Burgundy Flashcards
Grape growing in Burgundy started when?
Roman times, which means roughly 500 BC to 500 AD
When did the period of the great monasteries begin (Burgundy)?
From 1000 CE and onwards
During the period of the great monasteries vineyards started to be divided into individually named plots. What are they know as in French? What does it mean in Greek?
Climats, meaning hill in Greek.
Name the 5 five areas that make up Burgundy.
Chablis, Côte d’Or, Côte Chalonnaise, Mâconnais and Beaujolais.
Leaving out Chablis and Beaujolais Burgundy runs from what town in the north to what town in the south? How long is the stretch?
From Dijon to Mâcon, 130 km
Côte d’Or is divided into two parts, which? Name the towns that start and ends the two parts.
Côte de Nuits, running from Dijon to Nuits-Saint-Georges and Côte d’Beaune running from Nuits-Saint-Georges to Santenay
Quality and price in Burgundy excluding Beaujolais?
Good to Outstanding with mid to super-premium price
Yonne département (includes Chablis) is how many percent Chardonnay? And Côte d’Or is how many percent Pinot Noir?
Yonne is 80% Chardonnay and Côte d’Or is over 60% Pinot Noir
Name the river that flows through Chablis.
Serein
Chablis has slightly cooler climate than Côte d’Or, how far north west is Chablis from Dijon?
110 km
All wines in Chablis are dry. What is a typical tasting note?
Dry, medium body, medium alcohol, zesty high acidity, green apple and lemon fruit. Very rarely oak flavours.
Quality and price levels in Chablis?
Good to Outstanding and mid to premium priced - with some super-premium priced wines.
Chablis was around 40.000 ha in early 19th century and it was booming in popularity in Paris. What happened that made Chablis shrink to around just 500 ha in late 1940’s?
Phylloxera and powdery mildew. The railway was built and Chablis couldn’t compete with cheaper wines from the south. Depopulation after the First World War and a devastating frost in 1945.
How much land is under vine in Chablis today?
5.800 ha
What is the climate in Chablis?
Cold continental
Annual rainfall in Chablis?
670mm
Rainfall is spread throughout the year in Chablis making for a moist climate. What is the dangers with this?
Threat of fungal diseases and threat of rot in the period leading up to harvest.
The Chablis region is vulnerable to two weather phenomena, which ones?
Spring frost and hail storms during growing season.
What soil types are found in the Chablis appellation? Some soils have a considerable amount of fossilised seashells - what is it known as?
Limestone and clay soils. Kimmeridgian
Name three ways to manage spring frost in Chablis.
Smudge pots
Sprinklers
Pruning choices
Name the rootstock widely used in Chablis because of it’s tolerance to limestone soils with high pH. A cross between two vitis, which ones?
41B - vinifera and berlandieri
Name the rootstock that is popular in Chablis due to its low vigour and tolerance to high pH soils. What vitis is it a cross between?
420A riparia and berlandieri
Why is double Guyot replacement cane typical in Chablis?
Frost is common and it’s higher chance that one cane survives if you have two.
What is portlandian soil in Chablis, and what appellation has a lot of it?
Hard limestone with less clay (than kimmeridgian soil), found in Petit Chablis.
Typical tasting note for Chablis.
Medium intensity, green apple and lemon fruit, light body, high acidity.
Name the soil that dominates Chablis.
Kimmeridgian
How many premier crus are there in Chablis? What soil type and what aspect?
40 premier cru. Kimmeridgian soil south and south-east facing.
Some larger premier crus in Chablis have specified named plots within them, what is that called?
Lieux-dits
Define “climat” (French word).
Named vineyard, fixed in AOC legislation.
Define “lieux-dits “ (French word).
Named piece of land in the centralised land register
How many climats are there in Chablis’ Grand Cru?
7
Name a few climats in Chablis’ Grand Cru.
Les Clos, Vaudesir, Blanchot, Bougros, Grenouilles, Preuses, Valmur
What soil is Chablis Grand Cru on? Define the soil too.
Kimmeridgian. Limestone and clay, considerable amount of fossilised seashells.
