Which French wine region banned flying saucers from landing in its vineyards and why is the rule still there? How did the devastating February 1956 frost reshape the southern Rhône into the vineyard landscape we know today? What sets the northern Rhone apart from the south in terms of grapes and winemaking style?

In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Matt Walls, author of The Smart Traveller's Wine Guide to the Rhone Valley.

You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks.

Giveaway

Two of you are going to win a copy of Matt Walls' terrific new book, The Smart Traveller's Wine Guide to the Rhone Valley. To qualify, all you have to do is email me at natalie@nataliemaclean.com and let me know that you've posted a review of the podcast. I'll choose two people randomly from those who contact me. Good luck!

Highlights

How did a family picnic become a memorable introduction to the northern Rhone?

How did a visit to a small producer in Crozes Hermitage turn into an unforgettable travel mishap?

Why does Châteauneuf du Pape have a rule specifically forbidding the landing of flying saucers in vineyards?

How is the Rhone Valley laid out geographically and what distinguishes the northern Rhone from the southern Rhone?

How much wine does the Rhone produce each year compared to other regions in France?

What was the moment that made Matt fall in love with Hermitage wines?

What was it like for Matt to move his family from London to a village near Avignon?

How does the culture of Rhone winemakers differ from regions like Bordeaux or Champagne?

What practical advice does Matt have for getting the most out of visits to Rhone wineries?

What makes The Smart Traveler's Wine Guide to the Rhone Valley different from other wine books?

What unexpected part of his research led Matt to fall in love with Lyon?

Key Takeaways

Within the Châteauneuf-du-Pape, the cahiers des charges, which is basically the rulebook on how you're allowed to make wine within the appellation, has a statement that says, "Winemakers may not use their vineyards to land flying saucers." This was put in in the 1960s, when there was a big panic about flying saucers and little green men. I think it's easier just to leave it there than to go through the whole rigmarole for getting it removed.

The devastating February 1956 frost was a turning point in how people lived, worked, and farmed in the southern Rhone. Before that point, it was very much a kind of polycultural land. Individual estates would have olives, grapevines, fig trees, carrots, wheat, and so it was a mixed agriculture. But after 1956, this really wiped out the olive trees. People needed something that would give them a crop immediately in order for them to survive and chose grapevines.

One of the big differences between the northern Rhone and the southern Rhone is that the northern Rhone, they only use one red grape variety, which is Syrah. In the south, they have a whole smorgasbord of different grape varieties and the culture there is to blend. Also they have quite a single-vineyard way of working. The estates tend to be very small in the northern Rhone compared to the southern Rhone.

About Matt Walls

Matt Walls is an award-winning freelance wine writer, author and consultant who contributes to various UK and international publications such as Club Oenologique and Decanter, where he is a contributing editor. He also judges wine and food competitions, develops wine apps and presents trade and consumer tastings. Matt is interested in all areas of wine, but specialises in the Rhône Valley – he is Regional Chair for the Rhône at the Decanter World Wine Awards.

To learn more, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/368.

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