Bourgogne Flashcards
What has happened recently to Burgundy’s name?
The Bureau Interprofessionnel des Vins de Bourgogne (BIVB) initiated a major platform shift transitioning all reference of region to French name
How many AOCs are in Bourgogne?
100 of 500 in France
How big is Bourgogne and where is it located?
Bourgogne represents 140 miles stretch from Chablis to Maconnaise (6% of French wine production, 20% of French AOCs)
What was Bourgogne’s importance historically? How did this impact the wine production there?
Major trade crossroads between northern Celtics tribes and the Roman empire. Vines arrived by trading Celts or visiting Romans- viticulture did not expand much at the time due to small population
When was the Kingdom of Burgundia founded
In 450AD after years of invasions as Roman ties weakened, Germanic Burgondes settled in region and founded kingdom of Burgundia, later absorbed into Frankish kingdom
How did religion impact the history of wine in Burgundy?
Instability of Dark Ages led to increased religiousity, churches needed wine for mass and vineyards expanded- most of famous vineyards in modern-day Bourgogne delineated/named during that time
How did the Dukes of Bourgogne impact Burgundian wine history?
Four dukes of Bourgogne served as strong advocates and ambassadors for Burgundian wine and had long lasting effect on establishing quality reputation for wine region, put Bourgogne wines on the tables of popes, French kings, and nobility
When was Gamay outlawed in Bourgogne and by who?
Philippe the Bold outlawed Gamay within the Cote d’Or in 14th century because Gamay was grape for the common folk, Pinot Noir served to nobility
How did Burgundian wines relate to those of the rest of France by the 17th century? What happened after that?
They were 10 times more expensive, so only rich could afford, then rich began buying houses along Loire and drank Loire wine to the detriment of Bourgogne.
What happened to Burgundian wineries during the French Revolution?
Church lands confiscated and redistributed to farmers who worked those lands, few monopoles (vineyards owned by one person) survived; Napoleon mandated inherited property be equally divided between siblings- began long history of fractionalization of Bourgogne vineyards
How did phylloxera impact Bourgogne?
Reduced area under vine significantly, area lost dynamic momentum
What was the village naming convention in Bourgogne started in 1847
Most famous vineyard name appended to name of village, done to help growers who did not have parcel of flagship vineyard
When/where was the first wine auction held and why was it important?
At Hospices de Beaune in 1859- precedent setting step forward in wine tourism and wine charity events
Where/when was the first vineyard classification system carried out and why is it important?
Carried out by Agricultural Committee of Beaune in 1861, set stage for hierarchical quality pyramid we know today
How were Burgundian vineyards replanted after phylloxera?
Set into orderly rows and most employed Guyot training system (previously vineyards had been haphazardly planted en foule)
When were Bourgogne’s boundaries legally defined?
1930
When did the AOC legislation give form and structure to Bourgogne’s named parcels or climats?
1936
What happened to the proportion of red wine vs. white wine planted in Bourgogne over time?
In 1986 60% of production was red, today 66% of production is white- due to skyrocketing demand for white wine in 1980s
Where is Bourgogne located?
In the eastern section of France, two hours from Paris and one hour from Lyon
How big is Bourgogne and where does it rank in AOCs?
It is 1/5th the size of Bordeaux, has more AOCs than any other French region
What is the climate of Bourgogne?
The narrow strip of vineyard lays deep within France and is surrounded by land, has semi-continental climate due to oceanic influences at north and south extremities (Atlantic north, Mediterranean south), Saone flanks Burgundy but is 12 miles away so doesn’t impact climate- 140 miles north to south so significant temperature and climate variations
What are the primary grapes of Bourgogne?
Chardonnay and Pinot Noir
What are the ancillary grapes of Bourgogne?
Aligote (w), Sacy (w), Pinot Blanc (w), Pinot Gris (w), Sauvignon Blanc (w), Cesar (r) and Gamay (r)
Are most Bourgogne wines varietal or blends? How much of the variety is required in varietal wines?
