bordeaux’s premium districts, actually takes its name from the word for “gravel.”  Graves' vineyards are littered with rocks that have been broken down by the water's churning action as the rivers carry rocks toward the Atlantic.      

     This Chateauneuf du Pape vineyard is located a croissant's toss from the Rhone River

The Rhone wine region lies beside the Rhone River.  Alpine rocks have been washed down via the Rhone for ages.  Chateauneuf du Pape is the flattest part of the region, hence, its vineyards are laden with galets from the Rhone’s flooding.   On the other side of the world in New Zealand, there’s the Gimblett Gravels wine district, an area known for its world-class red wines.  The Gimlett Gravels are located in an old river bed filled with rocks.  In this case, the river actually changed course and left in its wake a perfect terroir for growing wine grapes:  several feet of deep gravels.   

If you're looking for a novel idea for a wine-tasting, why not consider a "Wine on the Rocks" soiree?

 

There’s No Place Like “Rhone”

   

                     The Hermitage is one of the northern Rhone’s most famous appellations

France’s Rhone Valley is home to some of the world’s most epoch wines.  This wine region, a huge area with over 6,000 grape growers, is divided into two distinct sub-districts, the northern Rhone and the southern Rhone.  Today’s blog will focus on the northern sub-zone (next week we’ll discuss the southern area, home of the famous Chateauneuf-du-Pape wines).  

The terroir is quite different between the northern and southern Rhone, and no doubt has played a role in splitting the two into diverse areas.   The Rhone’s northern wine district has a harsher climate with colder winters and hotter summers.  The northern district's terroir is also influenced by topography.  Milleniums-old glaciers moved through this area carving out dramatic hillsides.  These steep hills now provide good drainage, complex soils, and excellent sun exposure for vineyards.

Terroir dictates the type of grapes that are the most suitable.  In the northern Rhone, Syrah accounts for about 80% of the varietals.  Thought to have actually originated in the northern Rhone Valley, Syrah is the only red grape allowed by law in the northern sub-region’s wines.   These are cool climate Syrahs at their very best.  White grapes, including Viognier, Marsanne, and Roussane, are also important in the area.  Interestingly, in the northern Rhone, red and white grapes can be blended together to create a red wine.  Whites are used to round out the Syrah, bringing flavor and aromas into the mix, as well as softening the angular tannic structure of Syrah.   

Cote-Rotie and Hermitage are two of the most prestigious appellations within the northern Rhone.  Both of these premier areas allow the addition of white grapes into making of a red wines, however, their percentages of white used are often quite small.  These benchmark, complex and bold reds are frequently nearly 100% Syrah.

While most famous for its red wines, the northern Rhone also makes some drop-dead luscious whites.  They are rare and some of my favorites on planet earth.  A blend often of Marsanne and Roussane, they are pricey due to supply and demand.  These gems are definitely worth seeking out.

Tune in next week for the killer wines of the southern Rhone.

Seeing RED on the 4th!

                                                        Summer calls for lighter bodied reds

The 4th of July always signals to me the switch to lighter bodied red wines:  out with the highly structured Cabernets, those big Mouvedres from Bandol, the intense Malbecs from Argentina, and those California Zinfandels with soaring alcohol levels.    The heat of summer calls for easier drinking reds without a lot of tannin or alcohol.  Here are my favorite four to honor the 4^th.

Pinot Noir:

One of the best summer reds is Pinot Noir.  A more feminine grape, Pinot has lower tannins than most other red grapes which means it’s easier drinking in the warmer temperatures of July and August.   Silky and soft, Pinot Noir can be a refreshing summer alternative to the more powerhouse big reds of winter.

Barbera:

Barbera is also a good choice for summer-time quaffing.  The grape has very little tannin and lots of fruit profile.  Mainly grown in the Piedmont district of Italy (home to the heavily structured Barolo and Barbaresco), Barbera works well with summer’s menu of simple grilled meats, poultry and fish.

Frapatto:

One of my fave red wines to drink during the heat of the summer is Frapatto.  Grown primarily in Sicily, this gem of a wine is perfect as an aperitif or with a lighter main course such as poultry or fish.  When I think of Frapatto I think of strawberries as this berry is very prominent in both the varietal’s taste and aroma.   Serve it and I guarantee people will rave.

Grenache:

This grape, which is native to Spain, is also grown in France’s Rhone Valley.   Both countries make lighter-style red (unless the wine is aged in oak).   This low tannin wine serves up an impressive lineup of summer-time flavors of red fruit such as raspberry and strawberry (versus black fruit of the more highly structured reds).

Here’s to the RED white and blue!

