Burgundy Flashcards
What are the 4 departments of Burgundy?
Yonne
Côte d’Or
Saône-et-Loire
Rhone
Roughly how many hectares of vines does Burgundy have (not including Beaujolais)?
30,000ha
What does the ‘Côte d’Or’ mean?
Golden slope
How long does the Côte d’Or run for, north to south?
60km
Which communes signal the start and end of the Côte d’Or?
Dijon in the north and Maranges in the south
What is the regional capital of Burgundy?
Dijon
What is the city within Burgundy at the heart of the wine trade?
Beaune
What region dominates the Yonne department?
Chablis
How far away is Chablis from Dijon?
130km northwest
Other than Chablis, what are the main communes making up the Grand Auxerrois?
Vezelay
Irancy
Tonnerre
Saint-Bris
Joigny
What is the capital of the Yonne department?
Auxerre
Where does the Côte Chalonnaise take its name from?
The city of Chalon-sur-Saône
What department are the Côte Chaonnaise and Maconnais in?
Saône-et-Loire
Which river runs along the western edge of the Côte Chalonnaise?
Saône River
What is the second largest region for white wine within Burgundy?
Maconnais
What is the highest limestone outcrop in the Maconnais?
Rock of Solutre
What is the Beaujolais region named after?
The commune of Beaujeu
What degrees of latitude does Burgundy lie between?
46 and 48 degrees
What is the climate of Burgundy?
Continental
What is the average annual rainfall in Burgundy?
750mm
What is the average annual amount of sunshine hours in Burgundy during the growing season?
1300 hours
What are the 2 greatest risks to Burgundy’s vineyards?
Frost and hail
What percentage of Burgundy’s wines are red?
30%
What percentage of Burgundy’s wines are white?
61%
What percentage of Burgundy’s wines are rose?
1%
What percentage of Burgundy’s wines are sparkling (Cremant)?
8%
What is the most planted grape in Burgundy?
Chardonnay (accounts for roughly half of all plantings)
What is the local name for Chardonnay in the Yonne department?
Beaunois
What vines are the parents of Chardonnay?
Pinot and Gouais Blanc
Where does Pinot Noir come from genetically?
It is the black skinned variety of Pinot with numerous clonal variations
What was Pinot Noir originally known as at the start of the 1st millennia?
Morillon and Noirien
Roughly what percentage of Burgundy’s vineyards are Pinot Noir?
33%
What is the full name of Gamay?
Gamay Noir a Jus Blanc
What are the parents of Gamay?
Pinot and Gouais Blanc
When was Gamay banned from Burgundy and by who?
1395 by Philip the Bold
What are the parents of Aligote?
Gouais Blanc and Pinot
Where in Burgundy is Aligote most densely planted?
Bouzeron, in the Côte Chalonnaise
Where is Sauvignon Blanc mostly found in Burgundy?
Saint Bris in the Yonne
Which grape do Pinot Blanc and Pinot Gris come from?
Pinot Noir, they are green skinned mutations
What is another name for Pinot Gris in Burgundy?
Pinot Beurot
What are the 3 rare grape varieties found in the Yonne department?
Cesar
Tressot
Sacy
Where is Cesar planted in Burgundy?
Irancy
What are the genetic parents of Tressot?
A crossing of Duras and Petit Verdot
What style of Burgundy is Sacy usually used for?
Cremant de Bourgogne
How many appellations are in Burgundy?
101
What are the 4 quality tiers of Burgundy?
Regional
Village
Premier Cru
Grand Cru
What percentage of Burgundy wines are classed as regional wines?
50%
What percentage of Burgundy wines are released as Grand Cru?
1-2%
If a wine is labelled as Bourgogne Gamay AOP, where must the grapes originate from?
Beaujolais
Is Gamay permitted in generic Bourgogne AOP rouge and rose?
No
Where are the Bourgogne Hautes Cotes de Nuits and Hautes Cote de Beaune situated?
At the top of the Côte d’Or cotes
What 4 lieux-dits were approved in the 1990s as geographical designations for Bourgogne AOP?
La Chapelle Notre Dame
Le Chapitre
Côte Saint-Jacques
Montrecul
What was the previous name of the Coteaux Bourguignons AOP?
Bourgogne Grand Ordinaire
What grapes are allowed in the Coteaux Bourguignons AOP red wines?
Pinot Noir and Gamay
What cocktail uses wine coming from Bourgogne Aligote AOP?
Kir
What is the minimum ABV for Bourgogne Aligote?
9.5%
What percentage of Chardonnay is allowed in Bourgogne Aligote?
15%
What is the Bourgogne appellation used for red and rose wines based on field blends?
Bourgogne Passe-Tout-Grains AOP
What is the minimum alcohol for Bourgogne Passé-Tout-Grains AOP?
