Bourgogne Flashcards
Why is Bourgogne so tightly linked to the terrior concept? What role did the church play in this development?
Dating back to the Dark Ages, instability and violence led to increased religiosity. At this time, the monks and monasteries dominated the Bourgogne landscape. Vineyards expanded as the church needed more wine for mass. The monks in the 7th/8th centuries AD were aware of the different terroirs they grew their grapes upon and some of the most famous vineyards today were delineated and named during this period (e.g. Corton & Clos de Bezze)
How did the Dukes of Burgundy impact the wine industry?
They ruled the Duchy of Bourgogne from 1363-1477. As strong advocates for Bourgogne’s wine, they got it to the tables of the Pope, French kings and nobility.
- Philippe the Bold (outlawed Gamay production in the Cote d’Or)
- John the Fearless (convinced King Charles VI to fix a zone of production)
- Philippe the Good (founded the Hospices de Beaune)
- Charles the Bold
How did the French Revolution of 1789 impact the wine industry?
Church lands were confiscated and redistributed to the farmers that worked the lands. The great domains were broken up and few monopoles survived.
How did the Napoleonic Code of 1804 impact the wine industry?
It mandated that inheritable property be divided equally amongst siblings. This began the long history of fractionalisation of the vineyard holdings.
What caused the end of the Golden Era in the 17th century?
Bourgogne wines cost 10x that of other French wines, impacting sales as only the richest could afford them. French nobility proceeded to build chateaux along the Loire, spending their summers there and drinking the local wines.
Why weren’t the vineyards of Bordeaux impacted badly by the Napoleonic Code?
The Bordelais incorporated their estates. Ownership looked fragmented on paper in the forms of shares but the chateaux and vineyards remained intact.
What did King Louis-Philipe grant in 1847?
The village of Gevrey the right to append its most famous vineyard name to the name of the village itself, becoming Gevery-Chambertin. Most villages followed suit.
Are more red or white grapes planted in Bourgogne? Why is this?
White (66%). This was to cater for the huge increase in the white wine demand brought about in the 1980s.
T of F, Bourgogne is home to the largest number of AOCs?
True
How would you describe the climate of Bourgogne?
Semi-continental with Atlantic influences in the north and Mediterranean influences in the south.
What is Pinot Gris known as here?
Pinot Beurot
What the ancillary grapes of Bourgogne?
Aligoté, Sacy, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Sauvignon Blanc, César & Gamay
What are the primary grapes of Bourgogne?
Chardonnay & Pinot Noir
Which soils does Pinot Noir prefer?
Limestone or marls with high limestone content
Which soils does Chardonnay prefer?
Marl
Describe Pinot Noir wines when grown on the following soils:
Limestone
Marl
Clay
Limestone: lightly pigmented but very elegant; highly aromatic.
Marl: less elegant reds with more structure and fruit
Clay: less aromatic and complex with lots of body. Need 5-7 years of bottle age to express themselves.
Describe Chardonnay wines when grown on the following soils:
Limestone
Marl
Clay
Limestone: high acid whites with minerality and citrus fruits
Marl: powerful and dense wines with concentrated flavour; age-worthy.
Clay: strucutred and deep wines that are round & earthy.
Does the Saône river impact the vineyards?
No, it is 12 miles away.
Where are 1er Crus, Grand Crus, village AOCs and regional AOCs planted in relation to slope position?
Top slope: 1er cru and some village
Mid-slope: Grand Cru
Bottom slope: Village
Flat plains: Regional
Why is the middle of the slope preferred?
It has a moderate amount of topsoil and receives an adequate amount of rain, plus it’s absorbing some of the additional rainwater running down the slopes from above.
Why are the top and bottom of slope not preferred?
Top slope: thinnest topsoil and least amount of rain.
Bottom slope: deepest soils and most amount of rain (this can cause the vine to grow very big vegetatively and energy is not spent on berry development)
What is the most desired slope aspect in Bourgogne? Why is this?
East. These slopes catch the morning sun which dries the dew and warms the soils.
What is the classification hierarchy?
Grand Cru - 1er Cru - Village AOCs - Regional AOCs
What is the difference in classification between Bourgogne and Bordeaux?
