Burgundy Flashcards
Memorize important facts
What is Lieu-dit?
A named vineyard or parcel of land within a larger appellation - Not an official classification. Lieu-dit is often associated with specific terroir features of the land. Ex: Village-level -Les Narvaux (Burgundy). In summary, lieu-dit highlights unique character, within broader appellation - to offer insight into terroir.
What is Climat:
Named vineyard defiined by climatological and geographical characteristics- in other words, terroir.
Negociant
Merchant - buys whole grapes or unfermented juice to make wine. Also, negociant buys finished wine, bottles it or improves it. (famous ex - Louis Jadot)
What are the levels of quality for Burgundy wines?
Bottom to top:
1. Regional - 53% all produced (Bourgogne)
2.Communal - no premier cru climat -30%
Village or Commune
3.Communal - Premier Cru climat - 15%
3.Grand Cru - 2%
Chablis facts and soil
- Most northern of burgundy
- Kimmeridgian soil responsible for quality
- Oaked
- Very recently, starting to use malolactic fermentation
What is special about where on the vineyard Grand Cru Chablis grows
Grand Cru vineyards all on one south-west facing hill.
What are Chablis quality levels called
Petit Chablis - green apple
Chablis - better but lean - peach (stone)
Premier Cru - better than Chablis but many taste the same - honeyed apple (some have oak so toasty notes)
Grand Cru - (unoaked & amazing). long-lived . With oak - toasty and butterscotch.
What ancestral grape is Cote d’ Or?
AKA Cote de Beaune
Pinot Noir
What grapes are Cote d’Or best known for?
Chardonnay & Pinot Noir
What are the two sub-regions in Cote d’Or?
- Cote de Nuits + Villages- includes Cote de Nuit outskirts
- Cote de Beaune + Village (includes …. outskirts
** Cote de Nuit - big wines (95% red) and long lived
Beaune - softer and ready to drink. The Beaune whites more famous
How is Beaujolais Nouveau made
Carbonic maceration?
What do tertiary aromas in wine indicate?
They are a sign of development of a wine.
For example, leathery notes indicate that a wine is on its journey of development.
What is a sign of a wine in development?
A balanced note.
This indicates that the wine is evolving.
What should you look for in red wine?
Earth notes.
What should you look for in white wine?
Minerality.
What is the soil type of the Left Bank in Bordeaux?
Gravel soil.
What effect does gravel soil have on wine?
It allows for faster drainage, resulting in drier conditions and deeper roots for water.
Gravelly soil also holds heat, impacting ripening.
How are wines from the Left Bank characterized?
They are ‘leaner’ with higher acid levels and more tannins.
What soil type is predominant on the Right Bank of Bordeaux?
Clay.
How does clay soil affect grape ripening?
It stays cool and allows grapes to ripen slower.
Which grape variety is predominant on the Right Bank?
Merlot.
Why does Merlot have higher alcohol levels than Cabernet Sauvignon or Cabernet Franc?
Merlot grapes contain more sugar.
What is En Primeur?
A means by which rare wine is sold, involving future market buyers tasting barrel juice and offering to buy future bottles at a present value price.
Which Bordeaux regions are noted for great properties and wine but are not classified?
Listrac and Moulis.
What is Botrytis?
A grey mold fungus that thins the skin of grapes, concentrating sugars when it affects ripe grapes.
What happens if Botrytis grows on immature grapes?
It destroys the grapes, leading to loss for the winemaker.
Why is picking grapes affected by Botrytis labor intensive?
Grapes must be hand-picked to separate affected grapes from unaffected ones.
What does ‘Grand Cru’ mean in St. Emilion?
It reflects appellation and must include the word ‘Classe’ for quality classification.
How can you identify Fronsac wines?
They contain a lot of Merlot and have 16% alcohol content.
What effect does exposure to oxygen have on wine color?
Wines exposed to oxygen tend to be darker in color.
Know your labels
check slides
What is the lowest level of wine in Burgundy
Regional or Bourgone - it is Pinot but blending of Gamay is permitted
What is the second level of wine in Burgundy
Communal or Villages - a specific village is associated with the wine.
What is unique about Climat
It names a vineyard and is called a Premier Cru
Is a Lieu-Dit a Grand/Premier Cru?
it is just below a Grand/Premier Cru
What is declassification?
if there is a bad vintage of a classified chateau, they will take it down a notch from Premier Cru- it will become a Village wine (can also blend if it is a bad vintage)
What is a Negociant Eleveur?
It is a title given to the most prestigious Negociant, such as Drouhin or Jadot
Which part of a hillside is best for winemaking?
Mid-slope is best as it gets great sun exposure
What is the base of a slope like for growing grapes?
Usually, the base of a slope is wetter and cooler. (2 to 3 degrees)
What is the soil (terroir) in Chablis?
Kimmeridgian - limestone, fossils etc. chalky. Some drainage, but it will hold moisture. Higher PH so holds acidity.
Is Oak used in making Chablis wine?
Yes - (just not new oak)
what grapes are used to make Saint Bris (in Chablis)
Sauvignon Blanc rather than classic grape grown in Burgundy - Chardonnay
What grapes (in Cote Chalonnais) region of Burgundy are used to make Bouzeron
Aligote
What does the Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée (AOC) guarantee?
The characteristics of a wine in terms of:
* The terroir where the grapes were grown
* The way it is made, following certain precise steps
* Local savoir-faire, born from traditional methods that have been improved over time
* Rigorously checked at every stage of production
AOC is a form of certification for wines in France that ensures quality and adherence to traditional methods.
What is an additional geographical denomination in wine classification or designation?
Identifies more restricted areas than those specified in the AOC in which they are included.
These are not separate AOCs but rather specifications within existing AOCs.
How many categories of wines include additional geographical denominations?
Four categories.
These categories specify different AOCs and their respective additional geographical denominations.
Name one category of wine that includes additional geographical denominations.
Additional geographical denominations within the Bourgogne AOC.
There are 13 identified Bourgogne wines.
What are Mâcon Village and Mâcon Village wines?
They are additional geographical denominations within the Mâcon AOC.
These wines specify a more restricted area within the Mâcon AOC.
What are Premier Cru wines?
Wines that have an additional geographical denomination noted in the specification of specific Village appellations.
This indicates a higher quality designation within certain appellations.
Which Grand Cru appellations have additional geographical denominations?
Chablis Grand Cru and Corton.
These are prestigious wine classifications within the French wine system.
What are Climats in wine production?
Single plots precisely defined within an appellation Village.
These plots are significant for the quality and characteristics of the wine produced.
How is the commune’s name represented on a wine bottle from a specific plot?
The commune’s name is followed by the plot where the grapes were grown, such as Chablis Premier Cru Montée de Tonnerre.
This labeling provides specific information about the origin of the grapes.
True or False: Climats are merely a marketing tool.
False.
Climats represent a physical and sensorial reality in wine production.
