OK, we are back from spring break hiatus and already have a few VTS weeks queued up. If you’re interested in hosting a VTS just click on the little “PM” and sent me a note.
This week is Jay Hack & The California Rhone Rangers. Shouldn’t that be the name of a rock band? Tell them what they’re playing for Jay.
I will do "> California Rhone Rangers> " and > $5 for every tasting note > to fund dinners for the Men’s Homeless Shelter in White Plains, and we will cook for them as well. > $10 if the wine has a label ABV over 16% > . Must have Rhone varieties and no non-Rhone varieties.The Prisoner does not qualify BUT I will make an exception for Saxum Paderewski. Red or White.
Can you help? Sure just post a tasting note in this thread and who doesn’t have some high octane cali rocket fuel in the cellar! Pull those corks. ![[cheers.gif]](/uploads/db3686/original/2X/0/0ff9bfcdb0964982cd3240b6159868fbdf215b1a.gif "cheers"){kind=small}
There are others but to get you started, here is a list of qualifiers.
- California Red & White Rhone Blends in your cellar
- Cali Syrah in your cellar
- Cali Grenache in your cellar
History of the Rhone Rangers
In the 1980s, Randall Grahm of Bonny Doon Vineyard, Joseph Phelps of Joseph Phelps Winery, John McCready of Sierra Vista Winery, Bill Crawford of McDowell Valley Vineyards, Fred Cline of Cline Cellars Winery, Steve Edmunds of Edmunds St. John and Bob Lindquist of Qupé Wine Cellars, among others, began popularizing the marketing of the Rhône varietals. Their success helped to revive plantings of many traditional Rhône grapes that were dying out in California like Grenache, Mourvedre and Viognier. Syrah also saw a dramatic increase in plantings.[3] after Gary Eberle, then with Estrella River Winery (now Meridian Vineyards) planted it in Paso Robles and made available the clone he used to other interested growers.[4] Beginning around 1990, a second wave of innovation in the Rhone Rangers movement began, which included investment and grapevine cuttings from the Rhone itself, as Château de Beaucastel entered into a partnership with American wine importer Robert Haas to found Tablas Creek Vineyard in Paso Robles. Tablas Creek imported new clones of many of the 13 varieties allowed in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, including Grenache blanc, Counoise, and Picpoul blanc that had never before been used in California[5] and made the clones available to other vineyards. Other key innovators in this newer phase of development included Alban Vineyards, Domaine de la Terre Rouge, Unti Vineyards and Zaca Mesa Winery, many of whom also imported their own clones.
How many of the 22 rhone varieties can you name? No peaking.
Carignan (Carignane)
Chances are more gallons of Carignan are produced on the planet every year than any other wine – and virtually none of it is bottled under that name. The grape is responsible for untold millions of cases of jug wine from Southern France and California’s Central Valley. Yet under the right conditions – mature vines, restricted yields, careful winemaking – it can make perfectly respectable wine and, if used in moderation, add a useful flavor dimension (as well as color and tannin) to blends.
Cinsault (Cinsaut)
A high-yielding, early-ripening, hot-weather red grape, generally used in blends. Cinsault tends to be low in tannin, and is often added to blends to add a spicy component. Not often found as a varietal bottling. Among the grape’s claim to fame is being half the genetic cross (along with pinot noir) behind the South African Pinotage grape. Cinsault came to California in the 1860s, but total planting in 2004 was only144 acres, producing a mere 672 tons.
Counoise
Counoise may be an obscure grape in the United States, but it is a key component of many Châteauneuf-du-Pape wines. It is a deep purple-red, and has a rich spicy character, with flavors of anise, strawberries and blueberries. Counoise’s moderate alcohol and tannins make it a good complement for Syrah, balancing that grape’s characteristic intense spice, strong tannins and high alcohol. It is said to have been introduced to Châteauneuf-du-Pape from Spain by a papal officer who offered it to Pope Urban V when the papacy was based in Avignon in the mid-14th century. In the vineyards of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, it occupied a prominent place in the wines of the celebrated Château la Nerthe in the late 19th century, and saw a rebirth at Château de Beaucastel under Jaques Perrin. In California, Tablas Creek Vineyard imported Counoise cuttings from Château de Beaucastel in 1990, and the BATF recognized the varietal in 2000.
