Burgundy Flashcards
What is a vigneron?
Wine grower
What is a Vigneron?
Wine grower
Who are the Cistercian monks and what did they do?
An offshoot of the Benedictines who rose to prominence in the 12th century, and converted them to viticulture by the 14th century (most of the Grand Crus are original cistercian - Clos Vougeot).
The Valois Dukes
Ruled the region from 1363-1477, & recognized the wines’ status and attempted to enforce controls on quality.
Phillip the Bold
ordered Gamay grapes to be ripped up in favor of the lower-yielding (and theoretically superior) Pinot Noir
Phillip the Good
tried to promote hillside viticulture
Hôtel-Dieu
1443 - Nicolas Rolin, a nobleman of the Valois, created charitable hospital provided free respite to the infirm poor in a plague-ridden era, and over time became the beneficiary of many donated vineyards in and around Beaune. Today, the Hospices de Beaune wine auction is held annually every third Sunday of November, with proceeds still benefitting the sick, and the domaine of the Hospices de Beaune has become one of the largest vineyard owners in the Côte de Beaune.
Napoleonic Code
1804 - requiring inheritances to be split equally among heirs. This edict greatly fractured vineyard ownership over time and laid the foundation for the current division of Burgundy holdings. Today’s vineyards are a patchwork: the grand cru Clos Vougeot alone claims over 80 growers.
Négociants
French term for a merchant and one used particularly of wine merchants who buy in grapes, must, or wine, blend different lots of wine within an appellation, and bottle the result under their own label. Négociant wines are generally less expensive than their domaine counterparts, but may lack excitement in comparison. On the other hand, négociants typically have more fruit at their disposal and more options for correction in difficult vintages.
The closer the lots are together, the more prestigious the AOP used - Burgundy AOP vs Nuits St. George AOP.
Métayage and Fermage
Sharecropping, and Leasing. The landowners used to be Bourgeoisie, who leased to growers and gave them rights to crops, housing, and small production. Leads to poorly made wine from outstanding parcels, leases are 9 years long, and cannot be rescinded unless landowner prepared to work land themselves.
DRC
Domaine de la Romanee Conti: the most famous Domaine, producing upwards of 8,000 cased from 8 grand cru sites.
Domaine Bottling
Typically a vine-growing and winemaking estate. More exciting and expressive, high risk in bad vintages.
Top Negociants
Domaine Faiveley
Bouchard Pere et Fils (Largest Land owner)
Remoissenet (commands Domaine Pricing for small production)
Lucien le Moine (commands Domaine Pricing for small production)
Top Domaine and Negociant Houses
Aka, they produce both.
Domaine Leroy
Domaine Dujac
Hubert Montille
What are the five main growing regions of Burgundy?
Chablis Cote d'Or Cote Chalonnaise Maconnais Beaujolias
What are the departments of Burgundy?
Similar to counties
Yonne Department (Chablis)
Cote d’Or Department (Cote d’Or)
Chalon-sur-Saone Department (Chalonnaise & Maconnais)
Rhone Department (Beaujolais)
What is the capital of Cote d’Or?
Dijon
Grand Auxerrois
Yonne communes like Vézelay, Irancy, Tonnerre, and Joigny, pepper the landscape around Chablis - the land surrounding Auxerre, capital of the Yonne.
What is the Baseline AOP in burgundy?
Bourgogne AOP
- White, Red, and rose
Coteaux Bourguingons AOP
A little-used regional appellation, rechristened to revitalize.
- same general broad dimensions as Bourgogne AOP, but gamay is allowed in blends.
Grapes of Burgundy
Pinot Noir
Chardonnay ("Beanois")
Pinot Blanc
Aligote (W)
Gamay
Rare Grapes:
Beurot (Pinot Gris)
César, Tressot, Sacy
What is Chardonnay a cross of?
Pinot and Gouais Blanc (ancient varietal)
What is the most planted grape in Burgundy?
Chardonnay, aka “Beaunois”
What is the hierarchy of Appelation systems In Burgundy?
régionale - 50% of production
village
premier (1er) cru
grand cru (only in Chablis and Cote d’Or)
Explain why 1er cru isn’t a different class?
They are technically village wines that qualify for legally defined geographic designation of a much better and more recognized pedigree.
Bourgogne AOP
- Baseline AOP covering red, white and rose produced fro m PN and Chard.