9.5%
What are the 2 sparkling appellations of Burgundy?
Cremant de Bourgogne
Bourgogne Mousseaux
What wines are produced under the Bourgogne Mousseaux AOP?
Red sparkling wines produced from traditional method
When was Cremant de Bourgogne first established?
1975
Which Burgundy town is the centre for Cremant de Bourgogne production?
Rully
What is the minimum grape blend for Cremant de Bourgogne?
Minimum 20% of Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc, and Pinot Noir together
What are the aging requirements for Cremant de Bourgogne?
9 months on lees followed by 3 months in bottle
What new Cremant de Bourgogne appellations were introduced in 2016?
Bourgogne Cremant Eminent
Bourgogne Cremant Grand Eminent
What is the minimum aging requirement for Cremant de Bourgogne Eminent?
24 months
What is the minimum aging requirements of Cremant de Bourgogne Grand Eminent?
Minimum 36 months
Define a premier cru in Burgundy?
A geographical designation (vineyard on climat) singled out as being superior and appended to a village AOP
Why might producers bottle a premier cru without a stated vineyard or climat?
If the wine is a blend of multiple premier crus from the same village
What is a Grand Cru in Burgundy?
A single vineyard site with its own AOP status
How many Grand Crus are there in Burgundy?
33
What is the smallest and largest Grand Cru in Burgundy and what size are they?
La Romanée - 0.85ha
Corton - 160ha
Is it permitted to blend Grand Crus in Burgundy?
No
What are ‘chevets’ and ‘murgers’ in Burgundy?
Water channels
Piles of rock
What is a climat in Burgundy?
A parcel of vines defined and named to be associated with the wines it produces
In Burgundy, what is another name for a climat?
Single vineyards
Roughly how many climats are there in Burgundy?
1200 climats
What is a lieu-dit in Burgundy?
A named single vineyard, basically synonymous with a climat
What is a cru in Burgundy?
Not a precise term. Generally used to denote quality and indicate a delimited area
What is a parcel in Burgundy?
A single contiguous holding within a vineyard, owned entirely by one grower
What is a clos vineyard?
A vineyard enclosed by a (generally stone) wall
What are the 2 IGPs either side of the Côte d’Or?
Coteaux de l’Auxois - covers much of the north and west of Hautes Cotes
Sainte-Marie-la-Blanche - east of the Côte de Beaune
When did Romans first arrive in Burgundy?
52 CE
When were the wines of Burgundy first documented?
312 AD during the reign of Emperor Constantine
What was the first Burgundy Grand Cru mentioned in 630 AD?
Chambertin-Clos de Beze
Who were the 2 powerful Catholic monasteries in Burgundy in the Middle Ages?
Benedictines and Cistercians
What was the original name of Romanee-Conti and who owned it in the 12th century?
Clos de Cinq Journaux
Benedictine monastery
When was the Cistercian monastery in Burgundy founded?
1098
Which famous Grand Crus were under Cistercian control in the 14th century?
Montrachet
Clos de Tart
Clos de Lambrays
Richebourg
Echezeaux
Who became King of Burgundy in 1363?
Philip the Bold from the House Valois
Who ordered the uprooting of Gamay in Burgundy and when?
Philip the Bold
1395
When did the Burgundian Wars occur?
1474 to 1477
After the Burgundian wars, who did the legal ownership of the Duchy of Burgundy fall to?
King Louis XI
When did the majority of Burgundy wines begin labelling themselves as climat or village?
Early 18th century
Who drafted an initial Burgundy classification 1831?
Denis Blaine-Morelot
Who famously improved the initial Burgundy classification in 1855?
Jules Lavalle
What was the impact of Jules Lavalle’s Burgundy classification?
Helped the development of the AOPs in the 20th century. Top climats started overshadowing village names
Between what dates did Burgundy villages append their greatest vineyard to their names?
Started in 1847 with Gevrey
Ended in 1928 with Auxey
When and where did Phylloxera first hit the Côte d’Or?
1878 in Meursault
What was the result of Phylloxera in Burgundy?
Winemakers were forced to graft vines, and the design of vineyards and climats shifted as vines were replanted
When were the first AOC laws introduced in Burgundy?
1919
When was Burgundy’s official AOC system fully implemented?
1935
When was Burgundy’s first Grand Cru appellations introduced?
1936
When were Burgundy’s first 1er Crus introduced?
1942
What was the impact of the French Revolution for Burgundy?
The state took control of the majority of vineyards and sold them through auction, passing through multiple owners
What was the impact of the Napoleonic Code in Burgundy?