Grenache
Probably the world’s most widely planted red grape, largely in France and Spain. Grenache’s reputation would soar if it were treated more respectfully by growers. It should be planted in more suitable locations throughout the world. Early-budding and late-ripening, Grenache has a tendency toward high sugar / alcohol levels, if not planted in the right areas or cropped back. It needs sandy, devigorated soil where it can produce exquisite, luscious wines. In California, Grenache has been around in blends of all kinds since the 1850s, with about 7,700 acres currently planted. [more about Grenache]
Mourvedre (Mataro)
Like Grenache, the Mourvedre grape is probably Spanish (where it goes by the name monastrell) in origin. Under the name mataro (or no name at all), it has been part of California “field blends” for more than a century. It produces sturdy wines with good acid and some astringency, and can develop enticing blackberry aromas and flavors – meaty, intense wines that age well. Mourvedre is notable in France as the prime ingredient in the red and rose wines of Bandol. California’s early Rhone Rangers were responsible for rescuing precious acreage of old Mourvedre plantings in the 1970s; total acreage now is around 830. [more about Mourvedre]
Muscardin
Muscardin is believed to be a clone the Mondeuse varietal of the Savoie region of France. It is one of the 13 permitted varietals in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, but has virtually disappeared; Château de Beaucastel and Château Rayas are among the only domaines that include it in their red blends. It has a distinctive floral bouquet and is pale in color.
Syrah (Shiraz)
Syrah is the eight hundred pound gorilla of Rhone grapes. In the vineyard and the winery, Syrah is typically an easy grape to work with – healthy, early-ripening, resistant to mildew and rot, suitable for winemaking in a variety of styles. At its best, Syrah can slug it out with high-end Cabernet and Pinot Noir. This is accomplished when the vines are not allowed to over-bear. As a single varietal, Syrah is the basis for the great reds of the Northern Rhone; as an ingredient in blends, it contributes much of the character and aging potential for wines of the Southern Rhone. Shiraz (in Australian) has a distinguished history Down Under as well, being the most widely planted red grape. The variety also has a long track record in California – including a record of confusion with Petite Sirah, an unrelated grape. Syrah plantings have increased dramatically in recent years. According to California agricultural statistics, there were 21,635 tons of Syrah crushed in California in 1998 vs. 101,000 tons in 2004. [more about Syrah]
Petite Sirah (Durif)
Petite Sirah is a cross between the two grapes, Syrah and Peloursin, developed in France in 1880 by Dr. Francois Durif. Though not known to be grown anywhere in France today, it is grown in California and Australia. “Petite” hardly describes its character. The grape produces a wine dark in color (blue-red hues) with great extraction and big tannins that will reward those with the patience to cellar. Even younger wines, however, will benefit from decanting.
Picpoul Noir
The red variant of the more common Picpoul Blanc, Picpoul Noir produces wines which are almost colorless, but high in alcohol.
Terret Noir
Terret Noir is a minor varietal more commonly seen in its “Blanc” and “Gris” forms. It produces wines with bright acidity, providing a balance for some of the low-acid red varietals in the Southern Rhône.
Vaccarèse
Vaccarèse (known in the village of Chusclan as Camarèse) is a minor varietal found primarily in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, where it is considered a relative of Cinsault and produces floral, tannic wines.
Bourboulenc
A white varietal that has been grown in southern France for centuries, and is one of the 13 permitted Châteauneuf-du-Pape varietals. It provides freshness and acidity in blends, and is particularly important in the white wines from the Minervois and Corbières.
Clairette Blanc
In the Southern Rhône and the Languedoc region, Clairette provides the base in white blends. Its low acidity, high alcohol, and floral perfume make it an ideal blending grape. In the southern Rhône, it is commonly blended with Grenache Blanc and Ugni Blanc; in the central Rhône, it is blended with Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains to make the sparkling Clairette de Die. Outside of France, it is also planted in South Africa and Australia.
Grenache Blanc
Grenache Blanc is the white-berried equivalent of Grenache Noir, and, like its red variant, is drought-resistant, vigorous, and easy to graft. The varietal originated in Spain and still plays a role in the wines of Rioja and Navarre. From Spain, it spread to France where it has thrived in the vineyards of the Rhône valley and Châteauneuf-du-Pape. It is the fourth most commonly planted white grape varietal in France, comprising over 37,000 acres in Roussillon alone. Its high-sugar, high-acid, straw-colored bunches produce wines that are high in alcohol, with green apple flavors and aromas. Although it can stand confidently on its own, its crispness and long finish make it a tremendous blending component. In Châteauneuf-du-Pape, the crisp acidity of Grenache Blanc is often used to balance the honeyed richness of Roussanne. In California, Tablas Creek Vineyard imported Grenache Blanc cuttings from Château de Beaucastel in 1992, and the BATF recognized the varietal as distinct from Grenache Noir in 2003.
