Burgundy

Question 1

What are the major grape varieties of Burgundy?

Answer 1

Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Gamay

Question 2

What are the major Burgundy wine regions, from north to south?

Answer 2

Chablis, Cote d’Or, Cote Chalonnaise, Maconnais, Beaujolais

Cote d’Or contains the Cote de Nuits and Cote de Beaune

Question 3

Describe the historical background of Burgundy.

Answer 3

Middle Ages - influence of monastic orders
Fragmentation of vineyard ownership - thousands of tiny vineyards each with many owners, due to progression from church dominance to French Revolution to Code Napoleon (1804) and inheritance laws
Uneven range of quality

Question 4

Describe the climate and weather of Burgundy.

Answer 4

Continental climate, cold winter and hot summers
Fairly consistent
Chablis is colder, frost can be an issue

Question 5

Describe the topography and aspect in Burgundy.

Answer 5

Rolling hills
Cote d’Or slope, best vineyards are on hillsides facing east/ southeast at 175m-250m (good weather band)

Question 6

Describe the soil in Burgundy.

Answer 6

Burgundy - chalk, calcareous clay, marl, and limestone
Limestone amplifies acidity in the Pinots and Chardonnays.

Beaujolais - granite
Granite neutralizes the acidity in the Gamays.

Geology - undersea, 8 layers of limestone, faulted by Alps and other hills and mountains formed in the area

Monks mapped and walled around soil types.
Quality influenced by thickness of topsoil and % of rocks in topsoil

Question 7

AOC/ AOP Classification

Answer 7

~40 Grand Cru (2% of total production)
~600 Premier Cru / 1er Cru (12%)
Village wines (30%)
Regional appellation/ Bourgogne (56%)

Question 8

What is the meaning of “Domaine” on a wine label?

Answer 8

Grower/ producer that owns the vineyards from which they produce the wine.

Question 9

What is the meaning of “Negociant” on a wine label?

Answer 9

Merchants who buy grapes and/or finished wine for blending and bottling under their own label.

Question 10

What is the meaning of “Clos” on a wine label?

Answer 10

Plot of vineyard land traditionally surrounded by dry-stone walls

Question 11

What is the meaning of “Monopole” on a wine label?

Answer 11

Parcel of land with single ownership, rare at 1% of Burgundy

Question 12

What are some examples of Town-Winery rebranding of the town name in the 1850s?

Answer 12

Gevrey-Chambertin, Vosne-Romanee, Puligny-Montrachet, Chassagne-Montrachet

Question 13

Chablis Overview

Answer 13

Location: 80mi north of Cot d’Or, east of Paris
City: Chablis
Area Under Vine: 13,500 acres
Climate: Continental cool, susceptible to late frosts
Geography: Serein River (N-S),
Soil: Kimmeridgian clay and Portlandian limestone
Grape: 100% Chardonnay
Vinification: older neutral barrels or stainless steel, ML fermentation (yogurt)

Style: Light-bodied white wine
Color: Pale straw
Tasting notes: Citrus, lime peel, green apple, yellow nectarine, pear, white flowers, lily, lees, mineral, chalk, high acidity, salinity
Age: 5-10yrs

Question 14

Chablis AOP

Answer 14

Petit Chablis AOP - great value, younger vines on periphery of footprint, Portlandian limestone
$25

Chablis AOP
$30

Chablis Premier Cru AOP - 40 vineyards, some oak-age
Left Bank: Vaillons, Montmains
Right Bank: Montee de Tonnerre, Mont de Milieu, Fourchaume
$60

Chablis Grand Cru AOP - 7 climats, most have south/southwest exposure
Right Bank: Bougros, Les Preuses, Vaudesir, Grenouilles, Valmur, Les Clos, Blanchots
$120

Question 15

What foods pair well with Chablis?

Answer 15

Oysters and other shellfish, fresh fish, chicken, fresh herbs, rich cheeses, savory green salad

Question 16

Cote de Nuits Overview

Answer 16

Location: SE of Paris
City: Dijon to north of Beaune
Area Under Vine: acres
Climate: Continental cool, 250m is sweet spot
Geography: Hillsides and ridges, slope to SW, easterly exposure
Soil: Limestone and Marl
Grape: Pinot Noir
Vinification: older neutral barrels or new oak (Grand Cru)

Grape: Pinot Noir
Style: Light-moderate-bodied red wine
Color: Pale ruby
Tasting notes: Red fruits, strawberry, raspberry, red plum, cherry, flowers, hibiscus, rose petal, thyme/ oregano, clove/ nutmeg, mushroom, potting soil, wet stone, tart acid, low tannin
Age:

Question 17

Cote de Nuits AOP

Answer 17

Bourgogne AOP
Bourgogne Cote de Nuits AOP

Cote de Nuits Village AOP - 9 Villages
Gevrey-Chambertin, Morey-St. Denis, Chambolle-Musigny, Vougeot, Vosne-Romanée, Nuits-Saint-Georges

Premier (1er) Cru - 130+ vineyards
Gevry-Chambertin Clos St. Jacques, Chambolle-Musigny Les Amoureuses, Vosne-Romanee Cros Parantoux, Morey-St. Denis

Grand Cru - 24 vineyards
Chambertin, Bonnes-Mares, Musigny, La Tâche, La Romanée

Question 18

What foods pair well with Pinot Noir?

