Burgundy Flashcards
Chablis
Northernmost part of Burgundy on the River Serein
Chardonnay typically unoaked
Dry, medium body, medium alcohol, high acidity, green apple and lemon
Continental climate vulnerable to spring frosts and hail storms in the growing season
Petit Chablis
Higher, cooler vineyards predominantly with Portlandian soils (hard limestone with less clay)
Flat land or gentle slopes (many facing north)
Machine picked
Chablis Premier Cru
40 named vineyard
Predominately S and SE facing slopes of Kimmeridgian soils
Can be labeled as specific site (Chablis Premier Cru Troesmes) or under larger climat (Chablis Premier Cru Beauroy)
Chablis Grand Cru
Single Grand Cru with 7 named vineyards (climats)
Next to the village itself facing southwest, mid-slope on the right bank of the River Serein on Kimmeridgian soil
Sheltered from northern winds by a belt of trees
Riper with greater weight and concentration
1% of total region production
Lieu’s-dits
Specific named pieces of land in a centralized land register
Chablis
Climats
Named vineyard fixed in AOC legislation
Chablis
Kimmeridgian soil
Famous soil in Chablis that has limestone and clay soils, some of which has a considerable amount of fossilized seashells
Le Syndicat de Defense de I’Appellation de Chablis
Association of wine producers in Chablis founded by William Fevre in 1993 to combat fraud and address environmental issues
L’Union does Grand Cru de Chablis
Voluntary association to promote quality of Chablis Grand Cru. Members must practice sustainable viticulture and hand harvest
Côte d’Or
Golden slope that contains Cote de Nuits and Cote de Beaune
Cote Chalonnaise
Just south of Côte d’Or with more varied aspects best S-SE facing found in Bouzeron and Rully
Mâconnais
South of Côte Chalonnaise range of sites with best being the south facing Pouilly-Fuissé
Chardonnay
Early Budding, Early ripening
Can produce high yields without loss of quality but prone to fungal disease
Grown in varied soils but best examples are grown on limestone/clay soils
Cool climates - apple, pear, lemon, lime with wet stone notes. Light to medium body and high acidity
Moderate climates - ripe citrus, melon, stone fruit, medium to medium + body with medium + to high acidity
Pinot Noir
Early budding, Early ripening
Yields must be limited for high quality and it is prone to disease
Has a lot of clones (Dijon)
Burgundy Pinot - strawberry, raspberry, red cherry
Village wines - light flavors of smoke, clove and low to medium tannins, medium alcohol, high acidity
Grand Cru wines - flavors of smoke, clove and medium to medium + tannins, medium alcohol, high acidity. Can develop earth, game and mushroom notes in bottle
Poussard-Guyot
Pruning system that aims to maintain the sap route and limits pruning wounds to only the upper part of the cordon limiting Esca and other trunk diseases
Premature Oxidation
“Premox” where wines show very advanced color and flavors after a relatively short time in bottle.
Caused by vineyard practices for higher yields, warmer vintages or later picking times, over-clean musts from pneumatic presses, overzealous bâtonnage and lower levels of SO2
Regional Appellation
7 Generic appellations such as Bourgogne AOC, Bourgogne Côte d’Or
Accounts for 52% of Burgundy wine
Village Appelation
44 Communal appellations such as Meursault AOC or Gevrey- Chambertin AOC
Premier Cru
640 additional geographical denominations related to a village, not appellations in their own right.
Pommard Premier Cru Les Rugiens AOC, Vosne Romanée Premier Cru Aux
If a wine comes from more than one Premier Cru vineyard it is labeled simply Village + Premier Cru
Malconsorts AOC
Grand Cru
33 individual appellations labeled as the name of the grand cru with no village name attached
Makes up 1% of Burgundy wine production
Richebourg Grand Cru AOC, Bätard-Montrachet Grand Cru AOC
Growers
Businesses that have vineyard holdings and sell their grapes or unfinished wines to négociants. Several thousand growers whose holding are divided in parcels in different vineyards and villages
Domaines
Businesses that own their own vineyards and make wine from them sold under the domaine label
Négociants
Typically larger businesses that buy grapes and/or wines, finish them, bottle and sell them under their own name
Micro-Négociants
Smaller businesses that buy grapes from top quality vineyards, finish the wine and sell under their own name (e.g. Benjamin Leroux)
Co-operatives
Less important in Côte d’Or but more important in Chablis (Les Chablisienne), the Mâconnais (Cave de Lugny) and to a lesser extent the Côte Chalonnaise
