Burgundy Flashcards
Regional Appellations for Burgundy
Bourgogne AOP
Bourgogne Aligoté AOP
Bourgogne Mousseux AOP
Bourgogne Passe-Tout-Grains AOP
Coteaux Bourguignons AOP
Crémant de Bourgogne AOP
Style of wines produced under Bourgogne AOP
Rouge, Blanc, Rosé
Style of wines produced for Coteaux Bourguignons AOP
Rouge & Rosé
List the Chablis and the Yonne Départements
Petit Chablis AOP
Chablis AOP
Chablis Grand Cru AOP
Irancy AOP
Saint-Bris AOP
Name of AOP in the Yonne department that produces rouge?
Irancy
Beaunois
“Beaunois”— Chardonnay from Beaune
Beurot
Beurot (Pinot Gris) is permitted in many appellations as a minor grape for red blends but is rarely encountered
Burgundy AOP system consists of a four-tier hierarchy of appellations. What are they?
régionale, village, premier (1er) cru, and grand cru
Total production for Regionale wines in Burgundy?
Régionale wines comprise about 50% of production,
Total production for Grand Cru wines from Burgundy?
Grand Cru appellations, located only in the Côte d’Or and Chablis, account for less than 2% of the total production of Burgundy.
Dividing line between the Côte de Nuits and the Côte de Beaune
The communes of Corgoloin and Ladoix-Serrigny
Regional Capitol for the Cote d’Or
Dijon
Côte Chalonnaise gets its name from what?
The city of Chalon-sur-Saône in the Saône-et-Loire département
Côte Chalonnaise lies on the western edge of what river?
Saône River Valley
Next to Chablis, what is the second white wine producing area in Burgundy?
The Mâconnais is one of the Région Bourgogne’s largest production areas for white wines, second only to Chablis.
sélection massale
sélection massale—a field selection rather than a clonal selection—which creates diversity in the vineyard and, it is believed, complexity in the final wine.
Auhorities rechristened a little-used regional appellation, Bourgogne Grand Ordinaire AOP, as ____________ AOP in an attempt to revitalize it.
Auhorities rechristened a little-used regional appellation, Bourgogne Grand Ordinaire AOP, as “Coteaux Bourguignons AOP” in an attempt to revitalize it.
Coteaux Bourguignons vs Bourgogne AOP
Coteaux Bourguignons shares the same broad dimensions as Bourgogne AOP, but its regulations allow the inclusion of Gamay in red blends. Inexpensive blended white and rosé wines are also authorized for the appellation.
Four lieux-dits were approved in the 1990s as geographic designations for Bourgogne AOP: ?
La Chapelle Notre Dame,
Le Chapitre,
Côte St-Jacques,
Montrecul.
Red and rosé wines, modeled on the field blends of the past, are produced throughout the Côte d’Or and southern Burgundy as ____________ AOP.
Bourgogne Passe-Tout-Grains AOP.
Varietal make up of Bourgogne Passe-Toute-Grains AOP
Pinot Noir and Gamay account for a minimum 30% and 15% of the blend, respectively, and the two grapes must be vinified together. Red Passe-Tout-Grains is far more common than rosé.
Two sparkling AOPs of Burgundy?
Crémant de Bourgogne and Bourgogne Mousseux are Burgundy’s two sparkling wine AOPs.
Bourgogne Mousseux
Bourgogne Mousseux is an older, rare appellation reserved exclusively for sparkling reds produced via the traditional method—in fact, once the first sparkling wines appeared in Burgundy in the 1820s, it was not uncommon to see sparkling red renditions of many of the famous crus, like Clos de Vougeot or Chambertin.
Cremant de Bourgogne
Crémant de Bourgogne debuted in 1975 as an AOP for hand-harvested, traditional method white and rosé sparkling wines, principally produced from Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Crémant styles may be made throughout Burgundy, but much production is concentrated in and around the commune of Rully in the Côte Chalonnaise, where Burgundy sparkling wines were born in the early 19th century.
In the villages of the Côte d’Or, vineyards graded simply as village (rather than premier cru or grand cru) are generally located on a commune’s ______ side, where the angle of slope is slight, or along the far _______ fringe, adjacent to forest-capped ridgelines—where both elevation and slope are far more significant. Between these extremes lie the premiers and grands crus.
In the villages of the Côte d’Or, vineyards graded simply as village (rather than premier cru or grand cru) are generally located on a commune’s “eastern” side, where the angle of slope is slight, or along the far “western” fringe, adjacent to forest-capped ridgelines—where both elevation and slope are far more significant. Between these extremes lie the premiers and grands crus.
How many grand cru vineyards are there in the Côte d’Or ?
32
Unlike premier cru wines, grand cru wines in the Côte d’Or must be produced solely from the single, stated vineyard. True or False
True.
For example: A blend of Chambertin AOP and Chambertin-Clos de Bèze AOP (two neighboring grand cru appellations in Gevrey-Chambertin) could claim neither AOP as its origin on the label, just as a blend of Gevrey-Chambertin AOP and Vosne-Romanée AOP fruit loses the right to display either appellation on the label. In these two cases, the wines would be “declassified” as Gevrey-Chambertin AOP (with the right to a generic premier cru geographic designation) and Bourgogne AOP, respectively..
How many premiers crus are there in Chablis?
40 premiers crus
Kimmeridgian marl
A mixture of limestone and clay laced with millions of oyster fossils, Kimmeridgian marl is visible in hillside outcrops around the village of Chablis, and soils derived from it are believed to produce higher quality wines.
Portlandien limestone
On the elevated plateaus above the hillsides Kimmeridgian marl is buried under Portlandien limestone, a younger rock strata and a purer form of limestone. Petit Chablis, typically the simplest wine, is produced from these cooler, wind-exposed sites situated on Portlandien limestone.
Name of river that runs through Chablis?
Serein river
The village wines are actually produced from ____ different communes, and Chablis’ 40 premier cru geographic designations, further grouped into ____ major premiers crus, are located on hillsides on both right and “left” banks of the Serein.
The village wines are actually produced from “17” different communes, and Chablis’ 40 premier cru geographic designations, further grouped into “17” major premiers crus, are located on hillsides on both right and left banks of the Serein.
Montée de Tonnerre and Fourchaume lie on which side of the Serein river?
Right side
Vaillons and Montmains lie on which side of the Serein River?
Left side
Chablis Grand Cru AOP has seven geographic designations: ?
Les Clos,
Vaudésir,
Valmur,
Preuses,
Blanchot,
Bougros,
Grenouilles.
La Moutonne
An eighth parcel in Chablis Grand Cru, La Moutonne—a monopole of Domaine Long-Depaquit overlapping Vaudésir and Preuses—is permitted by the INAO for usage on labels but not listed as an official geographic designation.)
A red wine appellation for light, Pinot Noir-based reds in the Yonne department.
Irancy AOP
Only Sauvignon Blanc appellation in Burgundy.
St-Bris AOP
argillaceous limestone
A soil mixture of limestone and clay, but if the limestone content is higher than it is argillaceous limestone.
marl or calcareous clay.
A soil mixture of limestone and clay, but there is more clay in the soil than it is known as marl or calcareous clay.
Cote de Nuits stretches from where to where?
Côte de Nuits stretches from the suburbs of Dijon in the north to the hamlet of Corgoloin in the south.
AOPs of Cote de Nuits
Marsannay AOP Fixin AOP Gevrey-Chambertin AOP Morey-Saint-Denis AOP Chambolle-Musigny AOP Vougeot AOP Vosne-Romanée AOP Nuits-Saint-Georges AOP
AOPs of Cote de Nuits that allow white wine making
Marsannay, Fixin, Morey-Saint-Denis, Vougeot Nuits-Saint-Georges
Total number of grand cru vineyards in Cote de Nuits
24
Note*: All 24 produce red wine; one—Musigny—may also produce white wines.