The Perfect Summer Duo

One of my pet summer-time wine blends is Marsanne and Roussane.   Rarely vinified as a 100% varietal, these two white Rhone grapes create a perfect marriage of color, aroma, flavor and texture.   I believe that a Marsanne and Roussane blend is a spot-on example of Aristotle’s quote, “The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.”  That being said, let’s examine those parts.

The Roussane grape produces a powerful white wine.   Probably named for its russet-colored grape skin, Roussane creates a deep golden wine.  On the nose, this Rhone varietal offers floral notes, along with peaches and pears.  When allowed to fully ripen there can even be pineapple and mango.  Less ripe fruit offers more delicate herbal nuances. Usually quite rich in texture, Roussane can develop an almost exotic silky, or velvet-like body.  

                                Roussane's color pigments deepen the color of its wine

Roussane in some ways could actually be thought of as a red wine masquerading as a white.   By that I mean that Roussane has a good tannin structure.  These tannins also allow Roussane to age more than other whites without such a tannin structure.  Great Roussanes such as those from the Rhone’s Hermitage, are opulent, elegant, complex, and evocative wines.  

Marsanne, like Roussane, is native to the Rhone Valley.   The most planted white grape in the Northern Rhone, Marsanne also produces deeply colored wines that heighten in color intensity as they age.  Flavor profiles include a nuttiness (think almonds), along with white flowers and citrus or melon.  Like Roussane, Marsanne also has an impressive rich texture.  

                                  France's Rhone Valley is the birthplace of both grapes

While both of these varietals are the back bone of the Rhone Valley’s white wines, they are also grown along California’s coast, Washington state, British Columbia, and Australia.   Most of the time the two grapes are paired together to create the perfect cuvee.  Marrying the best qualities of the duo often produces a fabulous mélange for the summer….or winter!   Here are some of my favorite Roussane-Marsanne blends from the central coast of California:  Jaffus, Sine Qua Non and Stolpman.

Enjoy your summer!

Bucket List Wine Destinations

There are hundreds of wine producing regions in the world, but some are far more compelling than others to visit.   Here are my “Top 10” (listed in alphabetical order by country) which I have based on the following two criteria:  quality of wines and natural beauty.   If you've not been, they are serious contenders for any wine lover's bucket list.

Mendoza, Argentina

                Wines from this area have the highest levels of antioxidants of any wine.

Located at the base of the breathtaking Andes, Mendoza is home to the world’s highest vineyards....and some killer value Malbecs and Torrontes.  

Yarra Valley, Australia    

                                   The Yarra is reminiscent of Napa in the early 1970's

What's not to love about a stunning, bucolic valley of boutique family wineries?  Located a few hours drive from Adelaide, the Yarra should definitely pull at the strings of your heart for a grape escape.

 Wachau Valley, Austria

                                 Storybook villages & Gruner Veltliner await you in the Wachau

The Wachau Valley is a UNESCO world heritage wine region along the banks of the stunning Danube River. 

Burgundy, France   

            The Cote d'Or ("golden hills") produce some of the world's priciest Pinot & Chars

Burgundy is mecca for oenophiles.   It's also home to the world's most famous annual wine auction (the Hospice de Beaune), and one of the world's most famous wine societies (Tastevin du Chevaliers).

Champagne, France  

                There are hundreds of miles of limestone cellars---this one is at Veuve Clicquot's

Much of Champagne was a quarry for Paris' magnificent buildings, resulting in a plethora of underground caves...perfect for storing and aging the region's famous bubbly.

The Rhone Valley, France   

                This Hermitage is ground zero for some of the Rhone's most famous wines

The Rhone Valley is composed of some serious wine real-estate:  L'Hermitage, Chateauneuf du Pape and Cote Rotie.  Provence, also part of the Rhone, is another reason to pack you bag!

Queenstown (Otago), New Zealand   

                                  One of the many out-of-this world vistas in the region

They say that the Otago wine district has some of the world's most beautiful landscapes and I agree.  Think majestic alpine lakes, drop-dead gorgeous vistas and some beautifully crafted whites and reds.

Douro Valley, Portugal  

                              The entire Douro wine region is protected by UNESCO

The Douro Valley is a jaw-dropping area of vertical slopes that were terraced by back-breaking work hundreds of years ago.  Formerly known for Port, the Douro is now producing some world-class table wines at a terrific quality price ratio.

Piedmont, Italy

                  Every hilltop in Piedmont boasts a castle & village for as far as the eye can see

It's hard to believe that the home of Barolo and Barbaresco is also the home of such magnificent scenery.  Piedmont has it all, including one of the world's most famous culinary items, the white truffle.

Tuscany, Italy  

                  Tuscany's scenery has been captivating the hearts of wine lovers for centuries

It's hard for the countryside to compete with such formidable tourist sights as the cities of Florence or Pisa; however, Tuscany steps right up to the plate serving up mesmerizing delights for the eyes and soul.