Coteaux Bourguingons AOP
A little-used regional
What were the four liuex-dits approved in the 1990s for Bourgogne AOP?
- la Chapelle Notre Dame
- La Chapitre
- Cote St. Jacques
- Montrecul
Cote de Beaune Villages AOP
ONLY RED, sourced only from:
- Volnay
- Pommard
- Aloxe-Corton
- Beaune
Cote de Nuits Villages AOP
Usually red (rarely white) and sourced from:
- Fixin (n)
- Brochon (n)
- Prissey (s)
- Corgoloin (s)
- Comblanchien (s)
Bourgogne Aligote AOP
- Produced solely from aligote.
- often simple and refreshing, high acid
- usually drank as an aperitif or combined with creme de cassis as the base of a classic Kir cocktail.
What are the sparkling AOPs of Burgundy?
- Cremant Bourgogne: Hans harvested, traditional method sparkling white/ rose (chard and PN). Concentrated mostly in Rully in Cote Chalonnaise.
- Bourgogne Mousseaux: older and rare; reserved for sparkling reds made traditional method. Historically, even the famous GC vineyards like Clos Vougeot would produce spark red.
Where are the village level vineyards located in Côte d’Or?
Generally:
- a communes eastern side where the angle of slope is slight
- or on the western fringe, next to the forests and ridge caps where slope and elevation are more significant.
Generally, where are the Grand Cru and 1er Cru vineyards of Côte d’Or located?
Between the extremes of the slope caps and valley floor.
Bourgogne Passe-Tout Grains
Red and rose molded after old field blends.
- PN min 30%
- Gamay min. 15%
MUST be vilified together.
Can 1er cru wines blend from different parcels?
Yes! Technically, 1er cru is still a Village level wine and can blend only across village.
How many ha is La Romanee?
.85 ha (a football field is .53 ha).
What does Monopole Grand Cru AOP laws mandate?
Require hand harvesting
How many grand cru AOPs are there?
33
What is the smallest GC and the Largest GC?
- La Romanee: .85 ha
- Corton: 160 ha
What is the most northernly region in Burgundy?
Chablis. Closer to the Aube region of champagne than Burgundy.
What cities and river is Chablis near?
- Halfway between Paris and Beaune.
- Serien River Valley (conduit for cold winds and frost)
What is the climate of Chablis?
Cool continental.
What are the regions of Chablis?
- Chablis
- Petit Chablis
- Grand Cru Chablis
What kind of wines are produced in chablis?
100% white wine made from chardonnay.
What is the soil in Chablis?
Kimmeridgian marl: a mix of limestone and clay laces with millions of ancient oyster fossils.
What is Burgundy’s largest white wine region?
Chablis
How many 1er cru Chablis are there?
40 - 17 deemed “major”
What are the top 1er cru vineyards of Chablis?
Right bank of the Serien:
- Montee de Tonnerre
- Fourchaume
Left bank of the Serien:
- Vallions
- Montmains
How many grand cru are in Chablis?
- 7
- comprising the southwest-facing slopes just north of the town itself
What are the 7 grand cru of Chablis?
- Les Clos
- Vaudesir
- Valmur
- Preuses
- Blanchot
- Bourgros
- Grenouilles
- La Moutonne (unofficial #8. monopole over lapping Vaudsier and Presuses. Permitted by INAO.)
Taste profile of 1er chablis
Benchmark stye; classic examples show pronounced acidity, medium weight, lees character, and an intensely mineral, steely character unencumbered by new oak
Taste profile of grand cru chablis
The wines are richer and riper, with significant new oak. Yet even with top wines some producers, convinced that the influence of wood compromises the classic expression of Chablis, prefer to ferment and age wines solely in stainless steel. Whether grand or premier cru, the finest Chablis wines are austere in their youth but rewarding with age. Classic descriptors include hazelnuts, oyster shells and lemon.
What are the other Yonne department AOPs?
- Irancy AOP: light PN based reds
- St. Bris AOP: the only SB appellation in Burgundy
- Verzeley AOP: 100% chard, promoted from Bourgogone level in 2017.
Where is the Cote d’Or located?
Occupies the Eastern slopes (cotes) on the western edge of the Saone River.
Piece
traditional 228L barrel used for aging wines in burgundy.
Battonage
tradition of stirring less during aging adding texture, aroma, and flavor. An oxidative practice that van round out young wines, but not necessary for wines intended for longevity.