Grand Cru vineyards in Gevrey-Chambertin
Le Chambertin Chambertin Clos de Bèze Mazis-Chambertin Latricières-Chambertin Ruchottes-Chambertin Griottes-Chambertin Chapelle-Chambertin Charmes-Chambertin
Highly acclaimed domaines based in Gevrey
Armand Rousseau, Claude Dugat, and Jean-Marie Fourrier
Burgundy’s vineyards span four French départements. What are they?
Yonne, Côte d’Or, Saône-et-Loire, and Rhône
Why is it called Beaujolais
named for the commune of Beaujeu
How much wine does Beaujolais produce?
Beaujolais typically produces about one-third of the wines of Burgundy.
What is Burgundy’s latitude?
Burgundy is positioned between 46-48° latitude; the 47th parallel runs right through Volnay
Most planted grape in Burgundy?
Chardonnay is Burgundy’s most planted grape, comprising almost half of the planted land in Burgundy.
Pinot Beurot
Pinot Gris in Burgundy
three rare varieties found in the Yonne département:
César, Tressot, and Sacy
Cesar
César, a tannic red grape of probable German origin, gives strength and longevity to basic Pinot blends and the reds of Irancy, yet it is only permitted as a minor component in AOP wines.
Tressot
Tressot, a red variety dating from at least the 14th century, descends from Duras and Petite Verdot—rare parentage for the Burgundy region.
Sacy
Sacy (Saint-Pourçain’s Tressalier grape), a variety authorized only for sparkling wines in Burgundy. Sacy, like Gamay, Aligoté, Chardonnay, and Melon de Bourgogne, is a Pinot x Gouais Blanc progeny.
Bourgogne Aligoté AOP
A separate appellation for varietal wines produced solely from the white Aligoté grape. Wines from the appellation are often—but not always—simple and refreshing, and the grape frequently exhibits high acidity.
Most village vineyards, all but one premier cru vineyard, and every grand cru appellation in the Côte d’Or is located to the west of the Route Nationale 74—now the D974—a two-lane highway that runs roughly parallel to the Côte d’Or’s vineyards. True or False?
True
Climat
Climat: A Burgundian term used to denote “a parcel of vines defined and named to be associated with the wines it produces”; in other words, a single vineyard in Burgundy.
Who regulates the climats in Burgundy and how many are there?
The word climat has been regulated by the INAO for use throughout Burgundy since 1935. There are over 1,200 climats in Burgundy today.
Lieu-dit
Lieu-dit: Nearly synonymous with climat, a lieu-dit is a named single vineyard, and forms one contiguous parcel within a single commune. Frequently, the names of lieux-dits recall historic uses of the land or former owners.
The term “cru”
Cru: An imprecise term, cru is used both to denote quality and to indicate a delimited place; depending on the region and the wine in question the term can carry legal weight or simply evoke popular meaning.
Parcel
Parcel: A parcel is a single contiguous holding within a vineyard, owned entirely by one grower. Often, domaines may hold several different parcels in the same climat; for instance, Domaine Leflaive owns three separate parcels in the grand cru Bâtard-Montrachet.
Clos
Clos: A clos indicates a vineyard enclosed within a stone wall. While there is temptation to assume that these walls were built with foresight of the vineyard’s exactingly prime location, they are basically medieval fences, originally erected to keep animals away from the vines. Today, Clos de Vougeot is the largest and most famous example. In some, like Chambertin-Clos de Bèze, the walls have long since fallen but the name remains.
Term “village” in Burgundy
Village, indicating one of the many small towns that dot the Burgundy landscape or the wines produced in village appellations.
Term “commune” in Burgundy
A commune is an administrative unit of local government encapsulating a town and its immediate surroundings.
Term “hamlet” in Burgundy
A hamlet is the smallest form of settlement, often included administratively within the commune of a larger neighboring town. For example, Puligny-Montrachet is a village appellation and a commune, whereas Blagny is a village appellation and a hamlet located within the Puligny-Montrachet commune.
The two IGP zones in the Cote d’Or.
Coteaux de l’Auxois and Sainte-Marie-la-Blanche.
Coteaux de l’Auxois covers what area?
The Coteaux de l’Auxois IGP covers much of the Côte d’Or département north and west of the Hautes-Côtes appellations and does not overlap any AOPs of the Côte d’Or.
Sainte-Marie-la-Blanche IGP covers what area?
Sainte-Marie-la-Blanche IGP is a much smaller appellation; it sits to the east of the D974 and the Côte de Beaune. It is adjacent to Bourgogne AOP, but they do not overlap. Thus, there is no IGP that covers the actual Côte d’Or winegrowing region.
An idea espoused by Henri Jayer and taken to extremes in the early 1990s by winemaking consultant _______, cold maceration (cold soak) occurs prior to fermentation.
Guy Accad
Explain cold soaking
Red grapes are crushed and kept on their skins at cool temperatures (10-14° C) for days—sometimes a week or more—which, alongside prudent sulfur dioxide additions, preclude the onset of fermentation.
Etienne Grivot and cold soaking
Etienne Grivot (of Domaine Jean Grivot, Vosne Romanee) began using the technique in 1984 and accelerated its practice during the Accad era of the late ’80s and early ’90s; he believes a cold maceration of 5-7 days improves a wine’s capacity to age and renders organic acids more stable. Others see it as an intrusive technique: Jeremy Seysses of Domaine Dujac views cold soaking as “an element of convergence, when we are really trying to make wines that are different.”
Explain Carbonic Maceration
To induce carbonic maceration, a winemaker will seal whole clusters or whole berries of red grapes in a closed vat and pump in carbon dioxide. In the absence of oxygen, intact whole berries undergo a short intracellular fermentation, metabolizing individual stores of glucose and malic acid to produce alcohol and carbon dioxide without the aid of yeast.
What happens to tannins and anthocyanins during carbonic maceration?
During carbonic maceration, tannins and anthocyanins move from the skins to the flesh of each grape, giving the juice color. The grape can develop an alcohol level of approximately 2% before it dies and the cellular activity ceases. The grapes may then rupture due to an internal build-up of carbon dioxide, or the winemaker may simply press the juice off the skins; either way, the wine ferments to dryness with the normal activity of yeast.
How many communes are in Burgundy?
There are 53 communal appellations which represent 36% of total production. Examples include Meursault, Puligny Montrachet, Volnay and Gevrey Chambertin. The communal or village name may be followed by the name of an individual vineyard, e,g, Meursault Clos de la Barre, Gevrey Chambertin Les Evocelles. Many villages have double barrelled names because they have hyphenated the name of their most famous vineyard: thus Gevrey has added Chambertin and Chambolle has added Musigny.
Gevrey Chambertin Premiers Crus:
Gevrey Chambertin Premiers Crus:
Combe au Moine
les Cazetiers
Estournelles St Jacques
Clos St Jacques
Aux Combottes.
