I’ve talked about France’s Rhône region in a few previous posts—rosé winemaking, carbonic and semi-carbonic maceration, and of course Southern Rhône red blends. So I think it’s time for an overview of the Rhône and it is, in my mind, easier to do so by separating out the North and South. So, let’s start at the top and work our way down of this very narrow French wine region. Here we go…
[Information based on WSET Level 3 material]
Red wines from the Southern Rhône are often a blend of grape varieties. State the stylistic and practical reasons why a winemaker in this region might choose to blend.
[Answer(s) based on WSET Level 3 material]
Much red wine labelled Côtes du Rhône is produced using semi-carbonic maceration. Answer the following questions about the process.
[Answer(s) based on WSET Level 3 material]
OI OI OI!
I’ve talked about a few specific Australian wine regions in previous posts in reference to WSET practice questions. Before I leave the continent for a bit, I wanted to make sure I covered the other areas as well. Time to go down under…
[Information based on WSET Level 3 material]
During service a customer asks you to recommend an Australian alternative for his two favorite French wines. Recommend alternative wines that have a similar style, quality, and price. You must account for the factors in the vineyard and winery which make your choices appropriate. Also explain any important differences in the wine.
Before reading on, make sure to read through Part 1 of this short answer quiz, in which the wine in question was Mersault Premier Cru. The second wine our fancy client is asking about: Margaux. So, let’s move to the southwestern portion of France to…Bordeaux.
[Information based on WSET Level 3 material]