Most are varietals, Bourgogne Blanc must be only Chardonnay (but rogue vines can still pop up in vineyard), Bourgogne Gamay and Bourgogne Pinot Noir only require 85% of grape listed, Coteaux Bourguignons Blanc and Rouge and Bourgogne Rouge can be blend
What are Burgundian expressions of red and white wines
Pure unadulterated expressions of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay; red Burgundies have very polished tannins and display more spice/early elements than fruit forward new world PNs
What is Passe-Tout-Grains AOC
Mostly Gamay, must be 1/3 Pinot Noir and/or Pinot Liebault. May contain up to 15% Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, or Chardonnay (red or rose)
Cremant de Bourgogne AOC
Sparkling wine made of Sacy, Aligote, Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Girs, Melon, Pinot Noir, Cesar, and Gamay
What is the geology of Bourgogne?
Sits amid Paris basin, pile of elliptical plates that stack from youngest to oldest, bottom plate is granite massif that surfaces in Beaujolais, each plate is different geological epoch and shellfish limestone/marl, all sedimentary- oldest in Maconnais, youngest in Chablis
What contributes to the patchwork of soils in Bourgogne?
Cote d’Or is uplift of graben, colluvial soils formed from rain-driven slope wash, 8 fault lines run through Cote d’Or causing shuffling
Where are most the vineyards of Bourgogne planted? How does this location impact quality status?
Most planted on slopes.
- Top of slope has thinnest topsoil and receives least rain and rain doesn’t have time to absorb, not idea, generally Premier Cru
- Mid slope has moderate topsoil and adequate amount of water, absorbs rain water from above, ideal amount of rain, generally Grand Cru
- bottom of slope has deepest soils, receives most rain, energy directed to shoot growth, wine cna be less pigmented/flavorful, plains grow grapes with least distinction
What is the most desired slope direction?
The aspect (direction) of the slope contributes to potential quality- most desired is east facing to catch morning sun, dries morning dew and warms the soil
What type of soil does Pinot Noir prefer?
Limestone soils or marls with high limestone content
How do different types of soil impact Pinot Noir
Pinot Noir + Limestone: lightly pigmented, elegant, highly aromatic
Pinot Noir + Marl: Less elegant, more structure and fruit
Pinot Noir + Clay: Less aromatic, less complex, lots of body, 5-7 years in bottle to evolve and express themselves
What type of soil does Chardonnay prefer?
Marly
How do different types of soil impact Chardonnay
Chardonnay + Marl: Powerfully dense, tremendous concentration of flavor, age-worthy
Chardonnay + Clay: Structure and depth, round, earthy
Chardonnay + Limestone: High acid, aromas of citrus and mineral
How does the law ensure that wines are reflective of their terroir?
All AOC wines undergo annual chemical analysis and blind taste testing to verify typicity before recieving certification
How does Bourgogne wine rank in quality pyramid? What other quality metrics does Bourgogne use?
All Bourgogne wine is AOC. Bourgogne wine pyramid has Regional AOCs (52% - 23 AOCs), Village AOCs (36%), Premier Cru AOCs (10%) and Grand Cru AOCs (2%)
How does Bourgogne classify wine into tiers
Classify the vineyards themselves
What word is generally incorporated into regional wines? What are the exceptions?
“Bourgogne,” Macon and Macon-Villages are exceptions, regional wine can be made from grapes grown anywhere in Bourgogne or in specific region
What is the most general of Bourgogne’s AOCs?
Coteaux Bourguignons
What is the new not yet authorized new regional AOC?
Bourgogne Cote d’Or, from Cote de Nuits and Cote de Beaune, only Pinot Noir and Chardonnay
What are village wines?
Village wines are made from grapes grown within a specific zone of production surrounding a specific village within Bourgogne, there are 44 Villages representing 36% of total production
What is a premier cru?
A single vineyard or climat with reputation for producing high quality wine, name of vineyard appears on label along with village name and word Premier Cru or 1er Cru
What does it mean if label has “Premier Cru” on label but not name of vineyard
The wine is a blend of more than one premier cru vineyard
How many premier crus are there in Bourgogne?
635 Premier Crus, 10% of production- Incorporated into village AOC category as separate climat NOT as separate and individual AOCs
What is a grand cru?
Single vineyard with a reputation for producing truly exceptional wine, name of vineyard appears on label along with word ‘Grand Cru’- 33 grand curs, 2% of production, don’t include village/region name except Chablis
What are the Five Wine Regions of Bourgogne?
- Chablis, Grand Auxerrois and the Chatillonnais
- The Cote de Nuits
- The Cote de Beaune
- The Cote Chalonnaise
- The Maconnais
What are the characteristics of wine from Chablis, Grand Auxerrois, and the Chatillonais?
