Bourgogne Flashcards
What is the climate of Burgundy?
The overall climate is Continental.
It ranges from:
cool Continental in north (Chablis) moderate Continental in south (Chalonnaise + Mâconnais)
What are the main grape varieties of Burgundy?
Chardonnay, Pinot Noir.
Gamay, Aligoté
What is the profile of a classic Aligoté from Burgundy?
Aligoté tends to be neutral and crisp with high acidity, and not overtly aromatic.
What 3 climatic hazards does Burgundy experience?
Rain around flowering and harvest (which can cause rot)
Springtime frost
Late summer hail storms
Which Burgundian grape is particularly susceptible to grey rot?
Pinot Noir
Which grape accounts for about half the total planted vineyard area in Burgundy: Chardonnay or Pinot Noir?
Chardonnay
Pinot Noir covers only about 1/3 of the total planted vineyard area.
If you were to describe a Pinot Noir from Burgundy quickly, what are some descriptors you’d use?
Red fruit
Mushroom
Earth
High acidity
Low-to-medium tannins
What are the 2 subregions of the Côte d’Or?
Côte de Nuits
Côte de Beaune
Where are village-level vineyards located?
Village wines are found mostly on flat land or at the bottom of slopes.
Where on the slopes are most Premier Cru vineyards in Burgundy located?
Premier Cru vineyards are mostly located mid-slope, with some just above and just below mid-slope
Where on the slopes are most Grand Cru vineyards in Burgundy located?
Which direction do they face?
Most Grand Crus are found mid-slope with east-to-southeast exposure.
Exposure and soil variation are at their best mid-slope, where grapes are less prone to frost, see longer sunlight hours, have better drainage and protection from westerly winds.
Is the following wine from a single 1er Cru or is it a blend of 1er Cru vineyards?
It is a blend of 1er Cru vineyards.
This wine is sourced from two or more 1er Cru vineyards within the same village, in this case Gevrey-Chambertin.
However, when a vineyard name is on the label it must be solely produced from that precise vineyard, e.g. Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Les Cazetiers.
What are the main regions (areas of production) in Burgundy?
From north to south:
Chablis
Côte d’Or: Côte de Nuits/Côte de Beaune
Côte Chalonnaise
Mâconnais
Beaujolais (technically part of Burgundy)
What is the only grape variety allowed in Chablis AOP?
Chardonnay
What is the main weather hazard in Chablis?
The main weather hazard in Chablis is frost.
Cold temperatures (under 0°C/32ºF) can freeze the fresh buds and burn the green raw material.
How do Chablis producers combat spring frost?
Sprinklers: water is sprayed over the vineyard to create a coating of ice around the fresh buds. This layer of ice prevents bud damage due to the latent heat of the ice; (see photo)
Heaters and smudge pots: small fires contained in clay or metal pots placed amongst the vines to prevent cold air from being trapped and freezing vine material.
Less important vineyards in Chablis are classified as _____.
Petit Chablis. These vineyards are in less favorable areas.
How is village level Chablis different from Chablis 1er Cru and Chablis Grand Cru in respect to exposure and location?
Village level Chablis vineyards usually face north and are located on flatter land;
Chablis 1er + Grand Cru vineyards usually face south and are located on hillsides.
How many Grand Crus are in Chablis?
One: Grand Cru Chablis, which is one single hill divided into 7 climats
Which Chablis classification is most likely going to see oak?
Chablis Grand Cru
Sometimes 1er Cru Chablis will see old oak, too, but village level Chablis will rarely see any oak at all.
What is the river that runs through the heart of Chablis?
The Serein River
What is the northernmost appellation in Burgundy?
Chablis AOP
What are the 4 levels of classification in Burgundy?
REGIONAL
VILLAGE: quality wines, most often produced from a blend of plots within a single village.
1er CRU: higher quality wines produced from a specific climat/ site/ vineyard.
1er Crus are delineated because they have a particular soil, microclimate, slope inclination, and/or aspect. 1er Cru vineyards can be released as a single climat or they can be blended with other 1er Cru climats from the same village. In the case of the latter, the wine takes no vineyard name; just the village + 1er Cru.
GRAND CRU
What is a monopole?
A monopole is a vineyard plot entirely owned by a single grower.
The Massif Central runs along which side of the Côte d’Or: the east side or west side?
What does this provide the Côte d’Or?
West side
This allows the Côte d’Or to haveeast and southeast-facing hillside vineyards.
Generally speaking, Pinot Noirs from the Côte de Nuits tend to be ____ while Pinot Noirs from the Côte de Beaune tend to be ____.
CdNuits: full bodied, long lived
CdBeaune: fruitier than CdNuits, not as long lived
How many Grand Crus are in the Côte d’Or?
32
All red Grand Crus in Burgundy, except one, are made in the Côte de ____.
All white Grand Crus in Burgundy, except one, are made in the Côte de ____.
Côte de Nuits
Côte de Beaune
Is the Côte de Nuits the northern or southern part of the Côte d’Or?
Northern part of the Côte d’Or
List 4 important villages of the Côte de Nuits.
North to South:
Gevrey-Chambertin
Vougeot
Vosne-Romanée
Nuits-Saint-Georges
Name Gevrey-Chambertin’s 2 most famous Grand Crus.
Chambertin
Chambertin-Clos de Bèze
In what village is this vineyard located?
What is the classification level: Village, 1er Cru, or Grand Cru?
What are the requirements to achieve this classification?
This wine comes from the village Gevrey-Chambertin from the Grand Cru Chambertin vineyard.
Requirements for a wine to be Grand Cru:
- This wine must come from the single, stated plot on the label, in this case the Grand Cru Chambertin vineyard;
- Grand Crus have to have lower yields and higher minimum must weights compared to Village or 1er Cru
Name Vougeot’s most famous Grand Cru.
Clos de Vougeot
What is a Clos vineyard in Burgundy?
A clos is avineyard enclosed by walls.
Name Vosne-Romanée’s 3 most famous Grand Crus.
Romanée-Conti
La Romanée
La Tâche
Where is Nuits-Saint-Georges AOP located, and what is it best known for?
Nuits-Saint-Georges is the southern most village of the Côte-de-Nuits best known for its PinotNoir
Does Nuits-Saint-Georges have any Grand Crus?
No, Nuits-Saint-Georges does not have any Grand Crus