15. Burgundy Flashcards
Describe the climate of Burgundy.
- ranges from cool continental (north - Chablis) to moderate continental (south)
- rain common in early summer and at harvest
- spring frosts (Chablis)
- localized summer hailstorms
Where are basic village-level vineyards located? What about premier or grand cru?
basic village = flat sites, bottom of slopes
premier/grand cru = mid-slope
-highest quality are south or east facing exposure (protection for westerly winds)
Describe the soil of hillside vineyards vs. flat sites of Burgundy.
- varied soils
- hillside: shallower, better drainage
- flat land: deeper, more fertile
What is the problem we’re seeing of some older Burgundian Chardonnays?
- around 15 years ago, noticed that these wines were not aging as expected
- signs of oxidation
- no cause identified
What are the white varieties of Burgundy?
- Chardonnay: 50% of the production
- Aligoté
Describe Aligoté.
- neutral wines
- high acidity
Where is Chablis? Where are the most favorable sites in Chablis?
- valley of the River Serein
- northern-most part of Burgundy
- favorable sites: on south-facing slopes
What is Petit Chablis?
classification of lesser vineyards in Chablis
Where are the most favorable sites in Chablis? What are the basic village level sites?
- favorable sites: on south-facing hillsides (more concentration and ripeness)
- basic sites: north-facing slopes, flatter land
Describe Chablis wine. How is it made?
- austere
- green fruit
- high acidity
- better examples: riper fruit (citrus rather than green apple), more body
- Some: ferment or age a portion in old oak (rounder texture, subtle flavors)
- Others: ferment and store in stainless steel or concrete
What is Cote de Beaune known for?
-best Chardonnays in the region
Name (from north to south) the key villages of the Cote de Beaune. Which produce only red wine?
- Aloxe-Corton (Corton, Corton-Charlemagne)
- Beaune
- Pommard*
- Volnay*
- Meursault
- Puligny-Montrachet (Montrachet)
- Chassagne-Montrachet (Montrachet)
*only red
What are the top villages of Burgundy for white wine?
Meursault
Puligny-Montrachet
Chassagne-Montrachet
Which can be a white wine: Cote de Nuits-Village or Cote de Beaune-Village?
Cote de Nuits-Village
Where is the Cote Chalonnaise? Describe wine from the Cote Chalonnaise.
- south of Cote d’Or
- higher altitude (late harvest, less reliable ripening)
- less consistent east-facing aspect
- lighter wines, mature earlier
- less prestigious than Cote d’Or
Name the four villages of the Cote Chalonnaise and what types of wines they produce.
- Rully (more white than red, sparkling)
- Mercurey (red wines)
- Givrey (red wines)
- Montagny (only white)
Note: premier cru but no grand cru
Describe the better white wines from the Macon.
- fresh apple, citrus
- medium acidity
- medium-to-full body
- hint of creaminess from MLF
Describe Macon Villages wine. Name one specific village with a following.
- good value
- more ripeness, body, and character than Macon
- Lugny: village with considerable following.
Name the two most famous village appellations within the Macon and describe their geography and flavors.
- Pouilly-Fuissé and Saint-Véran
- ripe notes of tropical and stone fruit
- toasty oak flavors: matured in barrels to enhance texture and flavor
- limestone slopes (east/south-east exposure)
- richest and ripest
What is the main red grape of Burgundy? Describe these wines.
Pinot Noir
- red fruit flavors in youth
- evolve into earth, game, mushroom
- high acid
- low to medium tannins
- varies with vintage
Describe winemaking techniques of Burgundian Pinot Noir.
- whole bunches increasing in popularity
- 16-18 months barrel aging for best wines
- typically proportion on new oak
What are the two parts of the Cote d’Or? What type of wines are each known for?
Cote de Nuits
- north
- fullest body
- longest lived
- Pinot Noir
- all of the red grand crus (except 1)
Cote de Beaune
- south
- fruiter stle
- Pinot Noir
- more famous for Chardonnay
- all of the white grand crus
What are the key villages, from north to south, of the Cote de Nuits? Also name their most famous grand cru sites.
- Gevrey-Chambertin (Chambertin, Chambertin Clos de Beze)
- Vougeot (Clos de Vougeot)
- Vosne-Romanée (Romanee-Conti, La Tache, La Romanee)
- Nuits-Saint-George
Describe Cote de Nuit-Villages.
- can be red or white
- from villages on Cote de Nuit but doesn’t quality for one of the more famous village appellations
Describe Cote de Beaune-Villages.
- must be red
- can come from any one, or a combination of the villages on the Cote de Beaune
Describe Bourgogne Hautes Cotes de Nuits and bourgogne Hautes Cotes de Beaune.
- to the west of and at a higher altitude of the main vineyards
- cooler climate
- less body
- less concentration
What is Bourgogne Cote Chalonnaise?
- all wines made on the Cote Chalonnaise from Pinot Noir for reds or Chardonnay for whites
- regional appelation
What red grapes are grown in the Macon?
- mostly Gamay
- some Pinot Noir
What percentage of total production do regional wines account for?
over 50%
What is Bourgogne Rouge typically made of? Bourgogne blanc?
Rouge - PN
Blanc - Chardonnay
What level of classification is Bourgogne Rouge? Bourgogne Hautes Cotes de Nuits? Macon Villages? Macon?
Regional
Can a Macon Villages be only white, only red or either?
only white
What percentage of total production do commune appellation wines account for?
1/3
What does premier cru and grand cru mean?
Appellations that have consistently made high quality wine
- not typically owned by one person
- several people own plots within the cru
If a premier cru or grand cru vineyard is owned by one person, what is it called?
Monopole
How many premier crus are there between Chablis, Cote d’Or, and Cote Chalonnaise? What percentage of total production do they produce?
600
1/10 of production
Can premier cru wines be blended from different crus and still labeled “premier cru”?
Yes! If they are not blended and the wine is from a single vineyard, they can write the name of the vineyard on the label too
What percentage of total production do grand cru wines account for?
just over 1%
Where are the grand crus located? How many?
33 in Cote d’Or
1 in Chablis
-vineyard appears on label along with “grand cru”
