Burgundy Flashcards
What are the five regions that make up Burgundy?
- Chablis
- Côte d’Or
- Mâconnais
- Chalonnaise
- Beaujolais
What is the climate of Burgundy generally?
Cool continental
In Burgundy, list 3 ways how the hills, aspect, and slopes affect ripening potential of a vineyard site.
- South-facing slopes get all-day sun which promote ripening;
- Hills provide some wind/weather protection;
- Hills have well-draining soils.
What are the two main white grapes of Burgundy?
- Chardonnay
- Aligoté
What are the two main red grapes of Burgundy?
- Pinot Noir
- Gamay
What are the two appellations used for Aligoté in Burgundy?
- Bourgogne Aligoté AOP
- Bouzeron AOP
What is the name of the main soil type in Chablis?
Kimmeridgian
What is the name of the main soil type in Petit Chablis?
Portlandian
Portlandian soil is a younger rock strata and a purer form of limestone than Kimmeridgian.
What is the main soil type in Beaujolais?
Granite
Granite is the soil type for the Crus of Beaujolais; limestone-clay is the predominant soil for most Beaujolais AOP.
Why is there so much vintage variation in Chablis?
Because of its cool northern location there is uncertainty about ripening from year to year.
The early ripening characteristic of Chardonnay is an advantage.
Chablis is vulnerable to spring frosts and hail storms during the growing season.
How do these environmental hazards impact the region?
Both can have a severe impact on the region’s yields.
List 3 efforts that are taken in Chablis to mitigate the threat of frost?
- Smudge pots
- Sprinklers (‘aspersion’)
- Pruning choices: later pruning promotes later bud-burst, reducing the chance of damage to the new buds from early spring frosts.
In Chablis, why is the double Guyot replacement cane training system typical?
If one cane fails, the other may survive frost.
What are the six main soil types found in Burgundy?
- Kimmeridgian
- Portlandian
- Marl
- Chalk
- Limestone
- Schist
How does the style of Chardonnay change from Chablis to Côte d’Or to Chalonnaise through the lens of geography?
- Chablis - most northern, Kimmergian soil – pronounced acidity, medium weight, lees character, and an intensely mineral, steely character
- Côte d’Or: eastern- and southeastern-facing slopes of a single limestone escarpment – more textural and rich than Chablis, broader spectrum of flavors
- Chalonnaise: vineyards occupy a series of noncontiguous, gently sloping hillsides, not protected by the dominating escarpment of the Côte d’Or so plenty of conduits for cool westerly winds so sometimes ripening is delayed (after the Côte d’Or)
How does the style of Pinot Noir change from Côte d’Or to Chalonnaise through the lens of geography?
- Generally the style of PN from Chalonnaise lacks the pedigree that PNs from the Côte d’Or possess.
- Vineyards in Chalonnaise occupy a series of noncontiguous, gently sloping hillsides with varied aspects.
- Vineyards in Côte d’Or have a more south-east or even southerly in aspect, along with elevation (~200-400m asl) to ensure cooler nighttime temps (diurnal shift which helps retain acidity).
The aspect and elevation of the various vineyards in Burgundy are among the most critical factors determining the style and quality of the wines.
What are the benefits and consequences of planting density in Burgundy?
- Planting densities in Burgundy are typically around 8,000–10,000 vines per hectare, although there are growers who have much higher planting densities.
- Denser planting is thought to encourage root competition, leading to better quality fruit, i.e. smaller berries with higher flavor intensity.
What is oidium?
Powdery Mildew
- caused by the fungus Erysiphe necator
- attacks young, green parts of the vine
- can damage young shoots, inflorescences and grapes, reducing yield
Chardonnay is prone to oidium.
What is peronospera?
Downy Mildew
- a water mold that lives within vine tissue, not on the surface
- attacks green parts of the plant, especially young leaves and flowers, reducing yields by defoliating the vine
And if you defoliate the vine, you don’t have photosynthesis, which means grapes won’t ripen.
