Bourgogne Flashcards
Where is Bourgogne?
Bourgogne is spread out wine region in the centre of eastern France.
Bourgogne can be divided into 5 subregion’s, name all of them.
- Chablis & Grand Auxerrois
- Côte de Nuits
- Côte de Beaune
- Côte Chalonnaise
- Mâconnais
What climate is known to Bourgogne?
Continental Climate with Atlantic influences in the north and Mediterranean influences in the south. Which have a considerable impact in the different sub-regions.
Does the Saône River have any affect on the Bourgogne growing region?
The Saône river has no temperature moderating affect on the vines. It’s too far away to have any influence.
Because of the length of Bourgogne being 224km from North to South, does this have any affect on the growing season?
Yes, the temperatures in the north are cooler also due to the Atlantic influence than temperatures in the south which have Mediterranean influences. So budbreak can start a week (or two) earlier in the Mâconnais than in Chablis for instance, which also counts for the harvest period.
What are typical climatic hazards Bourgogne faces?
Spring Frosts and severe Summer hailstorms.
What are the main soil types in Bourgogne?
Fundamentally the soil consist of a granite massif - which surfaces in the beaujolais - with other younger soils resting on top consisting of limestone and marls.
What are the main red grape varietals from Bourgogne
By far, Pinot Noir, but Gamay is a good second.
What are the main white grape varietals from Bourgogne?
Chardonnay mainly and Aligoté for Bouzeron and Bourgogne AOC.
What kind of wine style does Aligoté produces?
It produces aromatic wines with high acidity, medium-body and jasmine and vanilla perfume. Natural crossing with Pinot x Gouais.
What are the other varietals that count for just 1% of the growing area in Bourgogne?
César, Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc, Melon de Bourgogne, Sacy and Sauvignon Blanc
What are the other varietals that count for just 1% of the growing area in Bourgogne?
César, Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc, Melon de Bourgogne, Sacy and Sauvignon Blanc (Saint Bris).
Discuss César as a varietal
César (Romain) is a rare red grape varietal used in regional Bourgogne wines and can be blended with Pinot Noir in the Irancy AOC. This varietal is native to the region. Vulnerable to frost and creates rustic, tannic, spicy red wines with generous alcohol.
Discuss Pinot Gris in context to Bourgogne.
Pinot Gris is locally known as Pinot Beurot, it is authorized for use in white and red wines in many appellations, but it is rarely used. For Marsannay and Bourgogne rosé it is a primary variety.
Discuss Melon de Bourgogne in context to Bourgogne wines.
Melon is used for Coteaux Bourguingnons and Crémant de Bourgogne. It produces wines with subtle notes of sea and citrus fruits, its hardy and frost resistant and very productive.
Discuss Sacy in context to Bourgogne.
Sacy is a very rare white varietal, grown in the far north of Bourgogne. Used for Crémant de Bourgogne and Coteaux Bourguignons (only when vines were planted before 2009). It gives high-acid wines with low-alcohol and aromas of pear.
Sauvignon Blanc in context to Bourgogne
It is the primary grape of the Saint-Bris AOC, Sauvignon Gris is also authorized. Sauvignon Gris is a pink-skinned color mutation of Sauvignon Blanc, slightly more perfumed and fuller in body than Sauvignon Blanc.
What are the % in terms of (2019) plantings for Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Aligoté and Gamay.
Chardonnay = 51%
Pinot Noir = 39.5%
Aligoté = 6%
Gamay = 2.5%
Which Burgundian Duke outlawed Gamay and why?
Philippe the Bold, in 1395 he declared Gamay to be “an evil and disloyal plant” that should be “extirpated, destroyed and reduced to nothing.” This is why Gamay isn’t found in the Côte d’Or.
When was Hospice de Beaune established?
During the reign of Philippe the Good (1419-1467).
What for influence has the Napoléonic Code on Bourgogne today?
When Napoleon introduced this code it required landowners to divide their holdings equally among their heirs. So for generation after generation, the land was further subdivided, until today there are many vineyards with multiple owners with just a few rows.
When in Burgundy came the AOC legislation as we know today?
It was in 1936 that the legislation gave form and structure to Burgundy’s named parcels - or climats.
When was the first classification of Bourgogne vineyards?
This was in 1861.
Describe Chablis and Grand Auxerrois as a growing region.
This northerly sub-region is closer to Champagne and Sancerre than the rest of Bourgogne.
It has a continental climate with Atlantic influences, wines here are often described as ‘flinty’ or ‘mineral’.
Describe Côte de Nuits as a growing region.
The Côte de Nuits enjoys a ontinental climate and has variations on limestone and marl soils. Vineyards are on east facing slopes. The soils and aspects here are overwhelmingly better tuited to Pinot Noir, so prduction is almost entirely red.
Describe Côte de Beaune as a growing region.
The Côte de Beaune enjoys a continental climate and has variationso n limestone and marl soils. Vineyards sit on southeast facing slopes on narrow stretch of land. The escarpment here is softer in profile and more broken than the generally steeper and more consistent escarpment of the Côte de Nuits. Production is 2/3 red and 1/3 white.
Describe Côte Chalonnaise as a growing region.
Most vineyards in Côte Chalonnaise are planted on east-facing slopes. The vineyards are exposed to a variety of aspects. The Côte Chalonnaise also has continental climate, but it is slightly cooler as the regions in Côte d’Or, because it receives less shelter from the preveiling west winds.
Describe the Mâconnais as a growing region.
The Mâconnais is the largest production and area under vine of all Burgundy’s sub-regions. It has a continental climate with a significant influence by the Mediterranean.