Morey St. Denis
Grand Crus:
Morey St. Denis
Grand Crus:
Clos.St-Denis
Bonnes Mares
Clos de la Roche
Clos des Lambrays
Clos de Tart
Morey St. Denis Premier Crus:
Morey St. Denis Premier Crus:
Les Ruchots
La Bussière
La Faconnières
Chambolle Musigny
Grand Crus:
Chambolle Musigny
Grand Crus:
Musigny
Bonnes Mares
Chambolle Musigny Premiers Crus:
Chambolle Musigny Premiers Crus: Les Amoureuses Les Beaux-Bruns Les Cras Les Fuées Les Véroilles
Vougeot
Grand Cru
Vougeot
Grand Cru:
Clos du Vougeot
Vosne Romanée
Grand Crus:
Vosne Romanée Grand Crus: Romanée-Conti La Tâche Richebourg Romanée Saint-Vivant Romanée La Grande Rue
Vosne Romanée Premiers Crus:
Vosne Romanée Premiers Crus: Aux Raignots Les Chaumes Les Suchots Aux Brûlées Les Beaux Monts Combe Brûlée
Flagey-Echézeaux (sold under name of Vosne Romanée)
Grands Crus:
Flagey-Echézeaux (sold under name of Vosne Romanée)
Grands Crus:
Echézeaux
Grands-Echézeaux
Nuits St Georges
Premier Crus:
Nuits St Georges Premier Crus: Les Cailles Les Vaucrains Les St Georges Aux Murgers Aux Boudots
Savigny-les-Beaune
Premier Crus:
Savigny-les-Beaune Premier Crus: Les Lavières Aux Vergelesses Les Narbantons Les Grands Liards Les Perrières Les Fourneux
Beaune
Premiers Crus:
Beaune Premiers Crus: Clos des Mouches Les Greves Les Perrières Clos du Roi Les Cras Les Bressandes
Pommard
Premiers Crus:
Pommard Premiers Crus: Les Epenots Les Jarollières Les Fremiers Les Charmots Les Combes Les Pézerolles
Volnay
Premier Crus:
Volnay Premier Crus: Champans Les Caillerets Les Angles Clos des Chênes Clos de la Pousse d'Or Les Pluchots La Gigotte
Semi-carbonic maceration
Semi-carbonic maceration is more common, and it is actually the more traditional technique in Beaujolais. Here, carbon dioxide is not added to the fermentation vat but produced naturally. Whole clusters at the bottom of the tank crush under the weight of those above and begin fermenting normally. As the carbon dioxide released by standard fermentation blankets the whole berries above, they begin to ferment internally. Typically, semi-carbonic maceration is conducted in an open vat.
Domaines de la Romanee-Conti and Dujac’s opinion on destemming?
Domaines de la Romanée-Conti and Dujac are high-profile practitioners of whole-cluster fermentation; depending on the site, both domaines may use higher proportions of clusters—up to 100%—in warm vintages, and lower percentages (70-80%) in cooler years.
What are the benefits of whole cluster fermentation in red wine making?
While winemakers’ opinions about the benefits of whole cluster differ, when expertly handled one typically achieves more aeration and cooler temperatures during fermentation, lighter color, slight carbonic notes, and firmer tannins in the final wine.
What are the benefits of destemming grapes before fermentations for red wine making?
Advocates of whole-berry fermentation, in which the grapes are de-stemmed but not crushed prior to fermentation, can achieve some of the same high-toned, floral, carbonic aromatic complexity that results from whole cluster, without risking the green tannins that can prevail if stems are not properly lignified. Stems can also harbor potassium, raising pH in the final wine.
How do vignerons in Burgundy ferment their white wine?
For white wines, Burgundy vignerons often press whole clusters without crushing the fruit. This produces a cleaner, less phenolic must with a slightly lower pH and fewer attendant dangers of oxidation.
Is chaptalization allowed in Burgundy?
Chaptalization—the addition of white (beet) sugar to increase alcohol content in a fermenting wine—is a common enrichment practice in Burgundy. If a vigneron chooses to chaptalize his or her wine, it is subject to the maximum alcohol levels stipulated in each AOC/P cahier des charges. Once added by rote at the beginning of fermentation, many producers now add sugar toward its conclusion, and often in multiple additions, performing a sort of “sweet spot” tasting.
Subtractive must enrichment technique
Burgundy winemakers now have a new tool available to them: subtractive must enrichment. The technique, illegal before 2009, allows the producer to remove water from the must to concentrate the remainder by a maximum factor of 10%.
Is acidification on wine in Burgundy allowed?
Acidification, like chaptalization, is also legal in Burgundy, provided it is declared and documented. In fact, despite recent hot vintages like 2003 or 2009—two years in which acidification was not uncommon—the need to acidify today is reduced from what it was in the 1980s and 1990s.
Why would a vineyard in Burgundy have high levels of potassium in its soil?
Years of heavy synthetic fertilizer use left high levels of potassium in the soil—potassium will raise pH in red wine macerations—and many growers acidified to combat it. As potassium levels slowly ebb with modern interest in soil health and organic viticulture, the need to acidify actually decreases.
Are you allowed to both acidify and chaptalize a wine in Burgundy?
NO
What affects can a winemaker have if they batonnage a wine too much?
bâtonnage can reduce reduction in barrel, but overuse may invite concerns of premox and produce an obvious leesy aromatic character.
What is the typical oak regimen for the different tiers from Burgundy?
An average vigneron may use the following percentages of new oak for red wines: 0-10% for Bourgogne AOP, 0-25% for a village wine, 25-50% for a premier cru, and 50-100% for a grand cru.
Favored cooperage in Bunrgundy
The favored cooperage of the Côte d’Or has long been François Frères, a local tonnellerie originally established in Saint-Romain.
feuillettes
feuillettes, which hold 132 liters of wine, remain the official unit of measurement for growers selling wine to négociants but are rare in actual wine production. Few coopers even make feuillettes today.
Why was around 1855 a difficult year for Chablis?
In that year a Marseille-Paris railway opened, providing a quick and efficient means of transporting cheap Midi wines to the French capital and beyond, while diminishing Chablis’ ability to compete.
Talk about the difficult times for Chablis.
The future looked grim: the 1880s brought the twofold devastation of powdery mildew (1886) and phylloxera (1887), and World War I summoned every available vigneron—and their horses—to the front. The high-yielding Sacy unseated Chardonnay in the region’s diminishing vineyards. Chablis suffered heavy German bombardment during World War II, and despite battlefield victory the 1945 vintage fell victim to frost.
Are frost prevention techniques used in Chablis?
Yes. New techniques of frost prevention arrived to shield vigilant growers’ vines, and the first tractors appeared in Chablis by the early 1950s.
What affect did mechanization do to the vineyard work in Chablis?
Mechanization made vineyard work and vineyard expansion easier; mechanical harvesters appeared in the early 1980s to further lighten the load. (Today nearly 95% of Chablis’ vineyards are harvested by machine!)
When did the expansion and elevated designations take place in Chablis?
Premiers crus were added to the basic Chablis AOP regulations in 1967, and the AOP boundaries were controversially enlarged to include another 1000 hectares in 1978 (including several new premiers crus).
How has the production level increased in Chablis?
In 1970, Chablis produced less than 20,000 hectoliters of wine; by 1982 the annual production reached 118,000 hl. In 2012, a modestly sized vintage, the three AOPs of Chablis recorded over 300,000 hl of wine from more than 5,000 ha of vines.
What exactly is Kimmeridgian?
“Kimmeridgian” refers to an age in the Upper Jurassic Epoch, occurring roughly 150-157 million years ago. Named for the village of Kimmeridge in Dorset, UK, the Kimmeridgian rock stratum consists of crumbly, chalky marl (clay and limestone) and contains abundant Exogyra virgula fossils—the imprints of tiny oyster shells. Outcrops are visible on the hillsides of the Serein River Valley.
Where are Kimmeridgian and Portlandian soils found in Chablis?
On the ridges and plateaus surrounding the Serein River Valley the Kimmeridgian marl is buried beneath Portlandian limestone, a harder cap rock with less clay content.
What affects do Portlandian soils have in Chablis?
Portlandian limestone in Chablis lacks the multitudes of fossilized seashells that characterize Kimmeridgian marl, and it is younger, formed 130 million years ago. Portlandian soils—those that overlay Portlandian limestone—are sandier and thinner than Kimmeridgian soils.
When was Petit Chablis AOP established and how did they designate its location?
The Petit Chablis AOP, established in 1944, found a home for Chardonnay wines produced on the plateaus of Portlandian limestone-derived soils—often higher, colder, and wind-exposed areas.
Where are the grand cru vineyards located in Chablis?
