Burgundy Flashcards
Climat
Individually named vineyard fixed in AOC legislation
Region
north to south strip between Dijon in the north and Macon, 80 miles, to the south; approximately 50% Chardonnay, 40% Pinot Noir, 8% Aligote, 2% Other
Cote d’Or
divided into Cote de Nuits and Cote de Beaune; over 60% Pinot Noir
Cote de Nuits
runs south from Dijon to just south of Nuits-Saint-Georges
Cote de Beaune
runs from south of Nuits-Saint-George to Santenay
Yonne department
includes Chablis; 80% Chardonnay; 40,000 ha in early 19th century (proximity to Paris), but plantings shrunk to 500 ha after phylloxera, powdery mildew, Paris-Lyons-Marseille railroad (cheaper wines coming from south of France), rural depopulation after WWI, devastating frost of 1945; modern demand = 5,500 ha
Chablis - Geography
Name of town and appellation that lies in the valley of the River Serein in the northern-most part of Burgundy; 70 miles NW of Dijon
Chablis - Climate
Continental with cold winters, warm summers; slightly cooler than Cote d’Or; average rainfall 670 mm but spread throughout year
Chablis - Chardonnay Tasting Note
dry, light to medium bodied , medium alcohol, zesty high acidity, green apple, pear, lemon and lime fruit flavor, wet stone; minimal to no oak (some fermentation and aging in oak for 1er cru and Grand Cru); good to outstanding; cellaring and aging potential; mid to premium price with a few super premium examples (not as expensive as Cote d’Or)
Chardonnay
Buds early (susceptible to spring frost); early ripening (advantage in cool Chablis); very versatile; suited to a range of climates; produces relatively high yields without loss of quality; prone to grey rot, powdery mildew, millerandage, grapevine yellows; can be grown in wide range of soil types and climates (large range of styles); top-quality are grown on limestone/clay soils (Burgundy); main challenge is vigor management to avoid excessive yield and shading, which would reduce the quality of fruit
Chablis Climate Risks
Cool climate: uncertainty about ripening and considerable vintage variation; moist climate: high threat of fungal disease and difficulties leading up to harvest with rot; vulnerable to spring frosts and hail storms (severe impact in recent vintages)
Chablis - Soil
Limestone and clay, some with considerable amount of fossilized seashells (Kimmeridgian)
Frost Risk Management
- Smudge pots: smokey, causes air pollution, requires staffing vineyard
- Sprinklers (aspersion): most popular, installation and maintenance cost high (only an option for 1er Cru, Grand Cru, well-funded company)
- Pruning choices: later pruning promotes later bud-burst, reducing chance of damage to new buds
Chablis Rootstocks
41B rootstock is widely used = tolerant of limestone soils with high pH; 420A rootstock is popular for low vigor and tolerance to high pH soils
Chablis Training
double Guyot replacement cane training system - Due to the risk of frost damage in Chablis, this system means that if one of the canes is damaged by frost, the other one may well survive, thereby reducing the impact on yield
Chablis Picking
Most machine harvested except grand cru vineyards (most too steep) which are still picked by hand
Petit Chablis AOC
higher, cooler vineyards predominantly with Portlandian soils; predominantly on flat land or gentle slopes; aspects vary w/ many north-facing sites - leads to light bodied wines, notable for high acidity, light intensity and green apple and lemon fruit; mid-priced
Portlandian soil
Hard limestone with less clay
Chablis AOC
Large area of Kimmeridgian soil and mixed aspects; predominantly on flat land or gentle slopes; aspects vary w/ many north-facing sites - leads to light bodied wines, notable for high acidity, medium intensity and green apple and lemon fruit; mid-priced, sometimes premium
Chablis Premier Cru AOC
15% of area under vine; 40 named vineyards/climats, (ex. Montée de Tonnerre, Mont de Milieu, Vaillons, and Fourchaume); S/SE facing slopes on Kimmeridgian soil; premium to super-premium in price
Labelling
some 1er cru with lieux-dits (named plots) within them - can be labelled under specific site (Chablis Premier Cru Troesmes) or under larger climat they fall within (Chablis Premier Cru Beauroy)
Lieu-dit
named piece of land in the centralized land register
