Burgundy Flashcards
Explain the influence of the Catholic Church in Burgundy.
Much of vineyard land in Middle Ages was owned by Benedictine, then Cistercian monasteries.
They identified and cultivated the best vineyard sites, and are the reason why Burgundy’s vineyards are named and classified by their terroir.
How has the Napoleonic Code or Inheritance affected vineyards in Burgundy?
During the French Revolution, Burgundy vineyards were taken from the church and aristocracy. Larger parcels were broken up and sold to new owners.
In 1804 the Napoleonic Code established that estates must be divided equally among male heirs when passed down. This led to the fragmentation of vineyards.
What is a clos?
A vineyard plot surrounded with drystone walls common in Burgundy.
Describe the most famous Clos.
Clos Vougeot- a walled 125-acre vineyard once owned by Cistercian monks, now parceled into 80 different plots.
All can use “Grand Cru Clos de Vougeot” on labels. However quality, reputation, price etc. can vary
What is a domaine?
A grower or producer that owns their vineyards. All aspects of wine production from growing to bottling is done by the domaine.
What is a negociant?
A wine merchant who buys grapes and or wines for blending and bottling under their own label
What is a monopole?
Parcels of vineyard land with single ownership. Less common than you’d think.
Explain the geography and topography of Burgundy.
Eastern/central France near the Swiss border. Just over 66,000 acres.
Rolling hills - best vineyards are on hillsides facing E/SE in Côte d’Or; best vineyard sites in Chablis have S/SW exposure. Thick carpets of vines are parceled into paddock-like plots often enclosed by fieldstone walls.
Explain the Burgundy AOP system.
Based on specific vineyard sites. As area get smaller quantity decreases and quality increases (in theory).
33 Grand Crus (2%)
550-600 Premier Crus (32%)
Village wines (30%)
Regional appellations (56%)
Name the 5 sections of Burgundy north to south.
Chablis Côte d’Or - Côte de Nuits - Côte de Beaune Côte Chalonnaise Mâconnais Beaujolais
Explain the geography, topography, and soil of Chablis.
80 miles north of Côte d’Or and closer to Champagne than the rest of Burgundy. 100 mi SE of Paris.
Soil is Kimmeridgian clay and limestone. White and crusty.
What is the climate of Chablis?
Cool continental climate. Harsh wet, and very cold. Late season frosts mean that picking time is critical.
Explain the Chablis AOP system.
Chablis AOP
Petit Chablis AOP
Chablis Premier Cru AOP
-40 vineyards. not a distinct appellation but rather a quality subdivision of Chablis AOP
Chablis Grand Cru AOP
-7 vineyards. Most have S/SW exposure for max sun.
Describe vinification in Chablis.
Stainless is often used to preserve purity of flavor. No oak used with lower tier wines but often used for upper tier. Malolactic is common.
Minimum Alcohol
Chablis: 10%
Chablis “Premier Cru”: 10.5%
Chablis Grand Cru: 11%
What is a climat?
In Burgundy, designated a place where vine cultivation is attested for a very long time. Precisely delimited plots of land which benefit from specific geological and climate conditions.
Name the 7 Chablis Grand Cru climats.
Les Preuses Bougros Grenouilles Vaudesir Valmur Les Clos Blanchot
Note: Chablis only has 1 grand cru, broken up by these 7 contiguous parcels/climate situated along the hillside
Name 5 of the 17 main climats of Chablis. How many are there in total?
40 in total. 17 main:
13 most used
Mont de Milieu, Monteé de Tonnerre, Fourchaume, Vaillons, Montmains, Côte de Lechet, Beauroy, Vaucoupin, Vosgros, Vau de Vey, Vau Ligneau, Les Beauregards, Les Fourneaux
4 less used
Côte de Vaubarousse, Berdiot, Côte de Jouan, Chaume de Talrat
Describe the flavor profile of Chablis.
Tart to just-ripe tree fruit (green apple, yellow apple, green pear), citrus (lemon)
Sulfuric note (esp in youth): Flint, burnt match
Oxidative notes (if neutral barrel): hazelnut, almond, cheese rind
Lees: Crème fraîche/sour cream
white flowers, apple blossoms, hawthorne, acacia
High minerality, stony, chalk, seaspray, oyster shell, button mushroom
Bone dry to dry, mod to mod-plus body, high acidity, mod alcohol
Name some producers of Chablis.
Alice et Olivier de Moor Raveneau Jean Dauvissat Rene et Vincent Dauvissat Pattes Loup Louis Michel Laurent Tribute Jean Paul and Benoît Droin
Why does Pinot noir do well in Burgundy?
Pinot noir thrives in cool climates because grapes are allowed to ripen slowly. Too hot = unfocused and dull. Pinots from Burgundy are light to medium bodied, very graceful, but intensely flavored.
Explain the geography of the Côte d’Or.
A 30 mi long limestone ridge starting near city of Dijon and ending south at Santenay. villages on the eastern side of the slope - perfectly oriented for morning sun. The next northern region of Burgundy after Chablis.