In Bourgogne the vineyards themsleves are classified whereas in Bordeaux the chateaux are classified.
What is the role of the négociant in Bourgogne?
These are companies that purchase grapes/wine from small growers who can’t/don’t wish to bottle and market their own wine. 52% of all wine here is sold through négociants.
What is le bon probleme?
Global warming. Harvest starts 10 days earlier than 20 years ago. Grapes are chilled these days before fermentation to preserve delicate aromas and inhibit browning. Maceration times are shorter these days due to increased grape ripeness.
What are some of the winemaking styles?
Acidification or chaptalisation are both allowed.
Most fermentations are done by wild yeast.
Most WMs use old oak barrels as to not impart noticeable wood tannins to a finished product.
Describe Crémant de Bourgogne Eminent and Grand Eminent
Eminent: 24 months sur lie ageing
Grand Eminent: 36 months sur lie ageing + 3 months in the cellar between disgorgement and release. RS must be less than 1.5% and abv must be less than 10%. (only the first 75% of juice extracted from the press can be used in G.E.)
How long does a standard Crémant de Bourgogne need to be aged?
9 months sur lie
As a general rule, how do Bourgogne Chardonnay & Pinot Noirs vary to their New World counterparts?
Bourgogne are more of a natural expression. Many New World bottlings carry more overt oak. N.W. Chardonnays have less minerality and acidity whilst displaying more candied malo-lactic elements. N.W. Pinot Noirs tend to be more fruit-forward and highly extracted wheres red Burgundies have very polished tannins and display more spice and earth notes.
What is the most general regional AOC?
Coteaux Bourguignons
What are the principals AOCs of Chablis?
Petit Chablis AOC, Chablis AOC, Chablis Grand Cru AOC, Irancy AOC & Saint-Bris AOC
What are the names of the 7 climats within the Chablis Grand Cru?
Bourgros Les Clos Grenoullies Blanchot Les Preuses Valmur Vaudésir
What are the soil variations in Chablis?
Grand & 1er Cru are on Kimmeridgean Marl.
Chablis & Petit Chablis are on Portlandian Marl.
What is the main style of wine produced in Irancy AOC? What are the main grape varieties?
Red
Pinot Noir & César
What is the main style of wine produced in Saint-Bris AOC? What are the main grape varieties?
White
Sauvignon Blanc and Sauvignon Gris
What is the principal AOC of the Chatillonais? What are the main grape varieties?
Crémant de Bourgogne
Pinot Noir, Gamay, Chardonnay & Aligoté
What are the wine styles of Chablis?
The special limestone-rich clay conveys a racy edge of acidity to the wines along with minerality.
What are the white wine styles of the Cote de Nuits?
Elegant and finely structured with delicate apple fruit.
What are the red wine styles of the Cote de Nuits?
Firmly structured with dark berry fruits and earth & spice (except Chambolle-Musigny)
What are the white wine styles of the Cote de Beaune?
Powerful
What are the red wine styles of the Cote de Beaune?
Elegant and full of finesse with a few villages providing more depth and concentration.
What are the white wine styles of the Cote Chalonnaise?
Well-balanced with aromas of white flowers and ripe apple fruit.
What are the red wine styles of the Cote Chalonnaise?
Firm and full-bodied with substantial tannin.
What are the white wine styles of the Maconnais?
Fruity with aromas of hawthorn and acacia blossom.
What are the red wine styles of the Maconnais?
Made from Gamay so light bodied with silky tannins and refreshing acidity.
What are the main soils across the whole Cote d’Or?
Limestone and limestone-rich marls.
What are the principal villages in the Cote de Nuits from north to south?
Marsannay, Fixin, Gevery-Chambertin, Morey-St-Denis, Chambolle-Musigny, Vougeot, Vosne-Romanée, Nuits-St-Georges
Which of the CdN villages have Grand Crus and how many?
Gevery-Chambertin (9) Morey-St-Denis (5) Chambolle-Musigny (2) Vougeot (1) Vosne-Romanée (8)
What are the Grand Crus of Gevery-Chambertin?
Just remeber there are 9 and all contain the word ‘Chambertin’
What are the Grand Crus of Morey-St-Denis?
Clos de la Roche, Clos Saint-Denis, Clos des Lambrays, Clos de Tart, Bonnes Mares
What are the Grand Crus of Chambolle-Musigny?
