Did you know that ten bottles of Rhone Valley wines are consumed every second?
Recently, Rhone Valley Vineyards‘ winemakers visited Vancouver to remind us that they are more than just Syrah and GSM blends. They also produce white wines, rose wines, and sparkling wines. I attended a lively presentation from five Rhone winemakers to cover their wines plus remind us about the Rhone Valley region and its terroir. Let me tell you what I learned, followed by tasting notes from the wines that I tasted at the seminar.
Seminar Notes
To start, there are 31 appellations (AOCs) that make the Rhone Valley. Within the AOCs there is a quality pyramid, as there are in other AOCs in France, with the lowest level being more widespread and having the least restrictions on grapes used and processing and Crus being the smallest grouping with the tightest restrictions.
There are 34 different grape varieties grown by over 1700 producers. 18% of production volume is organic and 24% of production volume is by High Environmental Value (HVE), aka sustainability. Co-operatives are an important group within the Rhone Valley producing 64% of their wines. 76% of the wines produced in the Rhone Valley are red wines, followed by 13% rosé wines, and 11% white wines.
35% of their wines are exported to 186 different countries. Red wine production is decreasing while white wine production is increasing, showing a change in people’s tastes. Some of the Rhone Valley Vineyards winemakers’ goals are to improve people’s knowledge of red wine for new wine drinkers and to increase wine exports to 50% of production within 10 years. Canada is #4 in top importers of Rhone Valley wines in the world bringing in 9% of total wine exported from the Rhone Valley.
They noted that there are 14 different white grape varieties grown in the Valley with Grenache Blanc being the most widely planted, but there are also other white grapes to discover like Bourboulenc, Macabeau, and Picardan.
For rosé wines, Grenache Noir is used the most. With rosé wine popularity around the world, the winemakers in the Rhone Valley aim to produce more of these wines. There are two methods to make rosé wines; direct press and saignee. They noted that rosé wines made by the direct press method are more lively and fruity and should be drunk within one year, while the rosé wines made via the saignee method are more full-bodied terroir wines that can be enjoyed for up to two years.
Climate change is affecting the Rhone Valley. Harvest is now two weeks earlier than it has for the past ~25 years. The percent alcohol has increased by 0.6% and acidity has dropped by 0.5 g/l. Of course, these changes can be managed in part by picking the grapes sooner. Other options available to the wineries are to plant at a higher altitude or a higher latitude, which offers cooler temperatures and slower ripening. Another option for the current areas is to review historical grapes that maybe did not ripen properly in the past, but now ripen well and retain their acidity, such as Carignan and Counoise. Another option is to develop new grape varieties that work better in our warmer climate. For example, Marselan, a cross between Cabernet Sauvignon and Grenache, is now grown in the Rhone Valley (1%), the Languedoc and Provence regions of southern France and could be viewed as a signature red grape in China’s wine-grape growing region.
I appreciate all the information the winemakers provided about the Rhone Valley and about the wines we tasted.
My Wine Tasting Notes
AOC Côtes du Rhône, Domaine de l’Odylée Cuvée La Prometteuse, 2021 – an organic wine, blend of 40% Grenache Blanc, 20% Viognier, 20% Roussanne, and 20% Clairette. Also certified as HVE. Fermented in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks. This wine has a medium-intensity bright lemon colour. Medium-intensity ripe citrus and stone fruit aromas. Medium-minus body, smooth and round, with lower acidity. Ripe stone fruit flavours and a touch peppery. Medium-plus length with lingering stone fruit flavours. 
AOC Condrieu, Cave Saint Désirat, 2020 – made with Viognier grapes. 30% of the grapes are fermented in barrels and 70% are fermented in stainless steel tanks. The wine in barrels underwent malolactic fermentation then ageing for nine months. This wine has a medium-plus bright lemon in colour. Medium-plus intensity aromas of toast, tropical fruit (pineapple) and floral. Dry, fuller body with a round, thick mouthfeel. Ripe tropical fruit and stone fruit flavours, along with touches of sweet spices, butteriness, grape stem and pepper. A longer length. – 
AOC Côtes du Rhône, Les Vignerons du Castelas Rosé, 2021 – a blend of Grenache Noir, Syrah, and Cinsault directly pressed then fermented for three weeks at low temperature. This wine has a lighter peach skin colour. Medium-intensity sweet red fruit and cotton candy aromas. Medium-plus body, round with higher acidity. Smooth, but with a light acidic prickle. Fresh, tart flavours of red fruits and strawberries. Medium length. 
