Appellation Article
Côtes du Rhône
Last edited on 12/12/2007 by JeffTheRN
There are 5 versions of this article (version 3 of 5) / View version history
Côtes du Rhône AOC
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Côtes du Rhône is a wine-growing AOC for the Rhône wine region of France, covering vineyards outside the other named appellations both in the north and south. The appellation can also be used by growers producing wines within a specific geographical location which do not meet that locations AOC requirements for grape variety or method of production. It is also sometimes used by growers when they feel that a specific vintage does not meet the acceptable standard to be labelled with their appellation name. So in theory a producer in the Hermitage AOC (or any other Rhône Valley AOC) could label his or her wines Côtes du Rhône as long as it met the AOC requirements and he or she wished to.
Red and rosé wines are made from Grenache Noir, Syrah, Cinsaut, Carignane, Counoise and Mourvèdre grapes, white wines from Clairette, Grenache Blanc, Marsanne, Roussanne, Viognier, and Bourboulenc.
Reporter Pierre-Marie Doutrelant revealed that "the growers of Côtes du Rhône planted mourvèdre and syrah, two low-yield grapes that give the wine finesse, strictly for the benefit of government inspectors. Then, when the inspectors left, they grafted cheap high-yield vines—grenache and carignan—back onto the vines" (Prial).
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Côtes du Rhône is a wine-growing AOC for the Rhône wine region of France, covering vineyards outside the other named appellations both in the north and south. The appellation can also be used by growers producing wines within a specific geographical location which do not meet that locations AOC requirements for grape variety or method of production. It is also sometimes used by growers when they feel that a specific vintage does not meet the acceptable standard to be labelled with their appellation name. So in theory a producer in the Hermitage AOC (or any other Rhône Valley AOC) could label his or her wines Côtes du Rhône as long as it met the AOC requirements and he or she wished to.
Red and rosé wines are made from Grenache Noir, Syrah, Cinsaut, Carignane, Counoise and Mourvèdre grapes, white wines from Clairette, Grenache Blanc, Marsanne, Roussanne, Viognier, and Bourboulenc.
Reporter Pierre-Marie Doutrelant revealed that "the growers of Côtes du Rhône planted mourvèdre and syrah, two low-yield grapes that give the wine finesse, strictly for the benefit of government inspectors. Then, when the inspectors left, they grafted cheap high-yield vines—grenache and carignan—back onto the vines" (Prial).