Burgundy estates were split evenly across male heirs of the family (now female as well) leading to the fragmentation of wineries and vineyards
Define a Burgundian domaine
Properties of winegrowers who produce wines from the parcel that they own
Define a Burgundian Negocient
Merchants who purchase fruit, musts, or wines and bottle the finished product under their own label
Who is the largest land owner in the Côte d’Or?
Bouchard Pere et Fils with 130ha
What is a Micro-Negocient in Burgundy?
Domaines which start a negocient business in order to expand their portfolios without having to purchase more land
When was Bouchard Pere et Fils first founded?
1731
Who are the 4 most prominent negocients in Burgundy?
Bouchard Pere et Fils
Joseph Drouhin
Louis Jadot
Louis Latour
Roughly how much of Burgundy’s wines come from Negocients?
60%
After phylloxera, which 2 Pinot Noir field selections were popular among Burgundy producers?
Pinot Droit - higher yielding
Pinot Fin - higher quality
When did the first true Burgundy clones appear?
1971
What are the most planted Dijon Clones in Burgundy?
115
667
777
Why do some Burgundian winemakers choose to use cold maceration?
They believe the technique helps to extract colour, produces less astringent tannins, and enhances fruit development
Name a famous Burgundian advocate of cold macerations
Domaine Jean Grivot
Where in Burgundy is carbonic and semi-carbonic maceration most heavily practised?
Beaujolais
What are the common aromas from carbonic maceration?
Bubble-gum
Banana
Pear drops
Why might Burgundian winemakers choose to practice Whole Cluster Vinification?
The wine during fermentation achieves more aeration and cooler temperatures, leading to a lighter colour, slightly carbonic notes, and firmer tannins
What is the benefit of whole berry fermentation?
Winemakers get all the benefits of whole cluster fermentation without the risk of green tannins from the stems
Why do wines coming from whole cluster fermentations often have higher acidity?
Stems harbour potassium, which increases the pH of the final wine
What are the benefits of whole bunch pressing white wines for Burgundian winemakers?
Produces a cleaner, less phenolic must with a lower pH and fewer dangers of oxidation
What is the potential benefit and drawback of whole bunch pressing for white Burgundy wines?
The benefit is a brighter wine with purer aromatics
A drawback is susceptibility to premox
What is chaptalisation?
The addition of white beet sugar to increase alcohol
What is enrichment?
The removal of water from wine must to concentrate the contents
When was enrichment legalised in Burgundy?
2009
Is acidification legal in Burgundy?
Yes if declared and documented
When does Malolactic Fermentation naturally occur in Burgundy cellars?
Spring following the harvest as the cellars warm
What is batonnage?
The stirring of the lees
What is the benefit and drawback of batonnage on white Burgundy wines?
Can reduce reduction in barrel
Invites premox
In Burgundy, what is the average amount of new oak used for wines at each quality level?
Regional: 0-10%
Village: 0-25%
1er Cru: 25-50%
Grand Cru: 50-100%
Which style of Chablis uses new oak?
Only Grand Crus and the very best 1er Crus
How long are Burgundy wines (Cote d’Or) usually aged in wood for?
Whites: 12-15 months
Reds: 15-18 months
What is the name of a traditional Burgundy barrel?
A piece
What is the volume of a piece?
228-Litres
Which Burgundy producers famously use larger, 350-litre barrels?
Henri Boillot
PYCM
What are the official units of measurement for Burgundy domaines when selling to negocients?
132-litre feuillettes
Which department is Chablis located in?
Yonne
What is the main river flowing through Chablis?
Serein River
What is the local name for Chardonnay in Chablis?
Beaunois
What are the 3 controlled appellations of Chablis?
Petit Chablis AOP
Chablis AOP
Chablis Grand Cru AOP
What is the only permitted grape of Chablis?
Chardonnay
How many communes are permitted to use Chablis AOP?
17
Which grape overtook plantings of Chardonnay in the late 1800s?
Sacy
When was Chardonnay vastly replanted in Chablis?
After the frost of 1945 and the end of WW2
What percentage of Chablis is machine harvested?
95%
When was Chablis AOP introduced?
1938
When were 1er Crus added to Chablis AOP?
1967
What is the superior soil of Chablis?
Kimmeridgian marl
Where did Kimmeridgian soils get their name from?
The village of Kimmeridge in Dorset, UK
When was Kimmeridgian soil created?
roughly 150-157 million years ago (the Kimmeridgian period during the Upper Jurassic Epoch Age)
What are marl soils?
A mix of clay and limestone
What is the makeup of Kimmeridgian soils?
Crumbly and chalky marl with abundant amounts of Exogyra virgula soils
What are Exogyra virgula soils?
Soils made up of Exogyra virgula fossils, which are the imprints of tiny oyster shells
Why is Kimmeridgian soil so important for Chablis wines?
