Burgundy: Cote d'Or, Cote Chalonnaise, Maconnais Flashcards
Climate in Cote d’Or, Cote Chalonnaise and Maconnais
Moderate continental
Cold winters, warm summers
Short summers in Cote d’Or useful why?
Suitable for early-ripening Chardonnay and Pinot Noir
What protects Cote d’Or from rainfall?
Morvan hills (to the west)
Maconnais climate vs Cote d’Or?
Typically slightly drier and warmer
What does a cool vintage mean for Pinot Noir?
Under-ripe tannins in the finished wines
So promoting ripeness of skins and seeds is a priority
What accounts for variations in yield and quality in Burgundy?
Northerly location so vineyard site and weather of given vintage
Variable weather = marked vintage variation
Recent warmer vintages increase threat of what in Burgundy?
Damage from spring frost
Warmer weather = earlier budbreak = threat if frost then hits
When is hail an issue in Burgundy?
Throughout season
April-May: damage to early growth reduces yields/loses all crop
Later: fruit damage, particularly to exposed grapes (risk of grey rot)
Hail netting allowed in Burgundy?
Historically no
Since 2018: limited anti-hail netting allowed
Preventative action for hail?
Silver iodide cannons
Induce precipitation some distance from vyds
Examples of villages badly affected by hail in Burg: when and where?
2012-2015
Volnay and Pommard
localised hail
Cote d’Or hills run what direction, at what altitudes?
Oriented north-south
Elevations 200-400m
Main ridge of Cote d’Or faces which direction?
East
But there are a range of aspects including southeast and south
Why is mid-slope best on Cote d’Or?
Well-draining shallowe soils
Good sunlight interception
Comparative frost protection
better ripening potential
Disadvantage of vineyards at top of slope Cote d’Or?
Very poor thin soil
Exposed to cooling winds
Disadvantage of vineyards at bottom of slope Cote d’Or
Deeper soils
Vulnerable to frost
Coolest sites on Cote d’Or used for what?
Aligoté
Cremant de Bourgogne
Are aspects more or less varied in Cote Chalonnaise and Maconanis than Cote d’Or?
More varied in CC and Maconnais
Less varied in Cote d’Or
Best sites of Pouilly-Fuissé face which direction?
Slopes faceing south
Best sites in Cote Chalonnaise?
Southeast facing slopes
Bouzeron
Rully
Soils in Cote d’Or, CC and Maconnais generally?
Mix of various limestones and clay, varying proportion
Dominant soil in Cote de Nuits
Limestone (Pinot Noir good)
Dominant soil in Cote de Beaune
More clay
Deeper soils
Chardonnay
Dominant soil(s) in Cote Chalonnaise and Maconnais
Mixed
Limestone and clay
Erosion in Burgundy
Depth of soil above bedrock varies significant due to movement of soils down slopes by erosion
Different plots of Clos de Vougeot (gentle slope) varied: thinner soils at higher elevations, deeper ones at bottom
Clos Vougeot: why is soil at bottom of slope more fertile?
Erosion means soil deeper here, with more clay
Greater fertility = more vigour = increased danger of shading
Grapes less ripe in these areas
Which Cote Chalonnaise village known for Aligote?
Bouzeron
Chardonnay buds early or late?
Early
Spring forst
Chardonnay ripes early or late
Early
Suitable for cool eg Burgundy
Can Chardonnay take high yields?
Yes without losing quality
Chardonnay prone to what diseases?
Grey rot
Powdery
Milelrandage
Grapevine yellows
Best Burgundy soils for Chardonnay?
Limestone and clay
Chardonnay in Chablis style (cool climate)
Apple, pear, lemon and lime, wet stone
Light to medium bod, high acidity
Chardonnay in Cote d’Or style (moderate climate)
Ripe citrus, melon, stone fruit
Medium to medium (+) body
Medium (+) to high acid
In good growing seasons, what is the biggest challenge for growing quality Chardonnay in Burgundy?
Vigour management = avoid excess yield and shading, which would reduce quality
Pinot Noir buds early or late
Early
Spring forst
Pinot Noir ripens early or late
Early
Good for cool climate
Can Pinot Noir take high yields?
No, yields need to be limited to make quality wines
Pinot Noir is prone to what diseases etc?
Millerandage Downy Powdery Botrytis bunch rot Fan leaf Leaf roll
What happens to Pinot Noir in warm climates?
Ripens too fast (reduce intensity of aroma)
Berries shrivel, sunburn
Main concern when growing Pinot Noir in Burg?
Whether fruit will ripen sufficiently for ripeness of tannin, colour and flavour
Pinot Noir clones in Burg from where?
University of Burgundy in Dijon
Different Pinot clones in Burg do what?
Yield, disease tolerance, speed of ripening, fruit character
Burg Pinot Noir style
Strawberry, raspberry, red cherry
Village wines and above have light oak smoke, clove
Low to medium tannins (GC have medium + tannins)
Medium alc
High acidity
Witha get: earth, game and mushroom
Poussard-Guyot
Soft method of cane pruning
Maintains the same sap route from one year to next
Pruning wounds only on upper part of cordon
Reduce pruning wounds, cut down Esca and other trunk diseases
Training systems in Burgundy
Cordon eg Cordon de Royat (limits vigour, yields; lots of old wood can = disease)
Guyot (traditionally, popular again now)
Poussard-Guyot (soft pruning, same sap route, good for esca etc)
Vine density in Burg
typically 8,000-10,000 v/ha
Some higher
Why is denser planting good in Burgundy?
Encourage root competition
Better quality fruit, smaller berries with higher flavour intensity
When does de-budding take place? What can it do?
Before flowering
Manage and reduce yields
When does green harvest take place? What can it do?
Late in the season
Manage and reduce yields
Advantages and disadvantages of de-budding?
(+) promote good balance in the vine
(-) reduce yield potential early in season, a big risk if hail, frost of fungal comes
Adv and disadvg of green harvest?
(+) assess the size, shape and position of bunches before deciding to sacrifice any
take into account unpredictable weather events
(-) can lead to changes in vine development, compensation via excessive growth
dilution in grapes
Yields in Burgundy, generally
Moderate for regional appellations
Reduce steadily as you go up the pyramid
Regional AOCs in Burg: yields
red: 69hl/ha
white: 75hl/ha
Village AOCs in Burg: yields
red: 40-45hl/ha
white: 45-47hl/ha
Grand Cru AOCs in Burg: yields
red: 35hl/ha
white: 40hl/ha
(seems that it varies a bit)