Chablis Grand Cru
Single Grand Cru with 7 named vineyards (climats); examples: Les Clos, Vaudesir; immediately next to village of Chablis, facing SW on right bank of River Serein and is on Kimmeridgian soil; south-facing slopes promote ripening (wines with greater weight and concentration, capacity to age than 1er cru or village level); protected from northern winds by belt of trees between it and Petit Chablis; 1% of total production; premium, super-premium in price
Kimmeridgian Soil
mixture of crumbly marl with good drainage and high clay content for water retention = higher quality
Slopes
1er and Grand Cru predominantly on S-facing slopes, mid-slope; slope allows for better drainage, better protection from frost, better light interception (riper fruit)
Chapatalisation
used regularly in all but warmest years; adding dry beet or cane sugar to increase alcohol content of final wine (aim is to create a more balanced wine, especially if optimal ripeness of sugars, acids, tannins, and flavors has not been reached
Chablis - Winemaking
- Fermentation in stainless steel
- Chapatalisation during fermentation
- Storage in stainless or concrete for few months
- Malolactic conversion is common to soften acidity
- Spend time on lees (months) to enhance texture
Oak in Chablis
Oak aromas, flavors, textures not desirable nor commonly found in generic Chablis (celebrated for crisp, bright citrus, and green apple fruit flavors and high acidity; some 1er and Grand Cru fermented and aged in barrel
Vincent Dauvissat
old oak; wines sell at extremely high prices
Francois Raveneau
old oak; wines sell at extremely high prices
William Fevre
new oak; founded Le Syndicat de Defense de l’Appellation de Chablis in 1993 with aim of combatting fraud and addressing environmental issues
Jean-Marc Brocard
stainless steel or concrete
Chablis Wine Law
100% Chardonnay;
Max Yields:
Petit Chablis - 60 hL/ha
Chablis AOC - 60 hL/ha
Chablis 1er Cru AOC - 58 hL/ha
Chablis Grand Cru AOC - 54 hL/ha
Chablis - Business
traditional distinction between negociant and domaine breaking down as negociants have bought land and some domaines supplement their own production with additional negociant business; more growers are making and marketing their own wine; name of domaine and level of appellation are very important drivers of price; generally lower prices than corresponding hierarchy in Burgundy
La Chablisienne
Co-op operating at all levels of the appellation hierarchy; 1/3 of all wine
L’Union des Grand Crus de Chablis
voluntary association to promote the quality of Chablis Grand Cru: members must practice sustainable viticulture and harvest by hand
Chablis - Exports
2/3 of volume exported: UK #1, USA, Japan, Sweden, Canada
Why is Chardonnay particularly well suited to being grown in Chablis?
can successfully ripen to produce high quality wines in cool to warm climates, therefore it is suited to the cool continental climate that typifies Chablis; early ripening variety which is beneficial as the summers can be short in Chablis; the styles of wines produced range from unoaked, dry, high acidity and light body to richer, medium body with green apple and citrus fruit character when grown on warmer sites
Cote d’Or - Climate
moderate continental; Dijon 300 miles from Mediterranean with cold winters and warm summers; short summers make early-ripening Chardonnay and Pinot Noir suitable varieties; average rainfall = 700 mm; early autumn typically dry, though rain can be a threat at harvest; climate warmer than in previous decades (cool vintage = underripe tannins); marked vintage variation due to variable weather; organic/biodynamic grape growing challenging
Cote d’Or - Geography
Morvan hills to the west provide protection from rainfall; northern location = vineyard site very important for yield and quality
Maconnais - Climate
slightly drier and warmer than the Cote d’Or
Pinot Noir - Ripening
Precarious - promoting ripeness of skins and seeds is a priority: each individual site needs ideal combination of aspect, altitude, degree of slope, soil
Cote d’Or - Climate Risk - Frost
Spring frost = significant problem, may substantially reduce yields if occur after budburst; acute because Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are early-budding; warmer than usual winters encourage earlier growth, making vines more vulnerable to frost