Chablis’ best vineyards—the grands crus, numbering around 100 total hectares—are located on a two-kilometer stretch of hillsides just north of town, facing south and southwest in an arc alongside the Serein. A product of coincident Kimmeridgian soil and privileged aspect, the grand cru slopes are the region’s warmest, bathed in afternoon light and protected from cold north winds.
How are the grand cru vineyards in Chablis different than those found in the Cote d’Or?
Unlike the grands crus of the Côte d’Or, Chablis Grand Cru AOP is a single appellation, with seven official geographic designations: Blanchot, Les Clos, Valmur, Les Grenouilles, Vaudésir, Preuses, and Bougros.
Minimum ABV for Grand Cru AOP Chablis
11% for Chablis Grand Cru AOP
How is Grand Cru Chablis AOP harvested?
The grand cru climats are also the only vineyards routinely harvested by hand in the entire region—prices are commensurate with the added expense of labor, and much of the hillside is too steep for machines anyway.
What are the “major” premiers crus in Chablis on the Right Bank?
Right Bank: Berdiot, Côte de Vaubarousse, Fourchaume, Les Fourneaux, Mont de Milieu, Montée de Tonnerre, Vaucoupin
What are the “major” premiers crus in Chablis on the Left Bank?
Left Bank: Beauroy, Chaume de Talvat, Côte de Léchet, Côte de Jouan, Les Beauregards, Montmains, Vau de Vey, Vaillons, Vosgros, Vau Ligneau
Montée de Tonnerre
The southwest-facing Montée de Tonnerre, a stone’s throw across the narrow Vallée de Bréchain from Blanchot, is widely considered the top premier cru in Chablis, and in the right hands (Raveneau, Patrick Piuze, Billaud-Simon) it surpasses many less ambitious estates’ grand cru output.
How are the premier vineyards positioned on the left bank in Chablis?
On the left bank, the premier cru slopes usually face southeast, cradled in the hillsides of finger-like side valleys rather than alongside the Serein River itself.
What are the 2 most popular premier crus on the left bank of Chablis?
Vaillons and Montmains are the most important sites on the left bank.
Difference between right bank and left bank premier cru Chablis?
In very general terms, the left bank wines might appear a bit more restrained; the right bank wines show more opulent and exotic ripe fruit notes.
What is the general style of Chablis?
The quintessential Chablis style is that espoused in the premier cru range: these are steely wines, with elevated acidity, leesy character, austere lemon and orchard fruit aromas, subtle oxidation, and medium weight.
Is malolactic fermentation employed on wines from Chablis?
Yes. Frequently—and traditionally—vignerons allow full malolactic fermentation to soften Chablis’ acidic edges, but it occurs in tank or used barrels rather than new oak.
The côtes in the Cote d’Or
Limestone, forged during the Jurassic period, is the building block of the Côte d’Or, and its topsoils typically contain some combination of limestone and clay.
What is to be said about slopes located in Cote d’Or?
The slope can become quite steep, reaching a 35% grade near the vineyards’ upper limits, but the grands crus generally lie at a gentler grade of 10% or less. Such a mild incline has tremendously positive impact: soils are slightly deeper and more nutrient-rich than those found on the higher slopes, yet the vineyards remain well-drained—rather than the ultimate recipients of eroded material, like the flat lands nearer the Saône.
What are combes in Burgundy and what is their affect on the vineyards within the Cote d’Or?
These are dry, transverse valleys, carved during the last ice age by melt-water and erosion, which today serve as conduits for both cool breezes and hailstorms. Thousands of years of erosion deposited deep alluvial fans of pebbles and stone at the mouths of the combes, diversifying soil makeup. The combes play a large role in the complexity of the Côte d’Or’s terroir.
The côtes are cut here and there by ______—a significant geological feature of the region.
The côtes are cut here and there by “combes”—a significant geological feature of the region.
Broadly speaking, the Côte de Nuits faces due ____ while the Côte de Beaune’s vineyards turn to face _____.
Broadly speaking, the Côte de Nuits faces due “east” while the Côte de Beaune’s vineyards turn to face “southeast”.
Which has more land Cote de Beaune or Cote de Nuits?
The Côte de Beaune has about twice as much land under vine as the Côte de Nuits
How are the vineyards in Cote de Beaune positioned in comparison to the Cote de Nuits?
Côte de Beaune: its strip of vineyards is wider and numerous appellations are located in side valleys rather than along the escarpment of the côte itself.
Soils in the Cote de Beaune
Soils in the Côte de Beaune, with the exception of the surroundings of Montrachet, tend to contain greater amounts of marl and less limestone than those in the Côte de Nuits
What are the hillsides in the Cote de Beaune like?
Hillsides in the Côte de Beaune are generally less steep, although they can reach higher elevations overall, particularly at its southern end.
Between the Cote de Nuits and Cote de Beaune, which one is focuses strictly on white wine?
Neither. Both regions produce more red wine than white; in fact, the Côte de Nuits produces hardly any village white wines at all, even if most of its appellations are entitled to do so. The Côte de Beaune, however, is more renowned for white wine quality: all but one of the grands crus authorized to produce white wine are located in the Côte de Beaune.
Between the Cote de Nuits and Cote de Beaune, which one produces lighter red wines?
Despite its more southerly location and slightly warmer mesoclimate, Côte de Beaune reds are generally lighter in style, more affordable, and less driven by new oak than those of the Côte de Nuits.
Marsannay
Marsannay is the northernmost and newest of the Côte de Nuits appellations. Established in 1987, it encompasses approximately 230 ha of vines spread among three communes—from north to south, they are Chenôve, Marsannay-La-Côte, and Couchey—sitting among the outskirts of the city of Dijon.
Three communes of Marsannay
Three communes—from north to south, they are
Chenôve,
Marsannay-La-Côte,
Couchey
What type of wines can Marsannay AOP produce?
Marsannay AOP wines may be red, white, or rosé; in fact, Marsannay is the only village appellation in all of Burgundy in which producers may choose to produce all three colors of wine.
What is the only AOP in the Cote d’Or to allow rose to be made?
Marsannay is the only village AOP in which rosé wines are produced—the style, introduced by the now-defunct Domaine Clair-Däu in the 1920s, was an early economic boon to vignerons, whose reds have historically been among the lightest in the Côte de Nuits.
What are the premiers cru vineyards in Marsannay?
Currently, there are no premiers crus in Marsannay, but producers frequently label top village sites with a lieu-dit.
Where is Fixin AOP and what kind of wines can it produce?
Fixin, a commune between Couchey and Brochon, in the Cote de Nuits, and produces red and white appellation wines in both village and premier cru tiers.
Clos de la Perrière
The monopole “Clos de la Perrière,” a climat whose boundaries cross the Brochon border, is the top premier cru in the Fixin AOP, and the only current source of premier cru blanc wines. Domaine de la Perrière, the monopole’s owner, is Fixin’s most ambitious grower today
Domaine de la Perrière
Domaine de la Perrière, the monopole’s owner for “Clos de la Perriere,” is Fixin’s most ambitious grower today
What are the reds from Fixin AOP like?
The appellation’s red wines are more akin to Gevrey-Chambertin than classic Marsannay in style—burly, earthy, and often rather tannic in youth. To Fixin, Clive Coates applies the descriptor sauvage.
How much white wine does Fixin AOP produce?
White wines make up less than 5% of the AOP’s production.
Côte d’Or’s largest appellation?
Gevrey-Chambertin AOP (400 ha of vines—not including the grands crus.)
Route des Grands Crus
A country road running parallel to the D974, divides the grands crus of Gevrey-Chambertin into two sectors. West of the road, on shallower soils and a slightly higher grade, are—from north to south—Mazis-Chambertin and Ruchottes-Chambertin, Chambertin-Clos de Bèze, Chambertin itself, and Latricières Chambertin.
What are oldest climats in Gevrey Chambertin?
Chambertin and Clos de Bèze, Burgundy’s oldest climat, are the top vineyards here; together they comprise almost 28 hectares of vines and represent two of Burgundy’s finest sources of Pinot Noir.