Answer 18

Roasted lobster, poached chicken, poulet of breast

Question 19

Cote de Beaune Overview

Answer 19

Location: SE of Paris
City: North of Beaune to Macon
Area Under Vine: acres
Climate: Continental cool, 250m is sweet spot
Geography: Hillsides and ridges, slope to SW, easterly exposure
Soil: Limestone and marly
Grape: Pinot Noir (70%), Chardonnay (30%)
Vinification: older neutral barrels or new oak (1er or Grand Cru)

Grape: Pinot Noir
Style: Light-bodied red wine
Color: Pale ruby
Tasting notes: Red fruits, cherry, flowers, hibiscus, rose petal, mushroom, potting soil
Age:

Grape: Chardonnay
Style: Medium-bodied white wine
Color: Deep gold
Tasting notes: Golden apple, hazelnut
Age:

Question 20

Cote de Beaune AOPs

Answer 20

Bourgogne AOP

Cote-de-Beaune-Village AOP - 9 Villages
Aloxe-Corton, Beaune, Pommard, Volnay, Meursault, Puligny-Montrachet, Chassagne-Montrachet

Premier (1er) Cru - 100s vineyards
Volnay (PN), Meursault (Ch)

Grand Cru - 8 vineyards
Corton, Corton-Charlemagne, Montrachet, Bâtard- Montrachet

Question 21

Cote Chalonnaisse Overview

Answer 21

Location:
City: Chagny, Chalon-Sur-Saone
Area Under Vine: acres
Climate: Continental
Geography: More flat
Soil: Limestone and marly
Grape: Cremant de Bourgogne, Pinot Noir (60%), Chardonnay (40%), Aligote
Vinification: older neutral barrels

Grape: Pinot Noir
Style: Light-bodied red wine
Color: Pale ruby
Tasting notes: Red fruits, cherry, flowers, hibiscus, rose petal, mushroom, potting soil
Age:

Grape: Chardonnay
Style: Medium-bodied white wine
Color: Medium-gold
Tasting notes: Yellow apple, baked quince, apple blossom, vanilla, truffle
Age:

Question 22

Cote Chalonnaise AOPs

Answer 22

Bouzeron (Al), Rully, Mercurey (PN), Givry (PN), Montagny (Ch)

Question 23

Mâconnais Overview

Answer 23

Location: SE of Paris
City: Macon
Area Under Vine: acres
Climate: Continental warm
Geography: More flat
Soil:
Grape: Chardonnay (85%), some Pinot Noir and Gamay
Vinification: Older neutral barrels, some oak in P-F

Style: Medium-bodied white wine
Color: Deep gold
Tasting notes: Tropical, stone fruit
Age: 5-10yr

Question 24

Macconais AOPs

Answer 24

Macconais-Village AOP
Saint-Veran

Premier (1er) Cru
Pouilly-Fuisse

Question 25

Beaujolais Overview

Answer 25

Location: Overlapping and south of Macconais
City: Macon to Lyon
Area Under Vine: acres
Climate: Semi-continental
Geography: Hillside vineyards in N, flatter plains in S
Soil: Schist, granite
Grape: Gamay
Vinification: Carbonic maceration in stainless steel, used French oak

Grape: Gamay
Style: Light body red wine
Color: Pale purple to ruby rim
Tasting notes: Black and red fruit, black cherry, pomegranate, blackberry, violet, thyme / basil, bubble gum, banana, potting soil, crushed granite, M+ acidity & M- tannin, ripe fruit
Age: Not recommended

Question 26

Beaujolais AOPs

Answer 26

Beaujolais AOP
Beaujolais Nouveau
Beaujolais-Village AOPs

Beaujolais Cru AOP - 10 villages
Julienas, Saint-Amour, Chenas, Moulin-a-Vent, Fleurie, Chiroubles, Morgon, Regnie, Cote de Brouilly, Brouilly

Question 27

What foods pair well with Beaujolais Gamay?

Answer 27

Spicy & salty, peperoni pizza, picnic wine