16. Burgundy Flashcards
Bourgogne was an ancient trading site near which four rivers?
Saone, Loire, Rhone and Seine
When was Burgundia absorbed into the Frankish kingdom?
534 AD
When did Romans conquer the Celtic tribe in Burgundy?
52 BC
When were the first named vineyards of Burgundy established?
Clos de Beze in 630 and Corton in 775.
Name the 4 Dukes of Burgundy.
Philippe the Bold, John the Fearless, Philippe the Good, Charles the Bold (aka Charles Le Temeraire - Reckless) [mnemonic: PJPC]
What was the contribution of Philippe the Bold in wine?
outlawed Gamay (easier to grow than Pinot Noir)
What was the contribution of John the Fearless in wine?
fixed the Burgundy zone of production from Sens to Macon
What was the contribution of Philippe the Good in wine?
built the Hospices of Beaune, created good will for area of Borgogne
Why is Ladoix-Serrigny an exception to the Burgundy village naming scheme?
Ladoix and Serrigny are twin hamlets; Serrigny is not a vineyard.
What is a monopole?
a vineyard with a single proprietor
Why are Pommard, Meursalt and Volnay exceptions to the Burgundy village naming scheme?
They have no Grand Cru vineyards, so could not append a vineyard name to the village.
How has Burgundy wine style production changed from 1986 to today?
was 60% red, now 66% white with expansion of Chablis and Maconnais
What kind of training system was used in Burgundy after phylloxera replanting?
Guyot, one long cane and one short spur, trained low
What was the effect of the Napoleonic Code on Burgundy estates?
resulted in fractionalization of vineyards (did not occur in Bordeaux because of incorporation of estates and division by shares)
When was the first wine auction at Hospices de Beaune?
1859
What were the 3 main drivers of change in Burgundy in the 19th century?
a) French Revolution removed control of vineyards from church hands, b) Napoleonic Code resulted in fractionalization of vineyards, c) phylloxera decimation
What is the climate of Burgundy?
northern continental
Name the 2 primary grapes of Burgundy.
Chardonnay and Pinot Noir
Name 2 secondary grapes of Burgundy.
Aligote (w), Sauvignon Blanc (w)
Why is Nuits-Saint-Georges an exception to the Burgundy village naming scheme?
Les Saint Georges is a Premier Cru.
How many AOC’s are in Burgundy?
101, about 20% of the total number of French AOC’s.
What percent of French wine comes from Burgundy?
About 6%.
What are the primary and secondary flavors of Chardonnay?
Primary fruit flavors are apple and citrus; secondary aromas of butter, nuts, ginger, vanilla and nutmeg
What are the primary and secondary flavors of Pinot Noir?
Primary fruit flavors are cherry and strawberry; secondary aromas of earth, leather, violets, clove, cinnamon, sandalwood, smoke and truffles
What are the aromas of Aligote?
jasmine and vanilla, usually limited to two dimensions
Where are the oldest marine deposits located in Burgundy?
Macon.
Where are the youngest marine deposits located in Burgundy?
Chablis.
What are colluvial soils?
formed from rain-driven slope wash
What are alluvial soils?
deposited by river flow
What amount of rain and thickness of the topsoil is characteristic at the top of the slope?
thinnest topsoil, least amount of rain
What is the rating of vineyards at the top of the slope?
Premier Cru
In what section of the slope are located Grand Cur vineyards?
middle of the slope, still with thin slope
What amount of rain and thickness of the topsoil is characteristic at the bottom of the slope?
Most amount of rain and deepest soil, Village AOC’s.
What amount of rain and thickness of the topsoil is characteristic in the plain of Burgundy?
deep soils and ample water supply, wines with minimal distinction.
Chardonnay prefers what soils?
calcareous clayey soils on a limestone bedrock
Pinot Noir prefers what soils?
limy marl soils on a limestone bedrock
What percent of Burgundy wine is Grand Cru?
2%
How many Grand Crus are in Burgundy?
33
Why is Chablis an exception for Burgundy labels?
Chablis is always listed on the label along with the Grand Cru vineyard name.
What percent of Burgundy wine is Premier Cru?
10%
How many Premier Crus are in Burgundy?
635
At what levels of the wine quality pyramid are varietal nomenclature permitted?
Regional (bottom) only.
Does the name of the village appear on the label of Grand Cru wine in Bourgogne?
No (except for Chablis)
How many Premiers Crus AOCs are in Bourgogne?
None, they are included in the 44 Village AOC’s
Chablis and Grand Auxerrois belong to what department? what region?
Yvonne department in Bourgogne region
Cote d’Or belongs to what department? what region?
Cote d’Or department in Bourgogne region
Macon belongs to what department? what region?
Saone et Loire department in Bourgogne region
Cote Chalonnaise belongs to what department? what region?
Saone et Loire department in Bourgogne region
What are the 4 departments of Bourgogne region?
Saone et Loire, Cote d’Or, Yvonne, Nievre
Name two exceptions to the single-varietal rule in Borgogne.
Passe-tout-Grains AOC - predominantly Gamay blends; Cremant de Bourgogne AOC - sparking blends that can include any of the primary or secondary grapes of Bourgogne except Pinot Gris.
What is the predominant grape in Passe-tout-Grains AOC?
Gamay in this Bourgogne blend
What percent of Cote de Beaune wine production is white?
43%
How many Grands Crus are in Cote de Beaune?
8
How many red Grands Crus are in Cote de Beaune?
1, Corton which is both red and white
Which Cote de Beaune village has the most Premiers Crus?
Beaune, 42
Which Cote de Beaune village has the most Grands Crus?
Puligny-Montrachet, 4
What are the 3 Grands Crus of Chassagne-Montrachet?
Montrachet, Batard-Montrachet, Criots-Batard-Montrachet
Which Grand Cru of Chassagne-Montrachet is not shared with Puligny?
Criots-Batard-Montrachet