What are the general effects of limestone soils on vine vigor?
- Limestone soils permit the soil to retain moisture in periods of dry weather but allow for good drainage during heavy rains.
- Because of limestone’s porosity, vines’ roots can extend far, deep, and wide.
- Therefore limestone soils allow a vine to grow with vigor, and it’ll be up to the vineyard manager to train and manage the vines appropriately.
What is malolactic conversion?
AKA malo, malolactic fermentation
- The result of lactic acid bacteria converting malic acid into lactic acid and carbon dioxide.
- It typically happens after alcoholic fermentation and occasionally during it.
Describe carbonic maceration.
It is an enzymatic, intracellular fermentation which takes place within the grapes themselves under anaerobic (without oxygen) conditions.
Anaerobic respiration of the grapes will convert the sugars in the grapes into ethanol.
How does the use of new French oak affect the style and flavor of red and white Burgundies?
- French oak tends to have more tannin than American oak, so Burgundy wines can show more wood tannins.
- French oak has fewer lactones than American oak, so Burgundy won’t have as much of a coconutty flavor as wines that use American oak.
- French oak tends to have a tighter grain than American oak, so woody flavors are less harsh.
What is bâtonnage?
Lees stirring - can increase the release of yeast compounds into the wine.
What are the effects of bâtonnage on white Burgundy / why would winemakers perform it?
Frequent stirring is an oxidative procedure that can round out young wines, but wines destined for longer lives do not necessarily require the immediate richness and texture that bâtonnage offers.
Why would a winemaker do cold soak/prefermentation maceration on their red Burgundies?
Cold soaking is a gentle technique, suitable for premium wines. The cold temperatures result in a slow extraction, which can easily be monitored and controlled to achieve the level of extraction desired.
It is very commonly conducted on Pinot Noir to promote color intensity, because this grape variety has a low level of anthocyanins.
Describe stem inclusion and why a winemaker would use this technique in winemaking.
- Stems contain tannins, which can be extracted if the stems are left in contact with the wine.
- These tannins are not wanted in white wines and are additional to skin/seed tannins in red wines, so can be desirable in some wines and not in others but stems should really only be used if the stems are ripe.
- Stems can add flavors that are sometimes described as ‘spicy’ or ‘herbal’.
If stems are not ripe, they can convey unwanted green flavors and bitter tannins to wine.
Describe whole cluster fermentation and why a winemaker would use this technique in winemaking in Burgundy.
The objective of whole berry/bunch fermentations is to create an oxygen-free environment for the uncrushed fruit. The lack of oxygen has several outcomes:
- intracellular fermentation (partial carbonic!) which can reduce the malic acid levels by up to 50%, lowering the total acidity and raising the pH of the must/wine;
- glycerol levels increase, which can add texture, and a range of distinctive aromas is created inside the grape, commonly including kirsch, banana, bubble gum and cinnamon.
Describe semi-carbonic maceration and why a winemaker would use this technique on their red Burgundies.
This is a similar but slightly different technique from full carbonic maceration that does not involve filling the vessel with CO2
- done if the winemaker wants to make a wine with slightly more concentration, body and tannin, and hence a longer aging capacity;
- this approach can lead to a better integration of the aromas from intracellular fermentation with aromas from the grape variety.
It results in wines with more fruitiness and a softer mouthfeel than crushed fruit fermentations, and is a technique sometimes used when making fruity styles of Pinot Noir, Malbec, Tempranillo, Gamay and Carignan, among other grape varieties.
Name the 7 Grand Crus of Chablis.
- Les Clos
- Vaudésir
- Valmur
- Preuses
- Blanchot
- Bougros
- Grenouilles
Name 2 Premier Crus in Puligny that abut the Grand Cru vineyard of Montrachet.
- Le Cailleret
- Les Pucelles
What is the proper glassware for white and red Burgundy?
Burgundy bowls
They have larger, rounder bodies and smaller apertures than Bordeaux glasses.
