Burgundy Flashcards

1
Q

What white grape variety accounts for nearly half the total vineyard area of Burgundy?

A

Chardonnay

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2
Q

Around 15 years ago, what problem started to appear in some Burgundian Chardonnays?

A

Some Burgundian Chardonnays were not ageing as expected. Some bottles of premium wines showed signs of premature oxidation. This is now an established problem in Burgundy, no vineyard or winery-based cause has been definitively identified.

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3
Q

Where is Chablis located in Burgundy?

A

Chablis is a village appellation that lies in the valley of the River Serein in the northernmost part of Burgundy.

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4
Q

What is the major climatic problem of Chablis and what two protective measures are used to combat it?

A

The major climatic problem of Chablis is frost.

  1. Sprinklers
  2. Heaters

These are both used as protective measures against frost.

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5
Q

What is the only grape permitted to be grown in Chablis?

A

Chardonnay

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6
Q

What appellation do all white Grand Crus (with the exception of one) of the Côte d’Or come from?

A

Côte de Beaune

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7
Q

What three villages in the Côte de Beaune have the highest reputation for their white wines?

A
  1. Meursault;
  2. Puligny-Montrachet;
  3. Chassagne-Montrachet
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8
Q

What village appellation of the Côte Chalonnaise only produces white wine?

A

Montagny

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9
Q

What is the most widely planted grape of the Mâconnais?

A

Chardonnay

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10
Q

Describe the typical characteristics of a ‘better’ white wine from Mâcon.

A

The better white wines show a good balance of fresh apple or citrus fruit, medium acidity and medium to full body. There may be a hint of creaminess from MLC.

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11
Q

Wines labelled Mâcon Villages or Mâcon, followed by the name of a particular village are what?

A

White wines that generally represent excellent value for money.

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12
Q

How much of the total vineyard area in Burgundy does Pinot Noir account for?

A

Pinot Noir accounts for over 1/3 of the total vineyard area.

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13
Q

In Burgundy, where are the most important plantings of Pinot Noir found?

A

The most important plantings are in the Côte d’Or.

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14
Q

What are the characteristics of a classic Burgundian Pinot Noir (from Côte d’Or)?

A

Classic Burgundian Pinot Noir has red fruit flavours in youth that evolve into flavours of earth, game and mushroom as the wine matures. The wines tend to have high acidity and low to medium levels of tannins, but this can vary according to the vineyard, the producer and the vintage.

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15
Q

For the best Burgundian Pinot Noir wines, what is the normal expectation for barrel ageing?

A

For the best wines, 16 to 18 months’ barrel ageing is normal.
Generally speaking, the better wines will be aged in a proportion of new oak, although this will depend on the producer.

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16
Q

What three village appellations of the Côte Chalonnaise produce red wines?

A
  1. Rully;
  2. Mercurey;
  3. Givry
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17
Q

What is the typical style of Pinot Noir from the Côte de Beaune?

A

Generally fruitier than Côte de Nuits

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18
Q

Where are the majority of the Grand Cru Pinot Noir sites?

A

Côte de Nuits

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19
Q

What are the four key villages in the Côte de Nuits mentioned in the WSET Level 3 text?

A

Gevrey-Chambertin
Vougeot
Vosne-Romanée
Nuit-Saint-Georges

20
Q

What colour can Côte de Nuits-Villages wines be?

A

Red or white

21
Q

What colour must Côte de Beaune-Villages wines be?

A

Red only

22
Q

What black grape varieties grown in the Mâconnais region?

A

Gamay and Pinot Noir.

23
Q

What is the recently introduced appellation for wines that can be red or white and produced from any of the villages in the Côte d’Or?

A

Bourgogne Côte d’Or

24
Q

What is the recently introduced appellation for wines that can be red or white and produced from any of the villages in the Côte d’Or?

A

Bourgogne Côte d’Or

25
Q

What are the two most generic whit and red appellations that come from anywhere in Burgundy?

