Title: WSET Level 3 / WSET Level 3 C19 - The Northern Rho

Front: Describe the Rhone Valley in the Northern Rhone
Back: It is quite narrow and steep
Vineyards mainly planted close to the river

Front: The best northern Rhone vineyards occupy...with...
Back: Steep slopes
Southerly facing aspect

Front: What is the general location/situation of the Northern Rhone's best vineyards?
Back: In lateral valleys that feed into the Rhone
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Name: What is the general location/situation of the Northern Rhone

Front: What is the benefit of the best vineyards of the Rhone being in lateral valleys?
Back: The vines are better protected from the cold northerly winds
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Name: What is the benefit of the best vineyards of the Rhone being

Front: What is the name of the cold northerly wind in the Rhone valley?
Back: The mistral
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Name: What is the name of the cold northerly wind in the Rhone val

Front: Why is the Mistral a threat to Rhone vines?
Back: It can easily damage them

Front: How are vines typically supported in the Northern Rhone?
Back: By individual stakes or tepee-like arrangements of stakes

Front: What is the climate of the Northern Rhone?
Back: Moderate continental
Similar to Beaujolais
Noticeably warmer in the Southern Rhone

Front: How many red grapes are permitted in the Northern Rhone?
Back: 1

Front: What is the only red grape permitted in the Northern Rhone?
Back: Syrah

Front: Which Rhone grape is at the very northern limit of where it can ripen successfully?
Back: Syrah
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Name: Which Rhone grape is at the very northern limit of where it

Front: Describe the Syrah wines of the Northern Rhone
Back: Deeply coloured
Medium to high tannins
Black fruit and sometimes black pepper or floral aromas

Front: What is the role of oak in Northern Rhone based Syrah wines?
Back: It is dependant on the winemakerSome use new oak for heir best winesSome use older oak or larger barrels

Front: What winemaking practice was traditionally practiced in a number of Northern Rhone Crus but is now rarely seen?
Back: Fermenting Syrah with white varieties
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Name: What winemaking practice was traditionally practiced in a nu

Front: What is the role of white grapes when fermented with Syrah in the Northern Rhone?
Back: It can help to stabilise the colour extraction from the red grapes
It can add an aromatic intensity to the grapes (Viognier particularly)
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Name: What is the role of white grapes when fermented with Syrah i

Front: Describe wines made from Viognier in the Northern Rhone
Back: Full bodied whites
Low acidity
High alcohol
Flavours of blossom and apricots/stone fruits

Front: Why is Viognier typically high alcohol and low in acidity?
Back: It doesn't usually develop its signature aromas/flavours until very late in the season, when they reached a very high level of sugar ripeness

Front: Why do Viognier grapes need very careful handling in the winery?
Back: So that they do not develop an overtly oily character that can overwhelm the varietal aromas
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Name: Why do Viognier grapes need very careful handling in the win

Front: What is the role of new oak in the vinification of Viognier?
Back: It is being increasingly used, but must be handled carefully so that the oak aromas do not easily overwhelm the primary aromas

Front: What is the 'other' style of Viognier made in the Northern Rhone?
Back: Some are made in an off-dry style from late-harvested grapes
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Name: What is the other style of Viognier made in the Northern R

Front: Which other white grapes are grown in the Northern Rhone?
Back: Marsanne and Rousanne

Front: How are Marsanne and Rousanne usually used in the Northern Rhone?
Back: They are usually blended together
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Name: How are Marsanne and Rousanne usually used in the Northern R

Front: What characteristics do Marsanne and Roussanne individually offer to a wine?
Back: Marsanne: Richness and weight
Roussanne: Acidity and perfumed fruit
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Name: What characteristics do Marsanne and Roussanne individually

Front: How are Marsanne/Roussanne blends generally characterised?
Back: They are not as aromatically intense as Viognier wines, but can age well and develop complex hazelnut aromas

Front: Which typically Souther Rhone wine can also be made in the Northern Rhone?
Back: Cotes du Rhone
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Name: Which typically Souther Rhone wine can also be made in the N

Front: Describe the appellation system of the Northern Rhone
Back: Most Northern Rhone wines come from one of the cru appellations

Front: Describe a common attribute between Northern Rhone crus
Back: They are often tiny

Front: What are the two Northern Rhone crus which cover a significant area?
Back: Saint-JosephCrozes-Hermitage
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Name: What are the two Northern Rhone crus which cover a significa

Front: Around which town are the vineyards of Cote Rotie?
Back: Ampuis

Front: What is the most northerly appellation of the Northern Rhone?
Back: Cote Rotie
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Name: What is the most northerly appellation of the Northern Rhone

Front: What is the translation of Cote Rotie?
Back: Roasted slope

Front: What wines can be produced in Cote Rotie?
Back: Reds only

Front: Which varietals are used in Cote Rotie?
Back: Syrah and Viognier

Front: How is Viognier used in Cote Rotie?
Back: In small amounts and blended with Syrah