Cote d’Or - Climate RIsk - Hail
problem throughout growing season; April-May damage severely reduces yields or total loss of the crop; late in season = fruit damage particularly to exposed grapes; damaged berries must be removed or risk grey rot; highly localized but problems are substantial in winemaking and commercial terms (see Volnay and Pommard 2012-2015)
Hail - Solutions
- sorting tables
- limited hail netting permitted since 2018 (traditionally restricted because thought to cause shading and appeared inauthentic in landscape)
- seed thunderclouds with silver iodide to induce precipitation away from vineyards
Cote d’Or - Climate Risk - Rain
early = disrupts flowering and fruit set, lowers yields and leads to uneven ripening; extended periods of rain increase risk of fungal disease; too much just before harvest = dilution of grape and increased chance of rot
Cote d’Or - Climate Risk - Drought
hot, dry summers cause berries to shrivel; vines shut down completely causing a halt in ripening; irrigation not permitted; vineyards with higher clay content cope better because of water-retaining properties
Cote d’Or - Topography
aspect and elevation very important determinant of quality and style; range of hills oriented north-south with elevations ranging from 200 m - 400 m; side valleys are east-west at various points along main slope; range of aspects S/SE; best sites found on mid-slope
Cote d’Or - Slope
Sites on the mid-slope benefit from well-draining, shallow soils, good sunlight interception, comparative frost protection, better ripening potential; top of slope = very poor (too little for vines to thrive), thin soil (erosion), exposed to cool winds; bottom slope = deeper soil (poor drainage, more clay, greater fertility) and vulnerable to frost (coolest planted to Aligote or used for production of Cremant de Bourgogne)
Aspects
more varied in Cote Chalonnaise and Maconnais; best SE facing slopes are found in Bouzeron and Rully; best sites of Pouilly-Fuisse on slopes with south facing aspect
Cote de Nuits - Soil
mixture of limestone and clay, but limestone dominant (best Pinot Noir grown on limestone)
Cote de Beaune - Soil
mixture of limestone and clay, but more clay and the soils are deeper than in the Cote de Nuits (best Chardonnay from here)
Burgundy - Soil
Mixture of limestone and clay; depth varies significantly due to erosion; problem even in gently sloping vineyards (Clos de Vougeot); thinner at top (vines can’t thrive), deeper at bottom = poor drainage, higher percentage of clay, higher fertility = greater vigor with increased danger of shading = less ripe grapes
Aligote
village of Bouzeron in the Cote Chalonnaise
Cote d’Or Chardonnay Tasting Note
Ripe citrus, melon, and stone fruit, medium to medium (+) body, medium (+) to high acidity
Pinot Noir
Early budding (susceptible to spring frost); ripens early (suitable for cool climates); yields must be limited to produce high quality wine; delicate: prone to millerandage, downy and powdery mildew, botrytis bunch rot, fan leaf and leaf roll virus; too warm: ripens too fast (reducing intensity of aromas), berries shrivel/suffer sunburn; too cool: doesn’t achieve desired ripeness (tannins, color, flavor)
Burgundy Clones
Dijon clone families for both Chardonnay and Pinot Noir: vary in yield, disease tolerance, speed of ripening, and fruit characteristics; growers must decide to plant with single clone (uniform fruit profile) or plant a mix (greater diversity in grape characteristics; potentially more disease resistant)
Mass selection
repainting new vineyards with cuttings from exceptional old vines from same or nearby property
Burgundy - Pinot Noir Tasting Note
strawberry, raspberry, and red cherry flavors; light oak derived flavors of smoke and clove (village and above), low to medium tannins (grand cru can have medium (+) tannins), medium alcohol, and high acidity; wines develop earth, game, and mushroom with time in bottle
Burgundy - Training
Cordon, including Cordon de Royat - limits vigor and thus yields; high proportion of old wood can harbor disease; return to traditional Guyot (replacement-cane pruned with VSP) and even softer method of cane pruning, Poussard-Guyot
Poussard-Guyot