Combe de Lavaux
The village of Gevrey-Chambertin lies at the mouth of the Combe de Lavaux, a small valley separating two forest-capped hills.
Aux Combottes
Another top climat, Aux Combottes, lies at Gevrey’s extreme southern end and is the only premier cru climat in Burgundy surrounded on all four sides by grands crus.
Profile of wines from Gevrey Chambertin.
The classic red wines of Gevrey-Chambertin are usually touted as models of solidity, power and structure for Pinot Noir, and may be tannic and austere in youth. They veer toward a darker cherry fruit profile. Deep color and concentration are often touted as hallmarks of the village’s wines, but this may have more to do with cold soaking and other extractive techniques popular in the village (particularly in the 1990s) rather than inherent terroir.
Popular producers from Gevrey Chambertin
Among the most reputable domaines based in Gevrey-Chambertin are Rousseau, Fourrier, Claude Dugat, Denis Bachelet, Denis Mortet, Joseph Roty, and Pierre Damoy.
Name the 5 Grand Crus from Morey-Saint-Denis
Clos de la Roche, Clos Saint-Denis, Clos de Tart, Clos des Lambrays, Bonnes Mares
“Clos de la Roche” style
Clos de la Roche, the vineyard “on the rocks,” produces the most substantial, structured wine in the village
“Clos Saint-Denis” style
Clos Saint-Denis is its more elegant
Soils in Chambolle-Musigny
Chambolle-Musigny typically have a high active limestone component and lower percentages of clay, triggering mild chlorosis in the village’s vines—one cause, tasters suggest, for the silky, ethereal, light-colored style of red wines produced in the commune.
What commune is often considered opposite to Gevrey-Chambertin?
Chambolle-Musigny is often regarded as Gevrey’s antipode: the wines are elegant and “feminine” counterparts to the sturdy, “masculine” wines produced further north.
What are the grand crus of Chambolle-Musigny?
Chambolle-Musigny has two grands crus: Musigny itself, and the lion’s share—90%—of Bonnes Mares.
What separates Musigny and Bonnes Mares?
Town and combe separate the two. Bonnes Mares is adjacent to Morey-Saint-Denis’ Clos de Tart Grand Cru AOP, and like its neighbor was once the property of the Cistercian nuns of Tart.
How do the soil composition differ from Bonnes Mares to Chambolle?
Soil composition in Bonnes Mares shifts from denser red clays on the Morey side (and throughout its lower sections) to lighter marl soils, rich in limestone, as one approaches Chambolle.
Lieux dits of Musigny?
Musigny, which comprises three distinct lieux-dits—Le Musigny, Les Petits Musigny, and a small section of the premier cru climat La Combe d’Orveaux—is situated south of the town, on the slopes above Clos de Vougeot.
Le Musigny, Les Petits Musigny, and a small section of the premier cru climat La Combe d’Orveaux
The 3 lieux dits of Musigny
Chambolle style?
Chambolle style: fragrant, floral, and silky—Musigny is the archetype of elegance for Pinot Noir.
What is the only grand cru in the Cote de Nuits to allow white wine production?
Musigny is the only grand cru in the Côte de Nuits in which white wine production is permitted.
What producer in Chambolle Musigny is allowed to produce a grand cru white wine from the Cote de Nuits?
Domaine Comte Georges de Vogüé owns three-quarters of the entire vineyard, including its sole parcel of Chardonnay, currently sold simply as Bourgogne blanc while the domaine’s vines, replanted in the early 1990s, mature
Chambolle’s best premier cru?
Les Amoureuses, is directly down-slope from Musigny, adjacent to the commune of Vougeot. Like Gevrey-Chambertin’s Clos Saint-Jacques, good bottlings of Les Amoureuses are often of grand cru quality. It resembles Musigny, with an impression of weightlessness, and can regularly outperform Bonnes Mares in the hands of a good grower.
What are some noteworthy domaines in the village Chambolle-Musigny?
De Vogüé, Georges Roumier, Ghislaine Barthod, and Jacques-Frédéric Mugnier.
Who built Château de Clos de Vougeot and why?
Château de Clos de Vougeot, is hard to miss. Built by Cistercian monks as a symbol of their prestige and authority, the building fell into secular hands during the Revolution.
What is the size of the Vougeot AOP?
At 50 hectares, it is also the largest grand cru in the Côte de Nuits, stretching from Musigny all the way down to the D974. It produces four times as much wine as Vougeot AOP.
What type of wine is Clos de Vougeot AOP classified to produce?
Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru itself produces only red wines, Vougeot AOP village and premier cru wines may be red or white. Wines of both colors are infrequently encountered in the market.
owner of La Grande Rue
François Lamarche
owner of La Romanée
Comte Liger-Belair
Owner of La Tâche and Romanée-Conti
Domaine de la Romanée-Conti
How many monopoles are there in Vosne Romanee?
Four of Vosne’s six grands crus are monopoles: François Lamarche is the sole owner of La Grande Rue, Comte Liger-Belair owns La Romanée, and the Domaine de la Romanée-Conti possesses both La Tâche and Romanée-Conti.
Last grand cru in Burgundy to replant their vineyard?
The 1.8-ha Romanée-Conti, source of the most expensive red wine on earth at release, was the last grand cru in Burgundy to be replanted after phylloxera, in 1946.
the smallest AOP in France
0.85-ha La Romanée
Appellation of Flagey-Echézeaux
While village and premier cru vineyards exist within the borders of Flagey-Echézeaux, the town itself does not have an appellation; instead, producers use the more illustrious name of its neighbor, Vosne-Romanée.
Two grand crus of Flagey Echezeaux.
the commune does contain two grands crus: Echézeaux and Grands-Echézeaux.
Top sites for premiers crus of Vosne Romanee?
premiers crus of Vosne-Romanée,
Les Suchots,
Les Beaux Monts,
Les Petits Monts,
Aux Malconsorts,
Cros Parantoux
Les Suchots,
Les Beaux Monts,
Les Petits Monts,
Aux Malconsorts,
Cros Parantoux
Top premiers crus of Vosne Romanee
Largest commune in the Cote de Nuits?
Nuits-Saint-Georges is the largest commune in the Côte de Nuits, and the only real center of commerce and population between Dijon and Beaune.
Nuits’ 41 premiers crus can be divided into three main groups. What are they?
vineyards north of the commune of Nuits-Saint-Georges, vineyards south of the commune, and those within the borders of Premeaux-Prissey.
Clos des Grandes Vignes
Domaine du Comte Liger-Belair’s Clos des Grandes Vignes is the only premier cru in the entire Côte d’Or located east of the D974—the “wrong side” of the highway
Only premier cru in Burgundy to be located on the east side of D974?
Domaine du Comte Liger-Belair’s “Clos des Grandes Vignes”
Flagship estate in Nuits-Saint-George
Domaine Henri Gouges
Why wasn’t Domaine Henri Gouges considered a grand cru?
Flagship estate in the appellation, and the man’s modesty during grand cru deliberations in the 1930s is often cited as the reason why the village does not have any: he was too closely involved in the demarcation process, and felt it unfitting to nominate his own village’s vineyards.
Legend of vines planted in Corton?
In the late 700s the Frankish King Charlemagne observed snows melting first on this arc of southern slopes, and ordered vines to be planted there. As the king grew older his beard whitened, and his wife, distressed by newly visible wine stains on his beard, persuaded him to switch from red wine to white.
What are names of the 2 smaller grand cru appellations within Corton?
Smaller grand cru appellations within Corton—Corton-Charlemagne AOP and Charlemagne AOP—thus bear the king’s name, and produce only white wines.
What is the only red wine producing grand cru and what is the largest grand cru in Burgundy?
Corton is the only red-wine producing grand cru in the Côte de Beaune, and the largest single grand cru appellation in all of Burgundy.