A

Bourgogne Rouge and Bourgogne Blanc

26
Q

Approximately how much of Burgundy’s wine production is from premiers cru vineyards?

A

Approximately a tenth of Burgundy’s production.

27
Q

Approximately how much of Burgundy’s wine production is from grand cru vineyards?

A

A little more than 1% of the total production.

28
Q

How many grand cru vineyards are there in the Côte d’Or?

A

32

29
Q

How many grand cru vineyards are there in Chablis?

A

1

30
Q

The wines of Chablis Premier Cru and Chablis Grand Cru tend to come from what sort of sites?

A

Hillside sites with better south facing aspects.

31
Q

What is the climate of Chablis?

A

Cool continental

32
Q

What is the climate of Burgundy, excluding Chablis?

A

Moderate continental

33
Q

What are the three main climate-related risks for Burgundy?

A

• Rain during flowering (poor fruit set) and harvest (grey rot).
• Spring frosts.
• Localised summer hail storms.

34
Q

What are the typical locations of vineyards for basic village level Burgundy and why?

A

On flat sites or at the bottom of slopes.
• They have a much higher frost risk.
• Deeper and more fertile soils.

35
Q

Where are Grand Cru and Premier Cru Burgundy vineyards located and why?

A

Mid slope.
• South or east aspect: South-facing sun; Giving protection from predominantly westerly winds.
• Soils shallower and less fertile.
• Better drainage.

36
Q

Describe two winemaking techniques that are common when making quality Pinot Noir from Côte d’Or.

A

• Whole bunches during fermentation.
• 16 to 18 months in barrel with the better wines a large proportion of new oak.

37
Q

Describe four winemaking techniques often used to produce quality white
Burgundy in Côte d’Or.

A

• Barrel fermentation
• Barrel maturation (6-9 months)
• MLC
• Lees contact during maturation

38
Q

What is the climate in the regions of Burgundy where red wines are made?

A

Moderate Continental

39
Q

What climatic hazards are common in Burgundy?

A

Spring frosts
Summer hailstorms

Rain
Rain during flowering
Rain in early summer
Rain during harvest

40
Q

In Burgundy, the most desirable vineyards often have two common characteristics, what are they and how does this help manage climatic hazards and ripen the grapes?

A

The best vineyards tend to be on mid slope
South or east facing slopes

Mid slope is the warmest area
Less prone to frost
South facing has more sunlight
East facing protects from the westerly winds
Hillsides tend to have shallower soils resulting in less vegetative growth
Better drainage from rain

41
Q

Give two characteristics that make Burgundy’s black grape suitable for production in Burgundy and give one problem the grape suffers from.

A

Good: Pinot Noir is an early budding variety
Good: Pinot Noir is an early ripening variety

Problem: Pinot Noir is susceptible to Grey Rot (mould or fungi is acceptable)

42
Q

Semi-carbonic maceration is common in the production of premium red wine in Burgundy. Explain the process

A
  • Vats are filled with whole bunches
  • Grapes at the bottom are crushed and juice is released
  • The juice at the bottom and ambient yeast start fermenting
  • CO2 from the alcoholic fermentation fills the tank
  • Remaining berries undergo carbonic maceration (intracellular fermentation)
  • Over the next few days the grapes are progressively punched down, crushing the grapes resulting in less carbonic maceration (intracellular fermentation) and more alcoholic fermentation
43
Q

How does semi-carbonic maceration alter the premium red wines from Burgundy?

A

Gives a silkier texture to the wine
Brighter, fresher fruit character

44
Q

Why is adding stalks sometimes used in the production of premium Burgundy but rarely used in the production of premium reds from the left bank of Bordeaux?

A

Pinot Noir has thin skins and can lack tannins. The stalks help to increase the tannins.

Cabernet Sauvignon stems give astringent tannins and an undesirable herbaceous flavour.

Cabernet Sauvignon has a thick skin producing wines with high tannins, so extra tannins are not required.

45
Q

What is the name for the northern section of the Côte d’Or?

A

Côte de Nuits