Burgundy Flashcards
Chablis Geography
City: Chablis, Auxerre
River: Serein
Cool continental climate (below 16 degrees) characterised by hot short summers and cold winters.
Big diurnal differences during the day (from 30 to 12 in summer) grapes can refresh and get ready for the next day.
Cote d’Or (Golden Slope) Geography
City: Dijon, Nuits st Giorges, Beaune, Chalone sur Saone, Macon, Lyone
Mountain: Massif central
River: Saone
Moderate continental climate (between 16 and 18 degrees) characterised by hot summers and cold winters
Big diurnal differences during the day (from 30 to 12 in summer) grapes can refresh and get ready for the next day.
Climate, hazards, vineyards, terroir
The western wet and warm gulf stream affect the area bringing lots of rainfall that impact flowering and increases the risk of grey rot.
Spring frosts (up to may). Being early budding grapes, they can damaged by the frosts.
Hailstorms are also an hazards during summer.
To face western rain and winds, the best vineyards are located on steep or mid-slopes, facing south-east (see longer sunlight hours, have better drainage and protection from westerly winds)
Sprinkling, Heaters and wind machines are used against frosts specially in Chablis.
Hailstorms damage are tackled with blending from different plots. Cannon, netting are another solution.
There are 4 type of soil:
Limestone (marine life deposit), Kimmeridge marls (high calcium soil that produce high acidity wines), Portlandian limestone in Chablis
Marl limestone mainly in cotes de nuits
Chalk, limestone in cotes de beaune
Limestone in Chalonnaise
Winemaking
Ageing in French oak barriques (225L), often a portion of them new for average 18 months in barrel for red, 6-9 months for white.
New oak is used where fruit flavour are intense enough
MLF and lees ageing can be used to mitigate acidity
Sur lie ageing and bâtonnage are techniques often used:
Bâtonnage is the stirring of the lees from the bottom of the oak cask. Bâtonnage introduces oxygen and increases the lees contact to add extra richness and roundness to the wine.
Pinot noir might undertake:
- Pre-fermentation technique like cold maceration or cold soaking.
The wine is pressed, crushed and left in cold condition.
This stop the yeast from starting their fermentation.
this relies aroma and brightness.
- Whole bunch fermentation (20% of whole juice) or semi-carbonic maceration both in sealed vats might be used
- - oak fermentation and maturation can bring oxidation and gives more complexity to the final wine
Chardonnay night undertake:
- Whole bunch pressing, get more concentrated fruitless and brightness.
- MLF can take place to add texture, body
- Ageing of wine ‘on the lees,’ is when dead yeast cells from the fermentation are kept in contact with the wine for a few months of ageing.
The wine displays more body and texture, with deeper flavors and mitigate adidicy
- oak fermentation and maturation can bring oxidation and gives more complexity to the final wine
White grape varieties
Chardonnay (production about 1/2)
Others: Aligoté (neutral, high acidity), Pinot blanc
Red grape varieties
Pinot Noir (production about 1/3), Gamay
Classification
Hierarchy
Gran cru -Highest quality vineyards
1er Cru - Commune and name of village
Commune
Sub-regional
Regional
Chablis:
- Chablis Gran Cru (1 Les Clos - 7 plots “climats”)
- Chablis Premier cru (40)
- Chablis
- Petit Chablis
Cote d’Or:
- Gran cru - Cote d’or (32 Grand cru)
- Premier cru
- Village AOC
- Bourgogne AOP (regional appellation)
Cote de Nuits appellations
- has grand cru
Marsannay
Fixin
Gevrey Chambertin*
Morey st-denis*
Chambolle Musigny*
Vogeout*
Vosne Romanee*
Flagey Echézeaux*
Nuit st-georges
Bourgogne hautes cotes de nuits - regional appellation (vineyards are on the opposite sides of the hills so are affected by westerly winds and rain therefore are less bodied and less concentrated)
Cote de Beaune appellations
*has gran cru
Ladoix
Aloxe-corton* - white and red
Pernand Vergelesses*
Beaune - white and red
Pommard - red only
Volnay - red only
Monthelie
Meursault - white and red
Saint Roman
Auxey Duresses
Puligny Montrachet* - white and red
Saint Aubin
Chassagne Montrachet* - white and red
Santenay
Maranges
Cotes de Beaune Villages (red only)
Bourgogne hautes Cotes de Beaune - regional appellation (vineyards are on the opposite sides of the hills so are affected by westerly winds and rain therefore are less bodied and less concentrated)
Cote Chalonnais appellations
Wines are more citrus, green fruit orienteted with less concentration, lighter body, and creaminess from oak
Underrated white from Aligote is produced here
- Rully - white (also red and cremante de Bourgogne)
- Montagny - white (100% Chardonnay)
- Mercurey - red mainly
- Givry - red mainly
Bourgogne cote de Chalonnais AOP
Maconnais Appellations
Wines are more tropical, creamy textured
White: Chardonnay
- Pouilly fuisse - richest and ripest as they grow on limestone of the rock of solutre,
- Saint-Véran - richest and ripest as they grow on limestone of the rock of solutre, south east facing. more intense and rich. Mature in oak, lees and MLF.
- Pouilly loche
- Pouilly vinzelles
- Macon villages
Red and white: Chardo, Pinot noir, Gamay
- Macon AOP
Chablis Gran Cru (1 “Les Clos”) has 7 climates
Les Clos, Bougros, Blanchot, Vaudesir, Valmur, Grenouilles, Les Preuses.
Cote de Nuits Gran cru (24). Comune - Appellations
Gevry-Chambertin (9) - Chambertin, Chambertin-Clos de Bèze, Champelle-Chambertin, Charmes-Chambertin, Griottes-Chambertin, Ruchottes-Chambertin, Marzis-Chambertin, Mazoyères-Chambertine, Latricières-Chambertin
Morey-St-Denis (5) — Bonnes-Mares, Clos des Lambrays, Close St-Denis, Clos de Tart, Clos de la Roche
Chambolle-Musigny (1) — Musigny (l’unico Grand Cru bianco e rosso)
Vougeot (1) - Clos de Vougeot
Vosne-Romanée (6) — La Romanée, Romanée-Conti, Romanée-St-Vivant, Grande Rue, La Tâche, Richebourg
Flagey-Echézeaux (2) — Grands-Echézeaux, Echézeaux
Cote de Beaune Gran cru (8). Comune - Appellations
Aloxe Corton (3) white and red — Corton (aslo red), Corton-Charlemagne, Bernard Vergelesses
Chassagne-Montrachet (1) — Cristo-Bâtard-Montrachet
Puligny Montrachet (4) — Bienvenue-Bâtard-Montrachet, Bâtard-Montrachet, Le Montrachet, Chevalier-Montrachet
Few Premier Cru
There are 130 in Cote de Nuits
Red wines:
- Mont de Milieu
- Vosgros
- Volnay
- Nuit st george
- Pommard
- Mercurey (also white)
White wines:
- Meursault
- St Aubin