Describe the style of Corton?
At its best, red Corton needs significant time in the bottle to uncoil, yet never quite hits the high notes of the head-of-class grands crus; at its worst, it is coarse and rustic.
Describe the flavor profile of Corton Charlemagne AOP?
Corton-Charlemagne AOP white wines are likewise good, but rarely the equal of top grands crus further south. It is generally an opulent and broad Chardonnay, yet without the depth and concentration of Montrachet.
What 3 communes encircle the southern half of the Corton hill.
Ladoix-Serrigny, Aloxe-Corton, and Pernand-Vergelesses
Ladoix-Serrigny
Aloxe Corton
Pernand Vergelesses
The 3 communes that encircle the southern half of Corton.
What commune inherits the largest chunk of Corton?
Aloxe-Corton, as its name might indicate, is the biggest shareholder, with 75% of the entire appellation—120 hectares—falling inside its borders.
What makes”Le Charlemagne” in Aloxe Corton and “En Charlemagne” in Pernand Vergelesses so distinct?
On the hill’s western mid-slope, where the soils turn white, the remaining two—Le Charlemagne in Aloxe-Corton and En Charlemagne in Pernand-Vergelesses—form the core of Corton-Charlemagne AOP. In all three communes, vineyards along the uppermost, steepest slopes are also entitled to this appellation, and are usually planted to Chardonnay.
Does Corton-Charlemagne hold the most ha in Corton?
Yes. In total, 72 of Corton’s 160 ha fall within Corton-Charlemagne.
Ladoix AOP
The commune itself is small, with fewer than 100 ha of vines, and it produces both red and white village and premier cru wines.
The Hill of Corton
The Hill of Corton lies in the midst of a cluster of famous wine-growing villages - Ladoix-Serrigny, Aloxe-Corton, Pernand-Vergelesses and Savigny-lès-Beaune - with, to the North, the southern end of the Côte de Nuits where vineyards mingle with stone quarries (Comblanchien limestone). The vineyards lie at heights of 250-330 metres and form a kind of amphitheatre not found elsewhere in the Côte.
Direction of sun exposure in Corton?
Exposure is South-East/South-West (not an arrangement frequently found in the Côte).
Details of labeling reds from Pernand Vergelesses from the Corton vineyard.
Although both red and white wines are produced under this AOP, producers in the Pernand-Vergelesses sector only produce Corton rouge, labeling white wines Corton-Charlemagne instead.
Can only white wines be produced under Corton Charlemagne?
Yes, only white wines may be produced under this AOP name.
Who is the only domaine in Burgundy that produces exclusively grand cru wines, from 11 hectares on the Corton hill.
Bonneau du Martray
Who is the largest landowner in both Corton and Corton-Charlemagne.
négociant house Louis Latour
How big is Savigny Les Beaune?
Savigny-Lès-Beaune is one of the larger appellations in the Côte de Beaune—behind Meursault and Beaune itself—and over 300 of its nearly 350 ha of vineyards are planted with Pinot Noir.
Top producers in Savigny Les Beaune
Chandon de Briailles and Simon Bize are the leading domaines in the village.
Largest commune in Cote de Beaune and is second only to Gevrey-Chambertin.
Beaune has more hectares under vine than any other commune in the Côte de Beaune, and is second only to Gevrey-Chambertin in the Côte d’Or
How many premier crus are there in the Beaune commune?
42
Pommard is one of how many appellations that may produce red wine in Cote de Beaune
Pommard, one of only four appellations in the Côte de Beaune that may only produce red wines, offers a denser, gutsier, more tannic style of Pinot Noir than most communes in the region.
Name of stream that runs through Pommard and how does that alter the wine’s style?
The commune and appellation are bifurcated by the Dheune stream, which flows down through a combe into the town itself. In comparison to Volnay, water flow and erosion have deposited a greater percentage of iron-rich clay on Pommard’s lower slopes, resulting in fuller-bodied, weightier, sturdier wines.
Is Savigny-Les-Beaune a small appellation?
Savigny-Lès-Beaune is one of the larger appellations in the Côte de Beaune—behind Meursault and Beaune itself—and over 300 of its nearly 350 ha of vineyards are planted with Pinot Noir.
Top producers from Savigny-Les-Beaune.
Chandon de Briailles and Simon Bize are the leading domaines in the village.
List the premier cru vineyards in Chorey-Lès-Beaune.
There are no premier cru vineyards. The commune produces red and white wines, but the latter comprises only one-tenth of its already small output (there are under 150 ha of vines). The reds are often light, soft, and a bit generic—tasting more like Bourgogne AOP than a village-level wine.
How many hectares under vine does Beaune AOP have in comparison to the other communes?
Beaune has more hectares under vine than any other commune in the Côte de Beaune, and is second only to Gevrey-Chambertin in the Côte d’Or.
Les Bressandes, Les Grèves, and Les Teurons
three of Beaune’s best premiers crus—Les Bressandes, Les Grèves, and Les Teurons—occupy the mid-slope of the Montagne de Beaune, where the hillside tilts inward to face due east, but they range in size from 17 ha (Bressandes) to over 30 ha (Les Grèves).
Second village appellation for Beaune AOP
Côte de Beaune AOP. Not to be confused with Côte de Beaune-Villages AOP, this small appellation covers a smattering of vineyards located above the northern sector of premiers crus, at an elevation of 300-370 meters.
Why are wines from Pommard so rich?
Water flow and erosion have deposited a greater percentage of iron-rich clay on Pommard’s lower slopes, resulting in fuller-bodied, weightier, sturdier wines. Consequently, Pommard may see more new oak than other red wines of the Côte de Beaune.
Les Rugiens Bas
Les Rugiens Bas is likely Pommard’s most exceptional vineyard, and produces its richest wines, archetypes of the appellation’s classic form. Unfortunately, many wines from the vineyard are labeled simply as Les Rugiens, and may include fruit from the neighboring Les Rugiens Hauts, an inferior and steeper site.
Marquis d’Angerville, Hubert de Montille, Michel Lafarge, Henri Boillot, and Domaine de la Pousse d’Or.
Top producers in Volnay
Les Caillerets, Champans, Clos des Chênes, and Taillepieds
Volnay’s best sites—Les Caillerets, Champans, Clos des Chênes, and Taillepieds—are at the southern end of the commune, on the hillside toward Monthélie and Meursault.
The premiers crus Les Santenots du Milieu, Les Santenots Blancs, and Les Plures; and the village-level Les Santenots Dessous
If the wine is red, producers may label four Meursault climats (the premiers crus Les Santenots du Milieu, Les Santenots Blancs, and Les Plures; and the village-level Les Santenots Dessous) as Volnay 1er Cru Santenots.
Northwest of the commune of Meursault is a break in the southeast-facing côte—the Auxey Valley, through which the Ruisseau des Cloux, a small stream, flows. What is the name of this AOP?
Monthélie AOP
The only vineyard in the Côte d’Or that actually has the word climat in its name.
Climat du Val premiers crus in Auxey-Duresses
Located to the northwest of Auxey-Duresses, the village’s vineyards are at a higher elevation (300-400 meters) and are essentially part of the Hautes Côtes de Beaune. What AOP is this?
Saint-Romain AOP
Flavor profile of Meursault.
Classic Meursault white wine is rich—almost fat—on the palate, with a nutty, buttery, honeyed spectrum of flavors and a softer acidity than exhibited in Puligny-Montrachet.
Coche-Dury, Guy Roulot, Comtes Lafon, Patrick Javillier, Jacques Prieur, and Pierre Morey
Top Meursault producers
Its name, meaning stone, signifies the site of an old quarry in Meursault.
The village’s most important climat, Perrières
Les Charmes and Les Genevrières
Two outstanding premiers crus in Meursault, Les Charmes and Les Genevrières. All sit below 300 meters in elevation on the hillside south of town, alongside Porusot and Les Gouttes d’Or.