Two subregions: Côte de Nuits and Côte de Beaune
Describe viticulture and vinification practices in burgundy.
Cool climate = ripeness is a concern. For the best wines, yields must be kept low. Rain in early fall means vignerons gamble on best time to pick.
Early - avoids rain but grapes are slightly underripe. May produce thin, bland wines. Chaptalization is allowed but the best producers avoid.
Later - longer ripening time with richer wines. Gambling to avoid rain; if not, waterlogged vineyards and rot are concerns.
Explain the soil of Burgundy.
chalk, calcareous clay, marl (limestone-rich clay), and limestone. In many areas visible sea fossils are scattered or are bedrock below thin topsoil. Roots burrow yo to 79 feet between and beneath limestone blocks. Gives the wines vivid minerality.
Dates from mid and lower Jurassic periods 201 to 145 million years ago. Chablis formed during the Kimmeridgian stage.
Beaujolais has granite.
What is the massale selection method?
A vigneron takes cutttings from numerous vines within a vineyard and uses buds from all of them to begin a new vineyard. Selecting individual clones isn’t the focus, rather, replicating the genetic diversity of the other vineyard.
Explain the topography, climate and soil type of the Côte de Nuits.
Hillsides and ridges. Top vineyards often in the middle section of hillsides.
Cool continental climate. Threats of frost, summer hail and excess rain in fall.
Soil: marl and limestone.
Describe viticulture and vinification in the Côte de Nuits and Côte de Beaune.
Nuits
Red only - Pinot noir
Beaune
Red and white - chars and Pinot
French oak, often new, is used. Some use whole cluster, others completely de-stem.
Explain the appellation hierarchy in Côte de Nuits.
1. Bourgogne AOP 2 Bourgogne Côte d’Or AOP 3. Côte de Nuits Villages AOP 4. Villages AOP 5. Premier Cru AOP - more than 130 in Nuits 6. Grand Cru AOP - 24 of 33 Burgundy Grand Crus in Nuits
Name the 5 Côte de Nuits Village AOPs.
Fixin Brochon Premeaux Comblanchien Corgoloin
Name the 9 Village AOPs in Côte de Nuits.
- Marsannay
- Fixin
- Gevrey-Chambertin
- Morey-St-Denis
- Chambolle-Musigny
- Vougeot
- Vosne-Romaneé
- Flagey-Echezeaux
- Nuits-St-Georges
*=major
Name the 9 Grand Cru vineyards of Côte de Nuits located in Gevrey-Chambertin.
Chambertin Clos-de-Bèze Chapelle-Chambertin Charmes-Chambertin Griotte-Chambertin Latricières-Chambertin Le Chambertin Mazis-Chambertin Mazoyères-Chambertin Ruchottes-Chambertin
Name the 8 Grand Cru vineyards located in Vosne-Romaneé.
Echezeaux Grands Echezeaux La Romanèe La Tache La Grand Rue Richebourg Romanèe-Conti Romanèe-St-Vivant
Name the final 7 Grand Cru vineyards located in Côte de Nuits.
-In Morey-St-Denis Clos de la Roche Clos de Lambrays Clos de Tart Clos-St-Denis Bone Mares (part in Chambolle-Musigny)
Le Musigny (Chambolle-Musigny) Clos de Vougeot (Vougeot)
List the appellations of Côte de Beaune.
Bourgogne AOP
Village AOP
Premier Cru AOP
Grand Cru AOP
Name some of the best known Village AOPs in Côte de Beaune.
Aloxe-Corton Savigny-Les-Beaune Beaune Pommard Volnay Mersault Puligny-Montrachet Chassagne-Montrachet
Name the 8 Côte de Beaune Grand Crus.
Charlemagne-Aloxe Corton Corton-Charlemagne Le Corton Bâtard-Montrachet Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet Chevalier-Montrachet Le Montrachet Criôts-Bâtard-Montrachet
Describe the difference between top reds from Côte de Nuits vs. top reds from Côte de Beaune.
Nuits
Greater intensity and firmer structure.
Beaune
Most delicate in color. Soaring, earthy flavors with minerals, licorice, exotic spices and truffles. Heady in aroma and long in mouth.
Name some of the most famous villages for white wine in Côte de Beaune.
Merseault Puligny-Montrachet Chassagne-Montrachet Ladoix-Serrigny Beaune
The best are rich and concentrated without being heavy. Notes of toasted nuts, truffles and vanilla.
Where is the famed Domaine de Bonneau du Martray located?
Corton Charlemagne Grand Cru
Explain how location on a côte (slope) can be an indication of vineyard quality.
Top 1/3: many 1er Crus. Soil is thinner with more limestone but sun is not always ideal.
Middle 1/3: the best vineyards where Grand Crus are located. Abundant limestone and mark. 45 degree angle to the sun (“thermal belt”)
Bottom 1/4: most village level wines. Soil is heaviest, less well drained and more clay heavy (flatland vineyards)
Describe geography, topography and soil of the Côte Chalonnaise.
Directly south of Côte d’Or. no hillside escarpments to protect vineyards from east winds.