Reds and whites, lean and possess racy acidity, pronounced minerality and flintiness (nervousness, kinetic electric energy)
What is the location of Chablis, Grand Auxerrois and the Chatillonais?
Chablis is located on slopes of Serein River Valley, Grand Auxerrois located around towns of Auxerre, Tonnerre, Vezelay, adn Joigny; vineyards of Chatillonais east of Chablis
What is the climate of Chablis?
Continental, influenced by the Atlantic, landscape is flat and winds sweep inland along plains- bring cloud cover which lowers temperatures and slows ripening, results in high acidity and reserved aromatic profile; maritime influence affects weather in spring and fall- frost, shorten length of growing season (spring kills shoots and lowers yeilds, fall causes leaf fall)
What are the grape varieties of Chablis, Grand Auxerrois, and the Chatillonnais?
Chardonnay (Beaunois): Chablis, Chatillonnais, appellations of Grand Auxerrois
Sauvignon Blanc: St. Bris AOC
Sacy: Chatillonnais
Aligote: Chatillonnais
Pinot Noir: Chatillonnais, AOCs of Grand Auxerrois
Cesar: Irancy AOC
Gamay: Chatillonais
What are the unique attributes of the soils of premier and grand crus in Chablis?
Premier and Grand Cru situated on Kimmeridgean Marl- special limestone rich clay from 160 million years ago, conveys strength and racy acidity
What is the soil of Petit Chablis and Chablis AOC?
Portlandian Marl, not quite as old as Kimmeridgean, high acid whites and more broad, less chiseled flavors
What are the soils of Chatillonnais and Grand Auxerrois?
Mostly Portlandian Marl
What percentage of white and red wine does Chablis make?
100% white
What percentage of red and white wine does Grand Auxerrois make?
67% white, 33% red
What percentage of red and white wine does Chatillonnais make?
95% white, 5% red
How are the AOCs and quality levels of Chablis divided?
Chablis produces wine under three AOCs in four different categories- Grand Cru, Premier Cru, Chablis, Petit Chablis
What are the AOCs of Chablis?
-Chablis Grand Cru AOC: 7 climats on one southwest-facing slope, share single hillside so considered one Grand Cru, Kimmeridgean marl soil
What are the 7 Climats of Chablis Grand Cru AOC
- Bougros (easy to approach Chablis, well balanced fruit and mierality)
- Les Clos (lean wines, need bottle aging)
- Grenouilles (complex, multi-faceted Chablis)
- Blanchot (powerful, rich Chablis)
- Les Preuses (age-worthy wines, intense minerality)
- Vaudesir (powerful, rich Chablis with ripe fruit)
Where are Chablis AOC and Petit Chablis AOC vineyards located?
Some Chablis vineyards located on slopes, some on plains, all cluster around village of Chablis; most Petit Chablis is on plains
How many Chablis Premier Crus are there and where are they located in what soil?
89 climats are spread on slopes on both banks of Serein River, soil is Kimmeridgean
What are the principle AOCs of Grand Auxerrois?
-Bourgogne Cote Saint-Jacques AOC (most Northerly) - red, white, rose, vin gris
-Bourgogne Chitry AOC: red, white
-Bourgogne Cote d’Auxerre AOC: red, white, rose
-Bourgogne Coulanges-la-Vineuse: red, white
-Saint-Bris AOC: white, Sauvignon Blanc and Sauvignon Gris (only appelation planted to these two grapes)
-Irancy AOC: Signature red is crafted from Pinot Noir, optional blend up to 10% Cesar
-Bourgogne Epineuil AOC: red
-Bourgogne Tonnerre AOC: white
Bourgogne Vezelay AOC: white
What is the principle AOC of Chatillonnais?
Only regional bottlings are produced in the Chatillonnais, niche for producing regional Cremant de Bourgogne out of Pinot Noir, Gamay, Chardonnary, and Aligote
What are the characteristics of wines from the Cote de Nuits?
Reds are firmly structured with dark berry fruits and earth and spice (Chambolle-Musigny exception, delicately perfumed and gossamer on palate); whites are elegant and finely structured with delicate apple fruit
What is the specific location of Cote de Nuits?
Extend 12 miles between Dijon and Corgoloin, referred to as “Champs-Elysees de la Bourgogne”, Cote de Nuits is an escarpment whose altitude averages 1000 ft, most vineyards face east