Burgundy

Question 1

What are the key areas of Burgundy from north to south?

Answer 1

North
- Chablis
- Côtes D'Or
  - Côtes de Nuits
  - Hautes Côtes de Nuits
  - Côtes de Beaune
  - Hautes Côtes de Beaune
- Côtes Chalonnaise
- Mâconnais
- Beaujolais
South

Question 2

What is the river that runs through Chablis?

Answer 2

Serein

Question 3

What is the typical climate in Chablis?

Answer 3

continental with considerable vintage variation

670mm average rainfall, throughout the season (with resulting disease pressure)

Question 4

What are typical hazards in Chablis and how are they managed?

Answer 4

fungal disease, including rot at harvest - spraying

spring frosts - smudge pots, sprinklers, winter pruning

hail storms

Question 5

what soils are common in Chablis and what influence do they have on viticulture?

Answer 5

Kimmeridgian soil with limestone in clay

Lime resistant rootstocks are used (eg, 41B)

Question 6

What training system is most widespread in Chablis?

Answer 6

Double Guyot replacement cane - increases the chances of at least one cane surviving frost

Question 7

What is the most common harvesting method in Chablis?

Answer 7

typically mechanised harvest in Chablis, with steep grand cru hand-picked

Question 8

What are the Chablis appellations and their soil types?

Answer 8

Petit Chablis - hard limestone
Chablis - Kimmeridgian soil and mixed soils
Chablis Premier Cru - south/ south east facing on Kimmeridgian soil
Chablis Grand Cru - crumbly marl for drainage, clay for water retention (only 1% of production)

Question 9

How do the vineyard aspects vary across Chablis?

Answer 9

Petit Chablis and Chablis are predominately flat, or gentle slopes

Premier Cru - south/ south east facing

Grand Cru - south west gets most concentration of flavour, protected from cool northerly winds by a woods

Question 10

How many Premier Cru sites are there in Chablis?

Answer 10

40 named vineyards - wines can be names after a site (eg, Chablis Premier Cru Trosêmes), or a ‘climate’ (eg, Chablis Premier Cru Beauroy)

Question 11

What winemaking decisions are typically made in Chablis?

Answer 11

• Frequently chaptalisation to level limit
• ferment in steel or concrete
• MLF to limit acid
• Limited new oak, except for some top wines. Some may use old oak to bring depth of flavour

Question 12

What grapes and yields are allowed in Chablis?

Answer 12

only Chardonnay
60 hL/ha - Petit Chablis and Chablis
58 hL/ha - Chablis Premier Cru
54 hL/ha - Chablis Grand Cru

Question 13

How may Grand Cru sites are there in Chablis?

Answer 13

Chablis Grand Cru is a single area with seven named vineyards (eg, Les Clos)

Question 14

List key wine business issues for Chablis

Answer 14

Clear delineation between Negotiants and Domaines is breaking down with cross ownership

1/3 of wine is vinified by by the co-operative La Chablisienne

Two trade bodies:

1. Le Syndicate de Défense de l’Appellation de Chablis: combats fraud and environmental issues
2. L’Union des Grands Crus de Chablis: grand cru sites only promotes sustainable agriculture and hand harvest

Question 15

Name a high regard Chablis grand cru producer

Answer 15

Francois Raveneau

Vincent Dauvissat

Question 16

What is the typical climate between Côtes D’Or and Mâconnais?

Answer 16

moderate continental

• short summers suited to early ripening Chardonnay and Pinot Noir
• 700mm average rainfall
• Côtes D’Or has some rain protection from the Morvan hills to the west
• Mâconnais is slightly warmer and drier
• Pinot Noir may struggle to ripen in some years so marked vintage variation
• spring frost risk
• sporadic hail

Question 17

How are hazards managed between Côtes D’Or and Mâconnais?

Answer 17

limited use of hail nets, some cloud seeding to stop hail

Question 18

What is the typical topography of Côtes D’Or?

Answer 18

Côtes D’Or topography:

• hills between 200-400m
• main valley runs north-south, with east facing vineyards, but side valleys east-west with south facing.. Therefore range of aspects
• best sites are mid-slope to get drainage, good sun, avoid frost on valley floor and avoid cooler altitude
• highest slopes may have Aligoté for Cremant

Question 19

What are the best sites in Côtes Chalonnaise and Mâconnais?

Answer 19

Côtes Chalonnaise: Bouzeron and Rully have good south/ south-east facing slopes
Mâconnais: Pouilly Fuisse

Question 20

What are the typical soil types between Côtes D’Or and Mâconnais?

Answer 20

Côtes de Nuits: limestone, with Pinot Noir
Côtes de Beaune: Clay with Chardonnay

Côtes Chalonnaise/ Mâconnais - mix of limestone and clay. Thin soil higher up due to erosion, too fertile lower down leading to vigour