maintains the same sap route from one year to the next with pruning wounds only on the upper part of the cordon; reduces number of pruning wounds; attempt to prevent Esca and other trunk diseases; aids canopy management; requires skilled vineyard workers
Burgundy - Plant Density
8,000-10,000 vines per hectare (some growers with higher plant density); thought to encourage root competition leading to better quality fruit (smaller berries with higher flavor intensity)
Burgundy - Yield Reduction
goal: manage and reduce yields =
1. winter pruning
2. de-budding (before flowering) - promotes good balance but risky to reduce potential yield so early (risks = hail, frost, fungal disease)
3. green harvesting - allows growers to assess size, shape, and position of bunches before removal; later in the season taking into account unpredictable weather events . . . risk of vine overcompensating with excessive growth in remaining bunches and dilution in the grapes
Burgundy - Yields
regional appellations - 69 hL/ha red; 75 white
village level 40-45 hL/ha red; 45-47 white
some grands crus as low as 35 hL/ha red; 40 white
Burgundy - Harvest
timing is critical given the marginal climate (storms lead to dilution/fruit damage); harvest early = preservation of acidity but fruit may not be fully ripe; harvesting late leads to softer wine, but weather concerns could be a factor; majority of fruit picked by hand requiring large workforce
Winemaking - Chardonnay
- Grapes hand harvested 2. Sorted on sorting tables (remove diseased, damaged, underripe grapes = v. important in cool climate) 3. Whole bunch pressed (stems add drainage to must) 4. Pressed immediately (skin contact unnecessary for un-aromatic Chardonnay + avoid unwanted tannins) 5. Must clarified by sedimentation 6. Hyperoxidation 7. Fermentation by ambient yeasts (cultured yeasts for high volume regional wines) 8. Fermentation in stainless or concrete (inexpensive) to 61-64 degrees F or oak (expensive) to 68 degrees F 9. Malolactic conversion (portion blocked for fresher style) 10. 8-12 months in barrel in contact with fine lees (option for batonnage) 11. Filtered
Ambient yeasts
common practice at higher classification levels - winemakers believe it contributes to terroir; monitor fermentation closely and intervene if necessary (sluggish ferment)
Oak Usage - Chardonnay
more expensive wines (including expensive Bourgogne Blanc) fermented and aged in barrel for creamier and more rounded style; if portion of barrel is new, wine shows vanilla and clove spice after aging; little oak used at regional levels, 20-25% at village level, 30-50% at premier cru, 50% + at Grand Cru (some 100%); standard = 228 liter Burgundy barrel (piece), some larger 500-600 liter barrels (more subtle oak flavors and oxidation)
Batonnage
thought to reduce any reductive flavors and add creamier texture
Premature oxidation
1996 and later showed advanced flavors and colors after relatively short time in bottle (discovered early 2000s); ‘premox’ - potential causes: changes in vineyard practices leading to higher yields and different chemical composition in the grapes, warmer vintages, later picking times, the use of over-clean musts (pneumatic presses), overzealous batonnage, lower levels of sulphur dioxide at bottling, both the quality of corks and changes in cork treatment; improved but still issue
Winemaking - Pinot Noir
aim = preserve aromatics, primary fruit, delicate tannins, and not overwhelm with oak
1. Sorting (especially if rot/hail have been an issue) 2. Whole bunch or destemmed (PN well suited to whole bunch) 3. Cold soaking for few hours to few days (maximize extraction of color from low anthocyanin PN) 4. Ambient yeast fermentation in open top vessel 5. Pumping over (remontage) and punching down (pigeage) 6. Healthy ferment reaches 86 degrees F 7. Post-fermentation maceration depends on ripeness of fruit and style being made, 2-3 weeks for wines of more concentration and structure 8. Pressed in horizontal pneumatic press or vertical basket press 9. Free run and pressed juice kept separate (may be blended before bottling) 10. Racked in oak (228 L) for maturation 11. Aged 12-20 months for premium/super premium (less expensive less than a year) 12. Malolactic conversion is spontaneous and takes place in spring following harvest when cellars start to warm after winter 13. Mid-priced fined and lightly filtered; higher level may not be