Who owns monopole Clos des Perrières
Albert Grivault’s monopole Clos des Perrières
What is Meursault’s most recent vineyard planted?
Chaumes—meaning scrubland—is among Meursault’s newest vineyards, cleared and planted in the late 1990s.
______ is a hamlet within the Puligny-Montrachet commune, poised on the higher slopes north of town.
Blagny is a hamlet within the Puligny-Montrachet commune, poised on the higher slopes north of town.
Blagny AOP splits its vineyards with what two appelations?
Its vineyards are technically divided between Puligny and Meursault, and white grapes are labeled under those better-regarded, better-known appellations.
Red wines from Blagny are labeled under what AOP?
Blagny AOP, yet the whites are split between Meursault AOP and Puligny Montrachet AOP
_________ lays claim to four of eight hectares in the most coveted Chardonnay vineyard on earth, Montrachet Grand Cru AOP itself.
Puligny-Montrachet lays claim to four of eight hectares in the most coveted Chardonnay vineyard on earth, Montrachet Grand Cru AOP itself.
Puligny Montrachet shares Montrachet Grand Cru AOP and what other Grand Cru AOP with Chassagne-Montrachet?
Puligny shares it and Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru AOP with its southern neighbor Chassagne-Montrachet.
Puligny Montrachet solely claims what two Grand Crus?
Chevalier-Montrachet and Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet
Le Cailleret, Les Demoiselles, and Les Pucelles
The 3 top premiere crus in Puligny Montrachet
How many premiere crus does Puligny Montrachet hold?
17
Domaine Leflaive, Jacques Carillon, Etienne Sauzet, and Paul Pernot
Top producers in Puligny Montrachet
What producer owns the largest parcel of Montrachet?
Marquis de Laguiche owns the largest parcel of Montrachet—2 hectares, or 25% of the total vineyard, all on the Puligny side.
What producer owns the largest parcel of Chevalier-Montrachet?
Chevalier-Montrachet, Bouchard Père & Fils is the largest landowner, with 2.5 of 7.3 total hectares.
They produce two wines from the parcel: a “basic” Chevalier-Montrachet and “Cuvée la Cabotte,” from a lieu-dit once included in Montrachet itself.
Chassagne Montrachet’s side of Montrachet Grand Cru AOP is known as what?
Le Montrachet
Between Puligny and Chassagne Montrachet, which one holds the Criots-Batard-Montrachet AOP
Chassagne Montrachet
What varietal is Chassagne Montrachet best suited for and why?
Chassagne-Montrachet is actually better suited to Pinot Noir than Chardonnay. Red clay soils characterize many of the village vineyards and the lower slopes of the premiers crus.
Flavor wise, how are whites from Chassagne different than Puligny?
In style, the whites are broader and more thickly textured than Puligny—generally a result of heavier new oak usage—but more difficult to distinguish in broad strokes from Meursault.
What is the smallest white wine Grand Cru in Burgundy?
1.6 ha Criots-Bâtard-Montrachet is the only grand cru Chassagne claims in its entirety, and the smallest white wine-producing grand cru in Burgundy.
How many premier cru vineyards does Chassagne Montrachet carry?
55
he commune of ______ and its hamlet, Gamay, are tucked away in a cool valley amidst the hills behind Chassagne-Montrachet.
The commune of Saint-Aubin and its hamlet, Gamay, are tucked away in a cool valley amidst the hills behind Chassagne-Montrachet.
75% of the Saint Aubin’s land is classified as premier cru. True or False?
True
Considered the southernmost outpost of the Côte d’Or winegrowing region.
Maranges AOP
The __________, a 25-kilometer-long corridor extending southward from Santenay, spans the hillsides along the western edge of the Saône River Valley
The Côte Chalonnaise, a 25-kilometer-long corridor extending southward from Santenay, spans the hillsides along the western edge of the Saône River Valley
What do the soils of Cote Chalonnaise most resemble?
Soils here resemble those in the Côte de Beaune—weathered limestone and clay—but the area is no longer protected from prevailing winds by the dominating escarpment of the Côte d’Or.
What year did Cote Chalonnaise become a geographic designation of the Bourgogne AOP?
In 1990, Côte Chalonnaise officially became a geographic designation of the Bourgogne AOP.
What are the village appellations of Cote Chalonnaise?
Village appellations of Cote Chalonnaise: Mercurey (1936), Montagny (1936), Rully (1939), Givry (1946), and Bouzeron (1998).
Which of the five village appellations of Cote Chalonnaise does not carry any premiere cru vineyards?
All except Bouzeron have a premier cru classification.
Only village appellation that produces white wines from the Aligoté grape.
Bouzeron AOP
Who is the most famous producer from Bouzeron?
Domaine A & P Villaine, established by Aubert de Villaine (of DRC fame), is the village’s most famous estate, and works to create greater respect for the grape by cultivating superior selections of the grape—the golden Aligoté d’Oré instead of the green Aligoté Vert.
________ is the 19th-century birthplace of sparkling wines in Burgundy, and the commune is the center of Crémant de Bourgogne AOP production today.
Rully is the 19th-century birthplace of sparkling wines in Burgundy, and the commune is the center of Crémant de Bourgogne AOP production today.
What communes share the Rully appellations and what kind of wine is produced?
Communes of Rully and Chagny, this appellation produces both white and red wines in a 70% to 30% ratio.
Size of Mercurey AOP
Mercurey AOP has almost 650 ha under vine—nearly double the acreage of Rully, the second-largest appellation in the region—and it has long been considered the viticultural heart of the Côte Chalonnaise.
Clos Marcilly, Clos Voyens, Le Clos du Roy, Les Fourneaux, and Les Montaigus
Mercurey’s original five premiers crus—Clos Marcilly, Clos Voyens, Le Clos du Roy, Les Fourneaux, and Les Montaigus—date to 1943; it has 32 in total today following additions in 1956 and 1988.
What style of red does Mercurey AOP produce?
As 85% of its vines are Pinot Noir, Mercurey is really a red wine village, producing the firmest and most muscular reds in the Côte Chalonnaise, with greater levels of tannin and new oak than either Givry or Rully can support.
What kind of wine does Givry produce?
Like Mercurey, Givry produces a lot of red wines and a little white. The red wines are often sleeker and more charming but a little less tannic and weighty than those of Mercurey.
Buxy, Jully-lès-Buxy, Montagny-lès-Buxy, and Saint-Vallerin
The four communes of Montagny AOP
What kind of wines are produced from Montagny AOP?
Only white wines produced from Chardonnay are authorized.
Cave de Buxy
The largest producer in Montagny—and the entire Côte Chalonnaise—is the Cave de Buxy, the local cooperative.
Behind Chablis, what is the second leading white wine production region in Burgundy?
The Mâconnais region is a major producer of white wines in Burgundy, second in volume only to Chablis.
What is the leading geographic designation found in Maconnais?
85% of the Mâcon AOP production, however, carries the geographic designation Mâcon-Villages or—more precisely—the name of a single commune appended to the appellation, such as Lugny, Milly-Lamartine, or Pierreclos—27 communes may currently appear as geographic designations appended to Mâcon.
Will you find a red wine labeled under a Macon-Village?
No, only white wines may be labeled as Mâcon-Villages
Flavor wise, what is the difference between Chablis and whites from Maconnais?
In comparison to Chablis it tends to be fruitier and more open, but lacks Chablis’ sharp mineral edge and high acidity.
Pouilly-Fuissé, Pouilly-Loché, Pouilly-Vinzelles, Saint-Véran, Viré-Clessé
Maconnais’ five village appellations
Mâconnais village appellations
Pouilly-Fuisse, Pouilly-Loche, Pouilly-Vinzelles, Saint-Veran, Vire-Clesse
Pouilly-Fuissé includes the wines of what four communes?