Marsanne
The white workhorse grape of the Southern Rhone and much of Southern France, and widely planted in Australia as well. Marsanne is a sturdy, hardy grape that produces a full-bodied wine – with the heft of a good Chardonnay. Its relatively simple fruity flavors make it a natural candidate for a blending base, though interesting varietal Marsanne can also be produced. In the U.S., the total 2004 Marsanne harvest was a whopping 323 tons.
Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains
Almost certainly the oldest known wine grape varietal, Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains has a noble history. It was established in Gaul by the Romans, and may even have been brought to Marseilles by the Greeks before that. From the south of France, it spread throughout the Mediterranean, as well as north into Alsace and Germany. Currently, it is grown almost everywhere in Europe, including Russia, Hungary, the Crimean Peninsula, and Greece (where it is one of the country’s principle grapes). Its berries, as the name suggests, are small and produce wines with elegantly floral aromatics. In the southern Rhône the grape is often blended with Clairette to make the sparkling Clairette de Die, and vinified alone to make the sweet Beaumes-de-Venise wines. California does not have much planted, but it can be found in the Central Valley and in Paso Robles.
Picardin
Picardin is a little-known white varietal that would have disappeared but for its inclusion as one of the 13 permitted Châteauneuf-du-Pape varietals. However, there is some doubt of its existence at all. Ampelographers have not been able to find an individual variety corresponding to what growers call Picardin; samples usually turn out to be either Clairette or Bourbelenc. Despite that, it is recognized as a separate varietal in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, and is typically described as fairly colorless with an agreeable light musky note.
Picpoul/Piquepoul Blanc
Native to the Languedoc area, Piquepoul means “lip stinger,” an apt description of its high acidity must. Prior to the phylloxera invasion, Picquepoul was popular, and often blended with the Clairette. When vineyards were replanted in the early 1900s, however, its low yields did not gain it prominent placement in the vineyards of Southern France. It is still used in the wines of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, and has floral aromatics and soft tannins.
Roussanne
Roussanne’s name comes from its russet-colored skin. The grapes are somewhat prone to rot, but high in acidity and in aromatic qualities. The same qualities that make Roussanne a racy, lively wine also give it the potential to age – setting it apart from the other Rhone whites. In the Southern Rhone, Roussanne is often the premium component of white blends. In California, the grape has been present in tiny quantities for perhaps a century, and coastal plantings stretch from Santa Barbara to the Sierra Foothills to Sonoma. The State listed a total of 166 planted acres of Roussanne in 2004.
Ugni Blanc
This ubiquitous grape is perhaps better known by its Italian name of Trebbiano. In Cognac, where it comprises almost 95% of all vines planted and forms the base for brandy, it is also known as St. Emilion. Although very few people in the United States have heard of it, the varietal is France’s most planted grape [Robinson, 1996], outnumbering Chardonnay five to one in the 1980s. The varietal is so prolific that it produces more wine than any other grape (even though Grenache and Spain’s Airén may cover a larger vineyard area). It is relatively low in alcohol but high in acidity, and, when not overproduced, makes wines with delicate fruit and floral aromas. The United States appears to be one of the last wine-producing countries without measurable acreage of Ugni Blanc. In addition to France and Italy, it is widely grown in Australia, South Africa, and even Southeast Asia.
Viognier
Viognier may be the world’s least widely planted premium grape – but currently one of the most prized. In the vineyard, yields and acid levels tend to be low, and susceptibility to disease and rot high. In the winery, it is temperamental. But once in the bottle or the glass, a well-made Viognier comes with a deep, yellow color and an exquisite, exotic bouquet – apricots, pears, tropical fruits. In the Northern Rhone, viognier is the basis of the wines of Condrieu and Chateau-Grillet. In the U.S., it has a short but accelerating history. In 1996, for example, there were 645 acres of viognier vines in California; by 2004, planted acres had grown to over 2000. Seems to do best in granitic, schistic, and mica-laden soils.
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