Henri Jayer
winemaker who popularized destemming Pinot Noir grapes prior to fermentation in the 1980s; whole bunch fermentation has become popular again
Whole bunch fermentation
aids aeration of the must - can add perfume, freshness, and fine tannins (if stems are unripe: green, astringent tannins can be extracted; lower acidity would not be welcome in warmer vintages); some producers use a proportion of whole bunches depending on the vineyard and vintage
Cap management techniques
Pumping over (remontage) and punching down (pigeage) - cap needs to be regularly broken up during fermentation to introduce oxygen (essential for yeast metabolism), avoid reduction, avoid production of reductive sulphur compounds (PN prone to reduction), avoid production of acetic acid, extract color, tannin, flavor from the skins, regulate temperature of the must (reaches 86 degrees F in healthy ferment); most producers use combo
Vineyard Classification
very detailed - started with monks; formalized 1930s - all lieu-dits (named places) put into 4-tier hierarchy; classifications based on soil, aspect, and microclimate (terroir)
*regional or generic appellation (Bourgogne AOC, Bourgogne Hautes Cotes de Beaune AOC, Bourgogne Cote d’Or introduced 2017) - 52%
*communal or village appellations (Meursault AOC, Gevrey-Chambertin AOC - 47% (w/ 1er Cru)
*premier cru (Pommard 1er Cru Les Rugiens AOC, Vosne-Romanee 1er Cru Aux Malconsorts AOC)
*grand cru (Richebourg Grand Cru AOC, Bartard-Montrachet Grand Cru AOC (just Grand Cru on label, village does not appear) - 1%
Appellations - Numbers
84 appellations including:
33 grand crus (each is own appellation)
44 village + 640 1er cru (not own appellations, attached to village)
7 regional
Additional geographic denomination
*regional appellation + general area or village (ex. Bourgogne Hautes-Cotes de Beaune AOC, Bourgogne Chitry AOC)
*village appellation followed by 1er cru vineyard (ex. Meursault Perrieres 1er Cru)
*Macon + village name (ex. Macon Verze AOC)
*Grand Cru vineyard + climat (ex. Chablis Grand Cru Valmur AOC or Corton-Les Bressandes Grand Cru AOC)
Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru
slightly over 50 hectares; marked differences between wines made from fruit of the middle or top sections of the vineyard (steeper slope, poorer soils) and those from the lower section (flatter, richer soils) *all will say Clos de Vougeot on label
Musigny Grand Cru
10 hectares
La Romanee Grand Cru
0.84 hectares
Napoleonic inheritance laws
majority of vineyards owned by more than one domaine = range of quality; depends on skill of domaine + reputation of vineyard; multiple producers with very similar names
Hautes Cotes de Beaune/Nuits Location
flat land beyond the top of the slope; slightly higher altitude, lack of protection from prevailing weather, poor sunlight interception, richer soils (encourage vine vigor) = less concentrated and structures; struggle to ripen in cooler years
Grand Cru, 1er Cru Location
Grand Cru on mid-slope with 1er Cru surrounding: full ripeness achieved even in cooler vintages; mid-slope with poor but adequate shallow soils, good drainage, protection from the prevailing weather systems and good sunlight interception = wines with concentration, balance, and length
Village Location
lowest part of the slope: soils are richer and less well-drained = fruit does not reach same level of ripeness, but can still be good quality and character
Bourgogne location
flat land at bottom of slope; D974 separates village level above to generic appellation below
Cotes de Nuits AOCs
best protection from west (winds and rains) from Gevrey-Chambertin and Nuits-Saint-Georges = slightly higher alcohol and greater ripeness (most red Grand Crus positioned here)
north to south
*Marsannay AOC
*Fixin AOC
*Gevry-Chambertin AOC
*Morey-Saint-Denis AOC
*Chambolle-Musigny AOC
*Vougeot AOC
*Vosne-Romanee AOC
*Nuits-Saint-Georges AOC
Gevry-Chambertin AOC
Cote de Nuits; red only; includes Charmes Chambertin Grand Cru AOC and Chambertin Clos de Beze Grand Cru AOC; fuller bodied
Morey-Saint-Denis AOC
Cote de Nuits; almost exclusively red; includes Clos de Tart Grand Cru AOC and Clos de la Roche Grand Cru AOC
Chambolle-Musigny AOC