Fuissé, Solutré-Pouilly, Vergisson, and Chaintré—with vineyards rising up the slopes below the Rocks of Solutré and Vergisson, two large limestone escarpments that define the landscape of the southern Mâconnais.
The appellation was one of the first white French wines to become a staple on sophistiqué mid-century American tables, and it is the most highly regarded area for winegrowing in the Mâconnais.
Pouilly-Fuisse
The region of _______ overlaps the southern Mâconnais, but most of its territory lies further south in the Rhône département, not far from Lyon, a culinary mecca and France’s second-largest city.
The region of Beaujolais overlaps the southern Mâconnais, but most of its territory lies further south in the Rhône département, not far from Lyon, a culinary mecca and France’s second-largest city.
Percentage wise, how much Gamay is planted in Beaujolais and how much of that is constituted as the world’s overall acreage of the varietal?
Over 95% of the cultivated area is planted to Gamay, while over 50% of the world’s Gamay acreage is located in the region.
How many AOPs are there
11 AOPs specific to Beaujolais, including the basic Beaujolais AOP—for which red, white, and rosé wines are authorized—and the ten northern cru AOPs.
Where are Beaujolais AOPs found?
Most Beaujolais AOP (and Coteaux Bourguignons AOP) wines are grown and produced in the flatter reaches of southern Beaujolais, where the granite ebbs and the soils begin to look more like the limestone-clay of the Mâconnais.
Where is the large percentage of Beaujolais Nouveau being produced?
Over half of the red wine production of the south is nouveau.
Beaujolais Nouveau is released on the 3rd Thursday of every November. What producer made this style a household name in the 1970s and 1980s?
Beaujolais nouveau was first allowed by law in 1951; it surged from the bistro tables of Lyon to worldwide popularity in the 1970s and ‘80s, and made a household name out of Georges Duboeuf, the region’s largest producer.
Beaujolais Villages
Beaujolais-Villages, a once-separate appellation created in 1950, was subsumed under the larger Beaujolais AOP in 2011.
What does Beaujolais Villages encompass?
All of the ten cru Beaujolais
The ten northern crus of Beaujolais produce only red wines, and comprise one-quarter to one-third of Beaujolais production, depending on the year. True or False?
True
In the crus, there are a number of officially recognized lieux-dits and these do appear on labels. What are some examples?
Famous examples include Côte du Py in Morgon, Les Capitans in Juliénas, and La Madone in Fleurie.
Saint-Amour AOP
Saint-Amour, the most northerly of the Beaujolais crus, is adjacent to Saint-Véran AOP, and it is the only cru located entirely within the Saône-et-Loire département.
What is the style of Saint-Amour AOP?
Saint-Amour, like Fleurie and Chiroubles, usually provides a lighter and less concentrated expression of cru Beaujolais.
Juliénas AOP
With its range of elevation (230-430 meters) and varied soils, Juliénas can be unpredictable, yet generally exhibits greater depth and fuller body than Saint-Amour. It also has nearly twice as much vine acreage (approx. 600 ha) and output as its northern neighbor.
What is the oldest Beaujoles region?
Julienas AOP is the most ancient winegrowing region in Beaujolais, with its roots in the Roman era? Four communes, including Juliénas and Jullié—presumably honoring Julius Caesar
Pascal Granger and Domaine du Clos du Fief
Top producers in Julienas (one of the ten crus of Beaujolais)
Smallest cru of Beaujolais
Chénas AOP
The name of Chénas, the smallest of the ten crus, recalls chêne, or “oak,” but the appellation’s vines have gradually replaced ancient forests and now occupy one densely planted square mile—approximately 240 hectares.
Style of Chenas AOP
The style here is similar to its southern neighbor, Moulin-à-Vent: fuller in body, more tannic, and better with a few years of bottle age. In fact, producers in the commune of Chénas itself can choose to bottle their wines as either Chénas AOP or Moulin-à-Vent AOP.
_________ AOP, named for a historic windmill rather than a commune of production, is the longest-lived, most full-bodied, and most tannic Beaujolais cru.
Moulin-à-Vent AOP, named for a historic windmill rather than a commune of production, is the longest-lived, most full-bodied, and most tannic Beaujolais cru.
*Of all the wines of Beaujolais, these are the most frequently confused with those of the Côte d’Or or the Côte Chalonnaise when tasted blind.
name of pink granitic soil in Beaujolais
gore
Talk about the vines in Moulin Vent
The vines are planted in soft, pink granitic soil (gore) on gently contoured, east-facing slopes in Chénas and Romanèche-Thorins. Most literature suggests that the robustness of Moulin-à-Vent wines stems from a heightened presence of manganese—a necessary element for plant growth but toxic to vines in high concentrations—which serves to stunt growth and naturally limit yields.
Négociant Georges Duboeuf, Louis Jadot’s Château des Jacques, and Potel-Aviron
Producers in Moulin Vent AOP
Coudert’s Clos de la Roilette, Domaine de la Chapelle des Bois, and Domaine Chignard
Top producers in Fleurie AOP
Highest-elevation cru in Beaujolais (250-450 meters) and the coolest
Chiroubles AOP
Chiroubles’ harvest may lag a week behind its neighbors.
If Moulin-à-Vent is the fullest and most robust of all the cru wines, ________ is the lightest.
If Moulin-à-Vent is the fullest and most robust of all the cru wines, Chiroubles is the lightest.
With over 1,100 hectares under vine, ______ is the second-largest cru in Beaujolais.
With over 1,100 hectares under vine, Morgon is the second-largest cru in Beaujolais.
The top vineyards in Morgon AOP are planted on what soil?
On the côte itself, wherein many of the appellation’s signature wines are produced, roche pourrie—“rotten rock,” an unusual mixture of iron-rich schist and basalt streaked with manganese—is predominant.
roche pourrie
roche pourrie—“rotten rock,” an unusual mixture of iron-rich schist and basalt streaked with manganese
Marcel Lapierre, Jean Foillard, Jean-Paul Thevénet, and Guy Bréton
Top producers in Morgon AOP
Kermit Lynch’s “Gang of Four”
Marcel Lapierre, Jean Foillard, Jean-Paul Thevénet, and Guy Bréton. They are all in Morgon AOP.
_______ is a small cru situated on pink granite hillsides. Vineyards lie at an average elevation of 350 meters, and wide-ranging southeasterly aspects make for an early-ripening appellation.
Régnié is a small cru situated on pink granite hillsides. Vineyards lie at an average elevation of 350 meters, and wide-ranging southeasterly aspects make for an early-ripening appellation.
Encompassing over 1,300 hectares of vines and six communes, ________ is the largest Beaujolais cru, and alone accounts for over 20% of the total Beaujolais cru production.
Encompassing over 1,300 hectares of vines and six communes, Brouilly is the largest Beaujolais cru, and alone accounts for over 20% of the total Beaujolais cru production.
What does the name “Brouilly” stem from?
The name itself derives from brûlé—“burnt.” Brouilly’s vineyards carpet the broad lower flanks of the Mont Brouilly, an extinct volcano that rises to 484 meters and presides over the landscape of the southern crus.
Where is Cote de Brouilly positioned?
Côte de Brouilly occupies the higher and steeper hillsides of Mont Brouilly, and with just over 300 ha under vine it is a much smaller cru than its neighbor, Brouilly AOP.
What did Lavalle do in 1855 for the Cote d’Or?
Lavalle published his Plan Topographique of Burgundy’s Côte d’Or, a detailed map of every vineyard from Santenay to Dijon, grading them Tête de Cuvée, Première, Deuxième and even Troisième Cuvée.
This was the basis for mapping the Côte d’Or into more than 400 appellations when the appellation contrôlée system was introduced in 1936. Today, every vineyard in Burgundy has its place in a hierarchy descending from grand cru, to premier cru, to village wine, down to generic Bourgogne.
