Bourgogne AOCs - Cote Challonaise & Maconnais

Question 1

What is the aspect of Côte Chalonnaise vineyards?

Answer 1

Largely planted on east-facing slopes however it is not a continuous escarpment like Côte de Nuits, so there are a variety of exposures.

Question 2

What is the location of Côte Chalonnaise?

Answer 2

It lies south of the Côte de Beaune and north of the Maconnais. To the west lies Couchois and to the east the River Saône.

Question 3

What is the climate of Côte Chalonnaise?

Answer 3

It has a continental climate like the Côte d’Or. However the overall growing climate is slightly cooler because - not being a single ridge- it receives less shelter from the westerlies winds.

Question 4

What are the soils of the Côte Chalonnaise?

Answer 4

Limestone-rich marls as far south as Givry where it turns to older sandy marls of the Màconnais.

Question 5

What is the production split in Côte Chalonnaise?

Answer 5

Regional -50%
Village 50%
Half the production volume of Côte d’Or.
60% red wine.

Question 6

What are the regional AOCs of Chalonnaise?

Answer 6

Bourgogne AOC, Bourgogne + DGC, Crémant de Bourgogne, Bourgogne Mousseux, Côteaux Bourguignons.
DGCs are:
Bourgogne Côte Chalonnaise and Bourgogne Côtes du Couchois.

Question 7

Name the village AOCs of Côte Chalonnaise.

Answer 7

Bouzeron, Rully, Mercurey, Givry, Montagny.

Question 8

When was Bouzeron AOC awarded? For which styles? For which grapes? What is unique about it?

Answer 8

Awarded 1998 for dry white made from ALIGOTE ONLY.

Question 9

What is Rully best known for?

Answer 9

It produces twice as much Crémant as still wines. It was here that the first Crémant was made in 1822 using méthode traditionnelle. Crémant and Mosseux are mainstays of local wine industry.

Question 10

When was Rully AOC awarded? For which styles? For which grapes?

Answer 10

Awarded 1939 for dry white and red.
White (P) - Chardonnay;
Gris/Rosé (S);
Red (P).Pinot Noir.
0 GC and 23 PC

Question 11

Which is the largest Village in Chalonnaise?

Answer 11

Mercurey. It boasts the largest production, most of it red. 75% of production is at village level even though it has 32 Premier Crus. Many negociants have vineyards here.

Question 12

When was Mercurey AOC awarded? For which styles? For which grapes?

Answer 12

Awarded 1936 for dry white and red.( mostly red)
White (P) - Chardonnay;
Gris/Rosé (S) - Pinot Gris;
Red (P) - Pinot Noir.
0 GC and 32 PC

Question 13

When was Givry AOC awarded? For which styles? For which grapes?

Answer 13

Awarded 1946 for dry white and red.( mostly red)
White (P) - Chardonnay, (S) Pinot Blanc;
Gris/Rosé (S) - Pinot Gris;
Red (P) - Pinot Noir.
0 GC and 38 PC

Question 14

How was Givry affected by Phylloxera?

Answer 14

Prior to phylloxera wines from Givry were highly sought after due to its long history of royal patronage. Replanting post-phylloxera was slow. It is recovering it prior dynamism.

Question 15

Which four villages make up Montagny AOC?

Answer 15

Buxy, Montagny-lés-Buxy, Jully-lés-Buxy and Saint-Vallerin.

Question 16

When was Montagny AOC awarded? For which styles? For which grapes?

Answer 16

Awarded 1936 for dry whites from Chardonnay only.
0 GC, 49 PC.

Question 17

Which Cave produces 65% of Montagny wines?

Answer 17

Cave des Vignerons de Buxy. It was one of the first cooperatives to pay for grapes based on quality rather than quantity.

Question 18

What is the production split in Côte Chalonnaise?

Answer 18

Mercurey -38%;
Rully -22%;
Montagny -19%;
Givry -18%;
Bouzeron - 3%.

Question 19

Why is the Maconnais the largest sub-region in Bourgogne in wine terms?

Answer 19

It has the largest area under vine and wine production.

Question 20

Where is the Maconnais located?

Answer 20

It is south of Côte Chalonnaise and north of Beaujolais. To the west is the Grosne Valley and east is the Saône Valley.

Question 21

What is the climate of the Maconnais? How does it influence the wine?

Answer 21

Like all of Bourgogne it is a continental climate. However it has Mediterranean influences. It has warmer, sunnier summers and milder winters. The abundant sunshine results in riper grapes and fruitier aromas and flavours in wines.

Question 22

How does the landscape differ in Maconnais from the Côte d’Or etc.

Answer 22

It is gently undulating with broken hills unlike those with more consistent escarpments.

Question 23

What are the main soils in Maconnais?

Answer 23

Limestone-rich marls - common to other parts of Bourgogne.

Granite and schist. These are found on the border with Beaujolais and the only area of Bourgogne where they are found.

Question 24

What is the main grape planted in Maconnais? What was the previous planting? When did this change?

Answer 24

Since the early 19th century, the main grape is Chardonnay. Until the late 18th century it was dominated by Gamay which was not appropriate to its terroir.

Question 25

How is the majority of production labelled from Maconnais?

Answer 25

80% is labelled as the regional appellation of Macon and under the Macon, Macon-Village, or Macon plus village name. It can also be sold as regional Bourgogne but not the other way round.

Question 26

What are the main village AOCs of Maconnais?

Answer 26

Pouilly-Fuisse AOC;
Pouilly-Loché AOC;
Pouilly-Vinzelles AOC;
Saint-Veran AOC;
Viré-Clessé AOC.

Question 27

What is a BIOHERM?

Answer 27

A reef-like mound of earth (limestone mainly) composed of dead sea creatures such as corals, starfish and mollusks.

Question 28

What are the bioherms of Maconnais?

Answer 28

Rock of Solutré, Rock of Vergisson and Mont de Pouilly. The soils are very similar to that of Côte d’Or.

Question 29

When was the AOC awarded to Pouilly-Fuissé? For which styles and grapes? What is the character of the wines?

Answer 29

Awarded 1936 for dry white from Chardonnay. Wines are powerful and many are oaked.

Question 30

How many Premier Crus in Pouilly-Fuissé?

Answer 30

There are 22 climats ranked as Premier Crus representing 24% of the AOC. They are spread across the communes of Chaintre, Fuissé, Vergisson and Solutre-Pouilly

Question 31

When was the AOC awarded to Pouilly-Loché? For which styles and grapes?

Answer 31

Awarded 1940 for dry white from Chardonnay.

Question 32

When was the AOC awarded to Pouilly-Vinzelles? For which styles and grapes?

Answer 32

Awarded 1940 for dry white from Chardonnay.

Question 33

When was the AOC awarded to Saint-Veran? For which styles and grapes?

Answer 33

Awarded 1971 for dry white from Chardonnay. It was once a part of Beaujolais and sold as Beaujolais Blanc.

Question 34

When was the AOC awarded to Viré-Clessé? For which styles and grapes?

Answer 34

(Newest in Maconnais) - Awarded 1999 for dry white, semi-sweet white from Chardonnay.

Question 35

How is the sweet wine of Viré-Clessé determined?

Answer 35

Demi-sec - if R.S. is 0.4-0.8%(4-8g/l);
Levrouté - if R.S. is 0.8-1.8%(8-18g/l).
It is made from late harvest grapes.

Question 36

What are the production numbers in Maconnais:

Answer 36

Pouilly-Fuissé -38%;
Saint-Veran - 37%;
Viré-Clessé -22%;
Pouilly-Vinzelles/ Pouilly-Loché - 3% combined.