Cote de Nuits; red wine only for village; includes Bonnes Mares Grand Cru AOC and Musigny Grand Cru AOC; fruitier and more fragrant
Vougeot AOC
Cote de Nuits; tiny village appellation for red and white; Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru AOC (much larger than the village appellation)
Vosne-Romanee AOC
Cote de Nuits; red wine only; includes La Tache Grand Cru AOC and Romanee-Conti Grand Cru AOC
Nuits-Saint-Georges AOC
Cote de Nuits; almost exclusively red wine; no Grand Crus; important 1er crus = Les Saint-Georges and Les Vaucrains
Marsannay AOC
Cote de Nuits; more accessibly priced wines gaining attention for increased skill in grape growing and winemaking; predominantly red or rose; cooler than rest of Cote d’Or as slopes are gentler and there is less protection from cold SW winds (this is why only village in Cote d’Or with option for rose)
Fixin AOC
Cote de Nuits; more accessibly priced wines gaining attention for increased skill in grape growing and winemaking; predominantly red; fresh red fruit and light body (gentle slopes, less protection from cooler SW winds)
Cote de Beaune AOCs
north to south
*Aloxe-Corton AOC
*Pernand-Vergelesses AOC
*Ladoix-Serrigny AOC
(these three villages cluster around to hill of Corton)
*Beaune AOC
*Pommard AOC
*Volnay AOC
*Meursault AOC
*Puligny-Montrachet AOC
*Chassagne-Montrachet AOC
*Saint-Aubin AOC
(others: St. Romain AOC, Auxey-Duresses AOC, Santenay AOC)
Aloxe-Corton AOC, Pernand-Vergelesses AOC, Ladoix-Serrigny AOC
Cote de Beaune; village and 1er cru = red; Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru AOC = exclusively white; Corton Grand Cru AOC has many lieux-dits = mostly red, some white
Beaune AOC
Cote de Beaune; predominantly red, some white; no Grand Cru; best 1er cru = Les Clos des Mouches and Les Greves
Pommard AOC
red only; no Grand Cru; best 1er cru = Les Rugiens and Clos de Epeneaux; fuller bodied
Volnay AOC
Cote de Beaune; red only; no Grand Cru; best 1er cru = Clos de Chenes and Les Caillerets; fruitier and more fragrant
Meursault AOC
Cote de Beaune; mostly white wine (full-bodied and powerful); no Grand Cru; best 1er cru = Perrieres and Genevrieres
Puligny-Montrachet AOC and Chassagne-Montrachet AOC
Cote de Beaune; nearly all Puligny is white (floral and concentrated); more white Chassagne than red; share best white Grand Crus: Le Montrachet AOC and Batard-Montrachet AOC
Saint-Aubin AOC
Cote de Beaune; mostly white; no Grand Cru; leading 1er crus = Sur le Sentier du Clos and En Remilly
Saint-Romain AOC
Cote de Beaune; village appellation only; mainly white
Auxey-Duresses AOC
Cote de Beaune; village appellation only; mainly red
Santenay AOC
Cote de Beaune; village appellation; mainly red
Cote Chalonnaise AOCs
more red than white; Bourgogne Cote Chalonnaise AOC = good value (usually labelled simply Bourgogne AOC); village and 1er Cru = good value for quality; no Grand Crus; 1er Crus on warmest S/SE facing slopes (good sunlight interception) with well-drained limestone soils, producing ripe fruit of higher quality
*Bouzeron AOC
*Rully AOC
*Mercurey AOC
*Givry AOC
*Montagny AOC
Bouzeron AOC
Cote Chalonnaise; 100% Aligote
Rully AOC
Cote Chalonnaise; +25% is 1er cru (white and red); more white produced than red; important area for Cremant de Bourgogne
Mercurey AOC
Cote Chalonnaise; largest producer; significantly more red than white; ~25% 1er Cru
Givry AOC
Cote Chalonnaise; mostly red; over 40% 1er Cru
Montagny AOC
Cote Chalonnaise; white only; 2/3 1er Cru
The Maconnais
mostly white, inexpensive regional wines usually labelled Bourgogne AOC
Macon AOC
predominantly red or rose, small % of white
Macon-Villages and Macon + named village
white only (ex. Macon-Lugny and Macon-Solutre)
Pouilly-Fuisse AOC
Maconnais; grapes ripen more fully in amphitheater of Fuisse due to better sunlight interception and good drainage; 2020: 22 climat in Pouilly-Fuisse given 1er cru status
Negociants
buy grapes, musts, or finished wines from growers, sell under own name; norm until 1980s (move toward domaine bottling); important negociants = Albert Bichot, Joseph Drouhin, Faiveley, Louis Jadot, Bouchard Pere et Fils; since 2000s = domaines that also operate negociant business (ex. Dujac Pere et Fils (negoc), Domaine Dujac (estate)
Wine business organization
*growers
*domaines
*negociants