AOC Luberon, Domaine de la Citadelle Cuvée Le Châtaigner Rosé 2022 – a blend of 30% Grenache Noir, 60% Syrah, and 10% Cinsault that is HVE certified. This wine is also direct pressed, then cold settled, before fermentation and ageing in stainless steel vats. This wine has a light peach skin colour. Very light aromas of red fruits. Medium-plus body, dry, round with a thick mouthfeel. Medium-plus acidity. Strawberries and other red fruit flavours. Some stoniness. Medium length with lightly drying tannins on the finish.
AOC Costières de Nîmes, Château Beaubois Cuvée Confidence, 2021 – an organic, biodynamic, and HVE wine made with 90% Grenache Noir and 10% Syrah. A medium-intensity clear garnet colour. Lighter aromas of violets, candied red berries and raspberries. Dry, medium body with a smooth, round mouthfeel. Ripe raspberries and black pepper on the palate. Medium-minus length with lighter drying tannins on the finish. –
AOC Grignan-les-Adhémar, Domaine Rozel Cuvée Alayx, 2022 – made with 60% Grenache Noir, 25% Syrah, and 15% Cinsault. HVE certified. A deeper, clear ruby colour. Rich aromas, medium intensity, of sweet ripe black fruit. Medium-plus body, silky smooth with medium acidity and soft tannins. Rich flavours of ripe red fruit, raspberries and red apples. Medium-minus tannins. Medium length. –
AOC Côtes du Rhône, Cave de Cairanne Cuvée Insouciante, 2021 – an organic wine made from Grenache Noir grapes. A deep, clear mix of ruby and garnet colours. Rich ripe raspberries and other berries, and black cherry aromas. Medium-plus body with a round mouthfeel. Medium tannins and medium-plus acidity. Deep flavours of ripe raspberries, black pepper, and violets.
AOC Cornas, Paul Jaboulet Ainé Cuvée Les Grandes Terrasses, 2020 – made from Syrah grapes. A deeper, dull mix of ruby and garnet. Medium-intensity aromas of meat, sweet spices and ripe dark fruits. Medium body, smooth with a buttery feel. Ripe berries and sweet spices with red apple and raspberry flavours later. Elegant.
AOC Côtes du Rhône, Villages Sablet Château du Trignon, 2016 – a blend of 55% Grenache Noir and 45% Mourvedre grapes. A deeper, dull garnet colour. Medium-intensity aromas of meat, flint, and ripe red fruits. Dry, medium-plus body, smooth and round mouth feel. Medium acidity and light tannins. Raspberries, ripe red fruits and light pepperiness on the palate. Medium length.
AOC Rasteau, M. Chapoutier Cuvée Les Gadilles, 2021 – a blend of Grenache Noir and Syrah. Deep, dull garnet colour. Medium-intensity aromas of meat and red fruits. Medium-plus body smooth and round, but not quite mouth-filling. Juicy black berries, black pepper and spiciness. Off-dry. Medium-plus acidity. Medium-minus intensity fine-grained tannins.
AOC Gigondas, Maison Gabriel Meffre – Cuvée Laurus, 2019 – a blend of Grenache Noir, Mourvedre, and Syrah. Deeper clear ruby colour. Light red berries and candied fruit nose. Medium body, soft, smooth and round mouthfeel. Red fruit and sweet spices plus some pepperiness. Light acidity. Medium-length.
AOC Clairette de Die, Caves Carod Cuvée Royale Brut Sparkling – made with the Clairette grape by the Traditional Method. A medium-minus intensity clear lemon colour. Light aromas of white flowers, crisp apples, and a touch of grapefruit pith. Off-dry, round with higher acidity. Tiny creamy bubbles. Pear flavours. Medium-minus length with a touch of pepperiness on the finish. A fresh, exciting bubble to enjoy. –
I was told that some of these wines are available in our market, but do not have that list. If one of these wines are of interest to you, I encourage you to check with the BC Liquor Stores or a private store like Marquis Wine Cellars or Everything Wine.
The post A Visit from Rhone Valley Vineyards Wine Makers to Vancouver appeared first on MyWinePal.