How many percent of production is Grand Cru in Chablis?
1%
Chablis premier and Grand Cru are most often placed mid-slope. Why?
The vineyards are better drained, better frost protection,
The Grand Cru vineyards in Chablis is protected from winds coming from north. What is sheltering the vineyards?
A belt of trees.
Is chaptalisation used in Chablis?
Yes, regularly except for the warmest years.
Is malolactic conversion common in Chablis? If so, why? And what type of vessels are used for fermentation and storage typically?
Yes, most promote malolactic conversion to soften the razor sharp acidity. Stainless steel is the most common vessel.
You can come across wines that are fermented and aged in barrels in Chablis. Which ones?
Some Grand Cru and a few premier cru use oak
Name at least one producer that use old oak in Chablis Grand Cru.
Dauvissat and Raveneau
Name a producer that use new oak in Chablis Grand Cru.
William Fèvre
Name a producer that use stainless steel or concrete for Chablis Grand Cru
Jean-Marc Brocard
Max yield for Petit Chablis/Chablis AOC, Chablis Premier Cru AOC and Chablis Grand Cru AOC?
60 hL/ha for Petit and Chablis
58 hL/ha for Premier Cru
54 hL/ha for Grand Cru
How many percent of all wine is vinified by the co-operative La Chablisienne?
25%
What is the Chablis association called that William Fèvre founded in 1993 to combat fraud and address environmental issues?
Le Syndicat de Défense de l’Appellation de Chablis
What is the voluntary association called that promotes the quality of Chablis Grand Cru? Two practices are a must to be a member, which ones?
L’Union des Grand Cru de Chablis. Members must practise sustainable viticulture and harvest by hand.
Is this Chablis producer cheap or expensive?
Vincent Dauvissat sell at extremely high prices
Overall climate in Côte d’Or, Côte Chalonnaise and Mâconnais?
Moderate continental.
The relatively short summers in Burgundy suits Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Why?
Both varieties are early ripening.
What are the hills called that protect Côte d’Or in the west from rainfall?
The Morvan hills.
What is average rainfall in Côte d’Or?
700mm
Is Mâconnais cooler or warmer compared to Côte d’Or?
Slightly warmer.
Name factors that influence individual site quality in Burgundy.
Aspect, altitude, soil, degree of slope.
Why is ripeness of skins and seeds in Pinot Noir a priority in Burgundy?
A cool vintage can lead to underripe tannins in the finished wine.
Hail is a problem in Burgundy throughout the growing season. If it occurs in the early growth (April-may) what can it lead to?
Reduced yields, in extreme cases lost of entire crop.
Hail late in the season can damage fruit and lead to what?
Grey rot. Grey rot can taint the wine.
Why was hail netting not permitted until June 2018 in Burgundy?
It was thought to cause too much shading plus it appeared as an inauthentic part of the landscape.
Besides netting, what is the most common preventative action for hail in Burgundy?
Seed thunderclouds with silver iodide some distance from the vineyard.
Volnay and Pommard were badly affected by hail between what years?
2012 and 2015
Rain early in the growing cycle can lead to what?
Disrupted flowering and fruit set, leading to lower yields and uneven ripening.
Rain just before harvest can lead to what?
Dilution. Uptake of water by the grapevine.
Is irrigation permitted in Burgundy?
No
Why does vineyards with high clay content cope with water stress better?
Clay has great water-retaining capabilities.
Two of the most critical factors determining style and quality in Burgundy is what?
Aspect and elevation.
Côte d’Or lies on a range of hills oriented north-south, between what elevations are the hills?
200 to 400 meters above sea level
There are plenty of side valleys in Côte d’Or, what does that do for vineyard aspects?
You can find vineyards with south-east or even southerly aspect. Not just eastern along the main ridge.
Best sites in Côte d’Or are often found mid-slope, why?
Best drainage, best sunlight interception and frost protection.
Where in Côte Chalonnaise will you find the best south-east facing slopes?
Bouzeron and Rully
Best sites in Pouilly-Fuissé, Mâconnais, are what aspects?