*micro-negociants
*co-ops
direct to consumer/producer sales increasing
Growers
businesses with vineyard holdings, sell grapes or unfinished wines to negociants; several 1000 growers: holdings divided into parcels in different vineyards and villages
Domaines
businesses that own vineyards and make wine from them; sell under own label
Micro-negociants
smaller businesses that buy grapes from very good to top quality vineyards, make the wines, sell under their own name (ex. Benjamin Leroix)
Co-ops
less important in Cote d’Or than elsewhere; Chablis (La Chablisienne); Maconnais (Cave de Lugny); some influence in Cote Chalonnaise
Exports
50% sold in France; 25% to other EU states; 25% outside of EU with USA, UK, Japan largest markets
Price
name of domaine and appellation (including single vineyard) drive price; ex. Domaine Armand Rousseau Gevrey-Chambertin AOC out-prices 1er crus b/c of producer reputation; prices increased substantially since 2000s b/c of high land prices, increased worldwide demand for relatively small production (1/4 of Bordeaux production; Domaine Romanee-Conti 1/4 volume of Chateau Lafite-Rothschild Grand Vin) and reduced volumes b/c of weather challenges; increased prices in wine being sold on secondary market as well (Liv-ex Burgundy 150 index shows prices rose by 200% between 2003 and 2016)
Land Prices
very high - result of scarcity of supply especially in favored vineyards; foreign buyers adding pressure as well
Detail the ways producers may reduce yields in Burgundy and why they choose these methods
*Choice of rootstock and clone will be well matched to the vigour of a site for new plantings or when replacing vines in established vineyards. This option is only available to a limited number of producers as Burgundy is an old established wine region.
*Planting density has an impact on vine vigour which may help to manage yields depending on the weather during the growing season. However, this is also a limited option for established producers.
*Choice of training, trellising and pruning has an impact on vine vigour but this choice is limited to new plantings and vineyards replacing older vines.
*De-budding in late spring to remove any excess buds to ensure the buds left on the vine can develop fully to support the ripening of all bunches.
*Green harvesting - removing bunches later in the season that will not ripen in time for harvest and allowing the remaining bunches to ripen fully.
What is premature oxidation and give some reasons why some people think it has occurred?
Premature oxidation is the advanced ageing of wine in a relatively short period of time and can be determined by the aromas and colour. The fruit aromas lose their freshness and change to aged aromas of honey and cooked apple and the colour changes from lighter lemon to darker golden and even tawny.
Premature oxidation was identified in white Burgundy in the late 1990s and early 2000s and continues to this day. It is deemed a fault in this style of wine as white Burgundy can be destined for long ageing. The causes have not been truly identified but many reasons have been suggested including the following:
*Changes in vineyard practices that lead to higher yields and thus different chemical composition in the grapes
*Warmer vintages and later picking times resulting in riper fruit but with lower acidity
*Over-clean musts when using the pneumatic press
*Over-zealous battonage
*Lower levels of sulphur dioxide
*The quality in corks and the treatments used in corks i.e. silicone coating on corks can absorb sulphur dioxide.
Why is the presence of a classification on a bottle of wine from Burgundy not necessarily a mark of quality?
The Napoleonic inheritance laws have had a huge impact for Burgundy wine producers. The law states that a proportion of ones assets must be left to each sibling in equal shares. Over the years this has lead to the fragmentation of vineyard holdings with each vineyard typically being divided between many growers and domaines. The quality of the wine depends as much on the reputation of the producer with the result that the classifications are not a guarantee of quality in Burgundy. In addition, in a few cases, such as Clos Vougeot, there are significant quality differences between the top, middle and bottom of the vineyard.