Bonnes Mares & Musigny
What is the 8th Grand Cru of Vosne-Romanée?
La Grande Rue
Which CdN village is famous for rosé?
Marsannay
Which 5 villages in the CdN shares the Cote de Nuits-Villages AOC?
Fixin, Brochon, Premeaux, Comblanchien, Corgoloin
What causes the weather issues in Chablis?
The maritime influences of the Atlantic bookend the growing season with frost.
Is more white or red wine made in the CdN?
Red - 89%
What is the only white Grand Cru in the CdN?
Musigny
Is more white or red wine made in the CdB?
Red - 57%
What is the only red Grand Cru in the CdB?
Corton
What are the principal villages of the CdB from north to south?
Ladoix-Serrigny, Aloxe-Corton, Pernand-Vergelesses, Chorey-Les-Beaune, Savigny-Les-Beaune, Beaune, Pommard, Volnay, Monthélie, Auxey-Duresses, Mersault, Saint-Romain, Puligny-Montrachet, Chassagne-Montrachet, Saint-Aubin, Santenay & Maranges
Which of the CdB villages have Grand Crus and how many?
Ladoix-Serrigny (2) Aloxe-Corton (3) Pernand-Vergelesses (2) Puligny-Montrachet (4) Chassange-Montrachet (3)
What are the Grand Crus of L-S and P-V?
Corton & Corton-Charlemagne
What are the Grand Crus of A-C?
Corton, Charlemagne & Corton-Charlemagne
What are the Grand Crus of P-M?
Montrachet, Batard-Montrachet, Chevalier-Montrachet and Bienvenues-Batard-Montrachet
What are the Grand Crus of C-M?
Montrachet, Batard-Montrachet and Criots-Batard-Montrachet
What are the villages that only made red wines in the CdB?
Pommard & Volnay
Which village in the CdB is at highest elevation?
Saint-Romain
Which villages can append their village name to the AOC Cote de Beaune Villages
All except Beaune, Aloxe-Corton, Pommard & Volnay
Which appellation in the Cote Challonaise is famous for Aligoté?
Bouzeron
What are the soils of the Cote Challonaise?
Limestone and marl
Is more red or white wine made in the Cote Challonaise?
Red - 62%
Which AOC in the CC is famous for sparkling wine?
Rully
Which AOC in the CC makes in white wine?
Montagny
What are the principal villages in the CC from north to south?
Bouzeron Rully Mercurey Givry Montagny
What are the soil types in the Maconnais?
Limestone and marls
Granite & schist (south)
Is there more red or white wine produced in the Maconnais?
White - 85% planted to Chardonnay
How can red wines be labelled in the Maconnais?
Macon, Macon Superieur or Macon + named village
How are most whites labelled in the Maconnais?
Macon-Villages or Macon + named village
What are the principal AOCs of the Maconnais?
Pouilly-Fuissé, Saint-Véran & Viré-Clessé
Describe the topography of Pouilly-Fuissé
Lies within a topographical bowl rimmed by three bioherms of starfish limestone:
1) Rock of Solutré
2) Rock of Vergissno
3) Mont de Pouilly
What AOC in the Maconnais used to be part of Beajuolais?
Saint-Véran
Which AOC in the Maconnais is the newest?
Viré-Clessé
How many 1er Crus are there in Bourgogne?
640
How many Grand Crus are there in Bourgogne?
33
Describe the make-up of the Passe-Tout-Grains AOC wines?
Mostly Gamay but 1/3 must be comprised of Pinot Noir and/or Pinot Liebault.
Which 9 grapes can make up Crémant de Bourgogne?
Sacy, Aligoté, Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Melon, Pinot Noir, César and Gamay.
Which grapes be incorporated in Coteaux Bourguignons? Where can the fruit be sourced from?
Whites: Chardonnay, Aligoté, Melon & Sacy
Reds: Gamay and/or Pinot Noir
Fruit can be sourced anywhere in Bourgogne, including Beaujolais
Bourgogne Blanc can only include Chardonnay. Which grapes can Bourogne Rougue include?
Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, César and Gamay.
Bourgogne Gamay needs to inlude what percentage of Gamay?
85%