South facing slopes.
General soil mixture in Côte d’Or?
Limestone and clay
Côte de Nuits is dominated by what in the soil mixture, and what grape variety is Côte de Nuits world famous for?
Dominated by limestone in the soil mix, Pinot Noir.
Côte de Beaune is dominated by what in the soil mixture, and world famous for what grape variety?
More clay and deeper soils, Chardonnay
Why is erosion a challenge in Côte d’Or?
On top of hills the soil is too shallow for vines, at bottom it’s deep with more clay and less drainage making it more fertile- vigour causes shading hindering ripening in this part of the world.
Well-regarded Aligoté is grown where in Burgundy?
Bouzeron, Côte Chalonnaise
Chablis (cool climate), what aromas does Chardonnay produce, body and acidity?
Apple, pear, lemon, lime and wet stones, light to medium body and high acidity.
Chardonnay in a moderate climate (Côte d’Or) produce what aromas, body and acidity?
Ripe citrus, melon, stone fruit, medium to medium (+) body and medium (+) to high acidity.
Typical Pinot Noir aromas in Burgundy are?
Strawberry, raspberry, red cherry
Oak derived flavours in village wines or above in Burgundian Pinot Noir?
Light flavours of smoke and clove
Tannin levels in typical Burgundian Pinot Noir? What about Grand Cru? Alcohol and acidity levels?
Low to medium tannins. Grand Cru can have medium(+) levels of tannins. Medium alcohol and high acidity.
What aromas can develop in bottle with time in Burgundian Pinot Noir?
Game, earth and mushroom
The traditional pruning system in Burgundy that many growers are turning back into using again.
Guyot
There is an even softer than Guyot pruning system in use in Burgundy. What is it called? Pruning wounds are only on the upper part of the cordon making it possible for the vine to do what?
Poussard-Guyot. The vine can maintain the same sap-route year after year.
Why do growers use the more soft pruning method Poussard-Guyot?
To reduce ESCA and other trunk diseases.
Typical planting density in Burgundy.
8.000 - 10.000 vines/hectare
What does denser planting encourage?
Root competition leading to better quality fruit (for example smaller berries with higher flavour intensity)
Name three ways growers in Burgundy control yields.
Winter pruning, de-budding and green harvest
Advantages and disadvantages with de-budding?
De-budding can promote good balance in the vine, but it is risky to reduce potential yield early since you don’t know what hail and diseases will cause.
Advantages and disadvantages with green harvesting?
Growers can assess size, shape and position of bunches before sacrificing any. Decision is relatively late in the season and unpredictable weather is less risky. BUT, it can lead to changes in vine development and the vine can start to compensate the loss with excessive growth in remaining bunches leading to dilution.
How is grape moth controlled in Burgundy?
Pheromone capsules
How are common fungal diseases (powdery mildew, downy mildew, grey rot) controlled in Burgundy?
Canopy management and spraying.
In the marginal climate of Burgundy harvest timing is crucial. Why?
Storms can lead to dilution and fruit damage. Too early and ripeness not complete, too late can lead to a softer wine style. Also a matter of getting hold of workforce since almost all fruit is handpicked.
Why do winemakers in Burgundy chaptalise, and why has it become less common?
You need to reach the regulated minimum percentage of alcohol, or raised it to your desired style (alcohol adds body). Warmer growing season temperature and better canopy management has made chaptalisation less necessary.
Sorting is important in Côte d’Or. Why?
Having a cool climate it is important to sort for consistent quality. Diseased, damaged or underripe fruit need to be removed.
Chardonnay grapes are usually pressed immediately in Burgundy, why?
Chardonnay is not an aromatic variety so there are no aromas to extract with skin contact. And you risk extracting undesired tannins.
Most common clarification method in white winemaking for quality wine in Burgundy?
Sedimentation
Why are producers of white wine in Burgundy using hyperoxidation?
They want to make a wine that is less prone to oxidation, might be a way to combat the problem of premox- premature oxidation.
What type of yeast is common practise is Burgundy? Why?
Ambient yeast, to express terroir better.
