Burgundy - AOP System

Question 1

How many AOPS are in Burgundy?

Answer 1

Almost 100

Question 2

What is the four-tier hierarchy of AOPs in Burgundy?

Answer 2

Regionale
Village
Premier (1er)
Grand Cru

Question 3

What percentage of wines are produced under Regionale?

Answer 3

50%

Question 4

What percentage of wines are produced under Grand Cru?

Answer 4

2%

Question 5

What is the baseline regional AOP in Burgundy?

Answer 5

Bourgogne AOP

Question 6

What styles of wines and varieties may be produced under Bourgogne AOP?

Answer 6

Red, White and Rose, commonly with Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, but may include Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc and Cesar may be included.

Question 7

When was Gamay disqualified for general Bourgogne AOP?

Answer 7

2011

Question 8

Why was Gamay disqualified for general Bourgogne AOP Rouge and Rose wines?

Answer 8

To avoid consumer confusion

Question 9

As an alternative, what AOP was created to include Gamay in it’s red blends?

Answer 9

Coteaux Bourguignons AOP, formerly Bourgogne Grand Ordinaire AOP

Question 10

What other wine styles are authorized for Coteaux Bourguignons AOP?

Answer 10

blended white and rose wines

Question 11

What may be appended on the label of Bourgogne AOP wines?

Answer 11

Villages, vineyards, geographic regions
EX: Bourgogne Cote Challonaise

Question 12

What are the four lieux-dits approved in the 1990’s as Geographic designations for Bourgogne AOP?

Answer 12

La Chapelle Notre Dame, Le Chapitre, Cote St-Jacques and Montrecul

Question 13

What regionale AOP’s may be produced in the Cote d’Or?

Answer 13

Bourgogne Hautes-Cotes de Nuits
Bourgogne Hautes-Cotes de Beaune
Cote de Beaune-Village AOP
Cote de Nuites-Villages AOP

Question 14

What villages are excluded from the production of Cote de Beaune-Village AOP?

Answer 14

Pommard, Volnay, Aloxe-Corton and Beaune

Question 15

What villages are permitted from the production of Cote de Nuits-Village AOP?

Answer 15

Fixin, Brochon, Prissey, Corgoloin and Camblanchien

Question 16

Where can Bourgogne Aligote AOP be produced?

Answer 16

Anywhere in the Cote d’Or, Cote Chalonnaise or Macconaise.

Question 17

What is the minimum amount of Aligote required for Bourgogne Aligote AOP?

Answer 17

100%

Question 18

What is the minimum requirements for Bourgogne Passe-Tout-Grains AOP in the Cote d’Or and Southern Burgundy?

Answer 18

Pinot Noir and Gamay account for 30% and 15%, respectively, and must be co-fermented

Question 19

What are the similarities and differences between Cremant do bourgogne and Bourgogne Mousseux AOPs?

Answer 19

Both produce traditional method sparkling wines, but Mousseux AOP is reserved for sparkling reds while Cremant produces white and rose sparkling wines.

Question 20

Where is much of the production for Cremant de Bourgogne centered around?

Answer 20

The village of Rully in the Cote Chalonnaise, where sparkling wines were born in the early 19th century.

Question 21

Where are the village vineyards located in the Cote d’Or?

Answer 21

Eastern side, where the angle of the slope is slight, or along the far western fringe, adjacent to forest-capped ridgelines - where both elevation and slope are far more significant.

Question 22

How are Premier Cru vineyards held to different standards than Village vineyards?

Answer 22

Premier Cru vineyards are held to tigher restrictions on yield, must weight, and minimum potential alcohol.

Question 23

Can smaller premier cru vineyards be blended and labeled as a single vineyard?

Answer 23

Yes, this is common in Chablis and Chassagne-Montrachet, where vineyards are grouped together into larger ones and the producer has the option to choose which vineyard is named on the label.

Question 24

What are the restrictions for Grand Cru AOP Wines?

Answer 24

Lowest maximum yield and minimum must weight, and monopole grand cru AOP law mandates hand harvesting

Question 25

How many Grand Cru vineyards are in the Cote d’Or?

Answer 25

32

Question 26

What are the largest and smallest Grand Cru Vineyards?

Answer 26

La Romanee at .85 hectares, and Corton at 160 hectares

Question 27

How must Grand Cru wines be bottled that is different from Premier Cru wines?

Answer 27

100% from the single, stated vineyard compared to Premier Cru wines that may be blended from multiple sites within a village