Front: What percentage of wine blends can Viognier make up?
Back: Up to 20%

Front: Describe wines of Côte Rôtie
Back: Deeply coloured
Full-bodied
Spicy
Aromatic, floral freshness and textural elegance, distinct from Hermitage
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Name: Describe wines of Cote Rotie

Front: What colours of wine are made in Condrieu?
Back: White only

Front: Which grapes are used in Condrieu?
Back: Viognier only

Front: Where do the best wines of Condrieu come from?
Back: Low-yielding, old vines
Steep, well-exposed terraced vineyards

Front: Where is Chateau Grillet? Describe it and its wines
Back: It's a single property appellation within Cote Rotie
Wines very similar to those of CR

Front: Where is Saint-Joseph?
Back: Along the western bank of the Rhone, between Condrieu and Tournon

Front: What style are the majority of Saint-Joseph wines?
Back: Reds made from Syrah

Front: What is the 'other' style of wine made in Saint-Joseph?
Back: Whites made from Marsanne/Roussanne
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Name: What is the other style of wine made in Saint-Joseph?

Front: Where are the best wines of Saint-Joseph found?
Back: Terraced vineyards near Tournon
Just south of Condrieu

Front: Describe the best wines of Saint-Joseph
Back: Flavour intensity and structure similar to Hermitage

Front: Where do the high-volume wines of Saint-Joseph come from?
Back: The more fertile, flatter sites of the valley floor
The plateaux above the valley

Front: Describe the high-volume wines of Saint-Joseph
Back: Lighter-bodied
Often incorporating carbonic maceration
Expressing pepper perfume aspects of Syrah

Front: What are the lightest-bodied wines of the Northern Rhone?
Back: High volume reds of Saint-Joseph

Front: Where is Hermitage?
Back: On a steep, south-facing slope behind Tain-l'Hermitage

Front: What is a lieux-dit?
Back: A named vineyard site

Front: How is Hermitage arranged?
Back: It's organised into a number of lieux-dits

Front: What is the benefit of Hermitage's lieux-dit system?
Back: They all vary in steepness and aspect, giving wines of subtly different body and style
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Name: What is the benefit of Hermitages lieux-dit system?

Front: How are lieux-dits used when making wines of Hermitage?
Back: They have traditionally been blends, but some now use single lieux-dits

Front: What is the fullest bodied of the Northern Rhone wines?
Back: Hermitage

Front: What else may be fermented with Syrah in Hermitage wines?
Back: Marsanne and Roussanne

Front: How much Marsanne and Roussanne may be fermented with Syrah in Hermitage wines?
Back: Up to 15%
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Name: How much Marsanne and Roussanne may be fermented with Syrah

Front: What colours of wine are made in Hermitage?
Back: Red and white

Front: What are the white wines of Hermitage made from?
Back: Marsanne and Roussanne

Front: What is the most common use of Marsanne and Roussanne in Hermitage?
Back: To make white wines
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Name: What is the most common use of Marsanne and Roussanne in Her

Front: What proportion of Hermitage's production do white wines account for?
Back: About a fifth
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Name: What proportion of Hermitages production do white wines acc

Front: What is the most important Northern Rhone appellation in terms of production volume?
Back: Crozes-Hermitage
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Name: What is the most important Northern Rhone appellation in ter

Front: Where are the vineyards of Crozes-Hermitage?
Back: On mixed terrain around the hill of Hermitage

Front: Describe the topography of Crozes-Hermitage in relation to Hermitage
Back: North: Vineyards are on slopes
South: On a flat plain
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Name: Describe the topography of Crozes-Hermitage in relation to H

Front: What are the wines of Crozes-Hermitage made of?
Back: Syrah
Up to 15% Marsanne/Roussanne

Front: What quality, style and price are the wines of Crozes-Hermitage?
Back: They vary wildly depending on location
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Name: What quality, style and price are the wines of Crozes-Hermit

Front: Where are the lighter wines of Crozes-Hermitage from?
Back: The higher-yielding, flatter sites to the south

Front: What are the wines like from the northern sites of Crozes-Hermitage?
Back: More concentrated, complex and tannic
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Name: What are the wines like from the northern sites of Crozes-He

Front: What is the role of oak in Crozes-Hermitage?
Back: Some of the more expensive wines may be aged in oak

Front: What colours of wine are produced in Crozes-Hermitage?
Back: Mostly red but some white

Front: What is the most southerly of the Northern Rhone's appellations?
Back: Cornas
Other fields (not shown on cards):
Name: What is the most southerly of the Northern Rhones appellati

Front: What colour of wine is produced in Cornas?
Back: Red only

Front: What is the warmest of the Northern Rhone appellations?
Back: Cornas

Front: Where are the vineyards of Cornas?
Back: On the south facing slopes of the Rhone's lateral valleys

Front: Describe the vineyards of Cornas
Back: Sheltered from wind, well-exposed, sun-baked and south-facing

Front: Which grapes are allowed in Cornas?
Back: Syrah only

Front: Describe the wines of Cornas
Back: Deeply coloured
Full-bodied
Similar style/quality to Hermitage