Inexpensive and mid-price Burgundy, what fermentation vessels and at what temperature?
Stainless steel or concrete, at 16-18 degrees C (to avoid banana flavours from cooler temperatures, AND preserve primary fruit flavours)
More expensive white wines in Burgundy are fermented in what vessels, why, and at what temperature?
Barrel, for a more rounded and creamier texture, at 20 degrees C.
What typical flavours are derived from new oak in white Burgundy?
Vanilla and clove spice.
At regional level, new oak is fairly uncommon in Burgundy. But at village-level what is normal new oak percentage (white Burgundy).
20-25%
Premier Cru level in white Burgundy, common new oak percentage?
30-50%
Grand Cru level white Burgundy, common percentage of new oak?
50% and more. (100% is not unheard of)
Number of litre in Burgundy oak barrel? And what is it called?
228 litre, pièce
Is malolactic conversion done in white Burgundy?
Most often yes. Sometimes it is blocked, or partially blocked for a fresher style.
Is bâttonage used for white Burgundy? Why?
Yes, the lees might be stirred once or several times to reduce reductive flavours and for a creamier texture.
When did premox start to appear? Starting from what vintage?
Early 2000’s. From vintage 1996 and onward.
Briefly define premox.
Premature oxidation. The wines are showing advanced flavours and colours only after a short period in bottle.
Name a few suggested causes to premox.
Vineyard practises leading to higher yields, warmer vintages, later picking timed, over-clean musts due to use of pneumatic presses, over-bâtonnage, lower sulphur levels at bottling, quality of corks and cork treatments.
Pinot Noir has to be vinified carefully, why?
Delicate character, aromatic nature, relatively light tannins.
Whole bunch fermentation used to be the norm in Burgundy for Pinot Noir. Who started a new trend and when?
Henri Jayer in the 1980’s
What is whole bunch said to bring to the Pinot Noir wine in Burgundy?
The stems aerate and whole bunch bring perfume, freshness and fine tannins.
Pinot Noir is thin skinned and therefore low in anthocyanins. What does winemakers in Burgundy do to extract colour? For how long?
Cold soak, for a few hours up to a few days.
Do most Burgundy producers use ambient or cultured yeast?
Ambient. It is said to reflect the terroir better.
What kind of fermentation vessel does Burgundian winemakers use for Pinot Noir?
Small, open-top vessels.
Pumping over is called what in french?
Remontage
Punching down is called what in French?
Pigéage
Why is it important to break up the cap now and then, especially for Pinot Noir.
Yeast need oxygen for metabolism, to avoid reduction and the production of reductive sulphur - extract is prone to reduction. Also to avoid acetic acid and to extract colour, tannins and flavours + to regulate the fermentation temperature.
What temperature for a healthy Pinot Noir fermentation?
30 degrees C
How long post-fermentation maceration for wines with great concentration and structure for Burgundy Pinot Noir.
2-3 weeks.
How long is a common ageing period for premium and super-premium Burgundy?
12-20 months
The medieval monks started the story of Burgundy’s delineation but when was much of the current classification formalised?
1930’s
What are the classification in Burgundy based on?
Terroir; soil, aspect, microclimate etcetera
In the 1930’s all the lieux-dits (named places) were classified into a four tier hierarchy in Burgundy. What are the tiers?
Regional or generic; for example Bourgogne AOC
Village or communal; for example Meursault AOC
Premier Cru; for example Pommard Premier Cru AOC Les Rugiens
Grand Cru; for example Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru AOC
In terms of volume, how much of Burgundy is Grand Cru, village/premier cru and regional in percent?
1% grand cru
47% village/premier cru
52% regional
Excluding Beaujolais, how many appellations are there in Burgundy?
84
Of the 84 appellations in Burgundy, how many are Grand Cru AOC’s, village AOC’s respectively regional AOC’s?
33 Grand cru’s, 44 village and 7 regional.
How many premier cru’s are there in Burgundy excluding Beaujolais? They are not AOC’s in their own right, but rather what?
640 premier cru’s. They are additional geographical denominations related to a village.