Continental climate
Soil: limestone
Describe vinification and viticulture in Côte Chalonnaise.
White: Chardonnay and Aligoté (small amounts)
Red: Pinot noir
Little to no oak used for white or red
Generally less expensive than Côte d’Or, great value
Describe the appellation hierarchy of Côte Chalonnaise.
No grand Crus but many premier Crus.
5 AOP regions listed north to south Bouzeron Rully Mercurey Givrey Montagny
Describe wines from Bouzeron AOP.
White only, 100% Aligoté
Best is made by Aubert de Villaine, co-director of DRC
Describe wines from Rully AOP.
White - Chardonnay (Crisp, lemony, nutty)
Red - Pinot noir
Sparkling - Crémant de Bourgogne
Describe wines from Murcurey AOP.
Best known, largest. Red dominates.
White - Chardonnay (apple, mineral)
Red - Pinot (spicy cherry)
Describe wines from Givry AOP.
White - Chardonnay
Red - Pinot - best known for notes of earth and cherry
Describe wines from Montagny AOP.
White only - Chardonnay
Best value Burgundy. 49 Premier Crus = 2/3 of total acreage. Therefore most Montagny wines are sold without reference to specific vineyard
Describe the climate, geography, topography and soil of Mâconnais.
the southernmost region of Burgundy. Continental climate. Warmer and drier than northern Burgundy.
Large area with low-lying hills and flat farmland.
Soil: soms limestone and marl. Granite and schist in the south.
Describe viticulture and vinification in the Mâconnais.
Red: Pinot noir and gamay
White: Chardonnay. Mainly white wine production in the region.
Little new oak is used except in Pouilly-Fuissé
Explain the appellation hierarchy of the Mâconnais.
No Grand or Premier Crus. The main villages have their own AOPs:
Mâcon AOP
Pouilly-Fuissé AOP
Saint-Verán AOP
Describe Mâcon AOP.
Mainly Chardonnay. Largest AOP by far. 80% are simple Mâcon (many from co-ops) or Mâcon-Villages.
26 villages have the right to append their name:
Mâcon-Lugny, Mâcon-Viré, Mâcon-Fuissé, etc.
Describe Pouilly-Fuissé AOP.
Chardonnay only. Some use of new oak.
More expensive and most well-regarded. The best are bold, dense, and delicious (but not as elegant as Côte d’Or)
Generous limestone soil.
From area around 4 small hamlets: Vergisson, Solutré-Pouilly, Fuissé, and Chaintré
Describe Saint-Véran AOP.
Chardonnay only. Some use of new oak.
Less expensive and sometimes better than Pouilly-Fuissé.
From village of St. Verand (with a d)
Name some of the most important foods of Burgundy.
Boeuf bourguignon Coq a vin Dijonnaise and Lyonnaise mustard Escargots a la bourguignonne Époisses cheese Pain d’epice (spice bread)
Describe the geography of Beaujolais.
35 miles long from N to S, 9 mi wide, 42,000 acres
Sâone River valley to the east and Monts de Beaujolais (Massif Central) to west
South of and slightly overlapping the Mâconnais
Describe the climate of Beaujolais.
Semi-continental climate, warmer than the rest of Burgundy. Cold winters and hot, mostly dry summers
Describe the difference in soil type and vineyards in the Northern Cru villages (Haut) vs. the South (Bas)
North - Haut
Schist and granite
Hillside vineyards with lower yields
South - Bas
Sandstone and clay
Vineyards on flatter plains with higher yields
What is Beaujolais Nouveau?
A young wine made immediately after the harvest. It is released on the 3rd Thursday in November (established 1985 by the INAO). It is simple, grapey, and bubblegum-like
Explain vinification in Beaujolais
Red - gamay - is predominant
Mostly stainless steel, some used or old oak, even fewer new oak used
Carbonic maceration often employed
What is carbonic maceration?
Entire hand harvested clusters are put whole into the fermenting tank. Grapes on the bottom are crushes and release their juice. Wild yeast fermentation occurs. The top laters are bathed in carbon dioxide, a byproduct of fermentation. They eventually explode and ferment as well.
Enhances fruity aromas and flavors.
Describe gamay.
The progeny of Pinot noir and gouais blanc.
Originated in 14th century but was banished by edict in 1395 by Philippe the Bold from Burgundy to Beaujolais.
Notes of black cherry, black raspberry, peaches, violets, roses, peppery spiciness at the end. Low in tannin.
Name and describe the different categories of Beaujolais (ascending in quality and price).
Beaujolais (50%)
-less distinguished vineyards in south. Fertile soil, flatter land.
Beaujolais-Villages (25%)
-39 villages in the hilly midsection. Soil is granite and sand forcing vines to yield better grapes.
Beaujolais Cru (25%)
-10 distinguished villages all located on steep granite hills. Denser, richer, more expressive. Capable of aging due to greater structure.
Name the 10 Beaujolais Crus.
St.-Amour Juliénas Chénas Moulin-à-Vent Fleurie Chiroubles Morgon Régnié Brouilly Côte de Brouilly