The soil has great balance between water retention and drainage and is rich in minerals, which is passed through into the wines, giving the wines distinctive minerality, purity, and elegance, as well as an excellent ability to age
What is the other soil type of Chablis (not Kimmeridgian)?
Portlandian limestone
What is the makeup of Portlandian limestone soils?
It has a higher limestone content than Kimmeridgian, and is generally sandier and thinner, providing less minerals and water balance
When was Petit Chablis AOC established?
1944
What is the minimum alcohol of Chablis AOC?
10% ABV
What is the minimum alcohol of Petit Chablis AOC?
9.5% ABV
Where are the best Chablis vineyards located?
Within the Grand Cru
How large is Chablis Grand Cru?
101ha
Where is Chablis Grand Cru located?
On a 2km long hill just north of the town itself and the River Serein
What is the aspect of the Chablis Grand Cru slope?
South-southwest
What is the soil of Chablis Grand Cru?
Kimmeridgian marl
What are the 7 official climats of Chablis Grand Cru?
Blanchot
Bougros
Les Clos
Vaudesir
Valmur
Les Grenouilles
Preuses
What is the 8th climat of Chablis Grand Cru without a geographical designation?
La Moutonne
Which 2 Chablis Grand Cru does La Moutonne overlap?
Vaudesir and Preuses
Which domaine is Chablis Grand Cru La Moutonne owned by?
Domaine Long-Depaquit
What is the minimum potential alcohol of Chablis Grand Cru?
11% ABV
What are the maximum yields of Chablis Grand Cru?
54hl/ha
Which private organisation controls roughly half of Chablis Grand Cru?
Union des Grandes Crus de Chablis
When may Chablis Grand Cru be released?
From the 1st January of the second year following the harvest (14-15 months after harvest)
How many hectares does Chablis 1er Cru cover?
785ha
How many 1er Crus are there in Chablis?
40
How many major 1er Cru sites are there in Chablis?
17
What is the minimum alcohol for Chablis 1er Cru?
10.5%
What is the smallest Chablis 1er Cru?
Côte de Cuisy at 0.5ha
What is the largest Chablis 1er Cru?
Fourchaume at 130ha
What are the major 3 Chablis premier crus on the right bank of the Serein?
Montee de Tonnerre
Monte de Milieu
Fourchaume
What are the major Chablis premier crus on the left bank of the Serein?
Montmains
Vaillons
What are the typical tasting notes of Chablis?
Aromas: green apple, austere citrus, steely minerality
Palate: Medium+ acidity, medium alcohol, medium body
Who are the top 2 producers of Chablis?
Francois Raveneau
Vincent Dauvissat
What is the major cooperative of Chablis?
La Chablisienne
What are the 3 communal appellations in the Yvonne department outside of Chablis?
Irancy AOP
Vezeley AOP
St-Bris AOP
What grapes are permitted in Irancy AOP?
Pinot Noir
Cesar
Pinot Gris
Where is Irancy AOP located?
Within St-Bris southeast of Chablis
When was Irancy upgraded to AOP?
1999
When was Vezeley granted AOP status?
2017
What wines are made under Vezeley AOP?
White wines made from 100% Chardonnay
How large is Vezeley AOP?
70ha
What grapes are permitted in St-Bris AOP?
Sauvignon Blanc and Sauvignon Gris
When was the St Bris AOP created?
2003
Which area in the Yonne department is known for producing quality Cremant de Bourgogne?
Chatillonnais
What wines are produced under Bourgogne Tonnerre AOC?
Dry white wines from 6 villages around the Tonnerois
What wines are made under Bourgogne Epineuil AOC?
Red, white, and rose wines coming from the village of Epineuil. Made from Chardonnay and Pinot Noir
Where is Bourgogne Côte d’Auxerre AOC located?
A few kilometres west of Chablis
What wines are produced under Bourgogne Côte d’Auxerre?
Red, white, and rose wines made from Chardonnay and Pinot Noir
What are the soils of Bourgogne Côte d’Auxerre?
Limestone and marl
Which river runs southwards east of the Côte d’Or?
Saone River
What is the local name for Côte d’Or slopes?
Cotes
How high to the cotes of the Côte d’Or rise?
450-500m
What is the base soil for the majority of the Côte d’Or?
Limestone formed during the Jurassic period
What is the typical topsoil of the Côte d’Or?
A blend of clay and limestone (marl)
Where in the Côte d’Or is the percentage of clay in the soil highest?
Down the bottom of slopes in the east running along the River
What are the most favourable gradients for vines in the Côte d’Or?
Roughly 10% gradient. This is where most of the Grand Crus are found
What are Combes and the impact they have in the Côte d’Or?
Combes are dry, traverse valleys which were carved during the last ice age by ice water
They serve as conduits for cool breezes and hailstorms in Burgundy today which diverse soil makeup