Smallest Grand Cru in Burgundy (+ size)?
La Romanée Grand Cru, 0.84 ha
Why are vineyards in Côte d’Or owned by more than one domaine?
Due to Napoleonic inheritance law (land should always be divided equal among male children)
The flat land beyond the top of slope in Côte d’Or falls under what generic appellations?
Hautes Côte de Nuits and Hautes Côte de Beaune
What makes vineyards in Hautes Côtes de Nuits lesser?
Higher altitude, less weather protection, poorer sunlight interception, richer soils (vigour, less concentration in grapes).
Here, grapes can struggle to ripen.
Where on the slope do you find Grand Crus?
In the middle, often surrounded by premier crus
Why do you find Grand Crus in the middle of the slope?
Best drainage, poor but adequate shallow soils, weather protection, good sunlight interception.
The lowest part of the slope in Côte d’Or is usually Village level. Why?
The soils are richer and less well drained. The fruit doesn’t reach the same level of ripeness.
What is the name of the road going from Dijon to Beaune and beyond that typically divides village level from the generic Bourgogne AOC?
D974
What colour of wine in Gevry-Chambertin? Name 2 Grand Crus.
Red wine only. Grand Cru Charmes Chambertin AOC and Grand Cru Chamberyin Clos de Bèze AOC
In what part of Côte d’Or is Morey-Saint-Denis AOC? Name northern neighbour. Morey-Saint-Denis is almost exclusive of what colour of wine?
Côtes de Nuits, northern neighbour is Gevry-Chambertin AOC, close to all wine is red.
Name 2 grand crus in Morey-Saint-Denis AOC
Clos de Tart AOC and Clos de la Roche AOC
Chambolle-Musigny AOC, what colour of wine at village level? What part of Côte d’Or? Northern neighbour?
Red wine only at village level. Côte de Nuits. Morey-Saint-Denis AOC
Name 2 Grand Crus in Chambolle-Musigny AOC
Bonnes Mares AOC and Musigny AOC
The grand cru Clos de Vougeot AOC is larger than the village appellation. What is the name of the village appellation? What colours of wine in the village appellations?
Northern neighbour?
What part in Côte d’Or?
Vougeut AOC, red and white in village appellation.
Chambolle-Musigny
Côte de Nuits
Red wine only in this famous appellation. Northern neighbour is Vougeut AOC. What is it called?
Vosne-Romanée AOC
Name 2 famous grand crus in Vosne-Romanée AOC
La Tâche AOC and Romanée-Conti AOC
Southern Côte de Nuits appellation with no Grand Crus but important Premier Crus?
Nuits-Saint-Georges AOC
Nuits-Saint-Georges AOC is almost exclusively one colour of wine, what colour? There are no Grand Crus in Nuits-Saint-George but important Premier Crus. Name 2.
Red wine. Premier Cru Les Saint-Georges and Le Vaucrains
Most important area for white wine in Burgundy?
Côte de Beaune
Only Grand Cru for red wine in Côte de Beaune?
Corton Grand Cru AOC, but it can produce white wine too
There are three villages creating a cluster around the hill of Corton, which ones?
Aloxe-Corton AOC, Pernand-Vergelesses AOC and Ladoix-Serrigny AOC
The villages Aloxe-Corton, Pernand-Vergelessen and Laroix-Serrigny and their premier crus produce mostly red wine. But the Corton hill’s most famous Grand Cru produce only white, what is the name of the Grand Cru?
Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru AOC
How many Grand Crus are there in Beaune, Pommard, Volnay, Meursault and Saint-Aubin?
None, only important premier crus
Beaune AOC produce predominantly one colour of wine, which? Name two important premier crus.
Red wine predominantly. Le Clos de Mouches and Les Grèves.
Neighbour north of Pommard and neighbour south of Pommard? Only colour of wine in Pommard?
Beaune in north and Volnay in south. Red wine only.
Name two premier crus in Pommard.
Les Rugiens and Clos des Épeneaux
In what part of Burgundy do you find Volnay?
Côte de Beaune
North neighbour to Volnay and south neighbour to Volnay? What colour of wine?
North is Pommard and south Meursault. Red wine only.
Name two sought after premier crus in Volnay.
Clos des Chênes and Les Caillerets
Northern neighbour is Volnay and southern Puligny-Montrachet. Name of village? Mostly what colour of wine?
Meursault, mostly white.
Meursault AOC, name two well-known premier crus.
Perrières and Genevrières
Between which AOCs does Burgundy’s most celebrated white wine Grand Crus stretch? Name at least two of the Grand Crus.
Le Montrachet Grand Cru and Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru is two world famous white wine Grand Crus stretching between Puligny-Montrachet and Chassagne-Montrachet
South of Puligny-Montrachet and Chassagne-Montrachet is what village? South of it starts Côte Chalonnaise.
And mostly what colour of wine?
Saint-Aubin, mostly white wine.
Name two leading premier crus in Saint-Aubin.
Sur le Sentier du Clou and En Remilly.
Côte Chalonnaise, what colour of wine is more dominant?
Côte Chalonnaise produce more red than white wine.
Number of Grand Crus in Côte Chalonnaise?
Zero
What aspects does the premier crus of Côte Chalonnaise tend to be? And what soil?
South, south-east and east-facing slopes. Well drained limestone soils.
There is one appellation in Côte Chalonnaise that needs to be 100% of Burgundy’s second white grape. Name of AOC and variety?
Bouzeron AOC must be 100% Aligoté.
South of Bouzeron AOC. Name of Burgundian region and name of appellation? Produces more white than red and is important for the production of Crémant de Bourgogne.
Côte Chalonnaise, Rully AOC
South of Rully AOC and north of Givry AOC? Mostly what colour of wine?
Mercurey AOC, more red than white.
How many percent is premier cru in Mercurey AOC?
25%
South of Mercurey AOC and north of Montagny AOC? Mostly what colour of wine and how many percent premier cru?
Givry AOC, mostly red and 40% premier cru.
South of Givry AOC. What region and name of appellation? What colour of wine and how many percent premier cru?
Côte Chalonnaise, Montagny AOC. White wine only, 66% premier cru.
Mostly what colour of wine in Mâconnais region?
White
Name of lowest quality appellation in Mâconnais, and predominantly what colour of wine?
Mâcon AOC, predominately red wine
Second tier of quality in Mâconnais, above Mâcon AOC?
Mâcon-villages AOC and Mâcon + named village
Mâcon-village and Mâcon + named village (ex Mâcon-Lugny or Mâcon-Solutré) is one colour of wine only. What colour?
White wine only
Highest quality tier in Mâconnais is named village appellations. At the moment there are only five. Name a few of them
Viré-Clessé, Pouilly-Fuissé, Saint-Veran, Pouilly-Loché, Pouilly-Vinzelles.
In 2020 premier cru status was awarded to 22 climats in what Mâconnais appellation?
Pouilly-Fuissé
What makes Marsannay cooler than the rest of the Côte d’Or appellations?
The slope is gentler and there is less protection from cold winds coming from south-west.
The fact that Marsannay is cooler is reflected in the colours of wine produced. What wine colours are produced in Marsannay?
Only village in the Côte d’Or that allows red, white and rosé.
The greatest protection from the west in Côte d’Or is between Gevry-Chambertin and Nuits-Saint-Georges. How is this reflected in the wine style?
Higher alcohol and level of ripeness.
Name a few well regarded négociants in Burgundy.
Albert Bichot, Joseph Drouhin, Faiveley, Louis Jadot and Bouchard Père et Fils.
Dujac is a domaine that also acts as a négociant. What are the wines labelled as when from their own vineyards, and what is it labelled as when produced from purchased fruit or bought in wine?
Domaine Dujac when from own vineyards, Dujac Fils et Père when bought in grapes or wine.
What type of organisation is the Burgundian Benjamin Leroux?
Micro-négociant. Buying grapes from very good to top quality vineyards. Make the wines and sell them under own name.
How much of all Burgundy wine is sold in France?
50%
3 largest volume exports markets for Burgundy?
USA, UK and Canada
