Burgundy (R) Flashcards
What characterizes Burgundy’s historical background?
Complex land ownership
What are the historical beginnings of Burgundy?
- Middle Ages: Land owned by Catholic Church’s Benedictine and then Cistercian Monasteries - Cistercian Monks from the abbey of Citeaux painstakingly studied the vineyards - Identified tiny parcels that yielded superior results - Named and classified wines by their terroir
What caused Burgundy’s complex land ownership?
- French Revolution - Vineyards taken away from church and aristocracy - Larger pieces broken up and sold - 1804 - Napoleon’s “Code of Inheritance” - Required equal division of estates among heirs - Example: Clos Vougeot 125 acres once managed by Cistercian monks, now 80 different plots and owers
Where is Burgundy located?
Eastern / Central France near the border with Switzerland
Five sub-regions of Burgundy?
- Chablis 2. Cote d’Or - Cote de Nuits - Cote de Beaune 3. Cote Chalonnaise 4. Maconnais 5. Beaujolais
Burgundy’s climate?
Continental
Burgundy’s topography/aspect?
- Rolling Hills - Cote d’Or slope (best vineyards are on hillsides facing east/southeast)
What soils characterize Burgundy?
- Chalk 2. Calcareous Clay 3. Marl 4. Limestone 5. Granite (in Beaujolais)
What grape varieties are grown in Burgundy?
- Chardonnay - Aligote - Pinot Noir - Gamay
How many Grand Cru AOP’s are in Burgundy?
33
Define Domaine.
Growers/producers that own the vineyards they are producing wine from.
__________ are wine merchants who buy grapes and/or finished wines for blending and bottling under their own labels.
Negociants
What does the word Clos mean?
Plot of vineyard land traditionally surrounded with dry-stone walls. (Clos Vougeot)
What is a Monopole?
Parcel of land with single ownership
What characterizes a village wine and its labeling?
- Often village name appended by most famous vineyard name (Gevrey-Chambertin) - 100% of the grapes are grown in and around the named village
What characterizes a 1er Cru wine and its labeling?
- Village, name of specific vineyard, and “Premier Cru” or “1er Cru” all on label - 100% of grapes come from specific named vineyard
What characterizes a Grand Cru wine and its labeling?
- No village name on the label, only the name of the vineyard (ie. Chambertin) - 100% of the grapes come from one of the very best vineyards in Burgundy
Where is Chablis located?
- 80 miles north of the Cote d’Or (its actually closer to Champagne than the rest of Burgundy)
Climate in Chablis?
Cool Continental
Soil in Chablis?
Kimmeridgian clay / Limestone
Grape varieties in Chablis?
100% Chardonnay
What characterizes viticultural practices in Chablis?
Picking time is critical because of late season frosts
What characterizes vinification practices in Chablis?
- No oak used with lower-tier wines - But frequent in upper-tier wines - Malolactic Fermentation is common
What is the appellation hierarchy in Chablis?
- Chablis AOP 2. Petit Chablis AOP 3. Chablis Premier Cru AOP (40) 4. Chablis Grand Cru AOP (1/33)
How many vineyards are designated as Premier Cru in Chablis?
40
How many Grand Cru AOP’s are in Chablis?
1 (with seven vineyard designations or seven “climats”)
Name the seven vineyard designations of Chablis Grand Cru.
- Grenouilles 2. Bougros 3. Les Preuses 4. Vaudesir 5. Valmur 6. Les Clos 7. Blanchot
Where does the Cote d’Or start and end?
30 miles escarpment that starts at Dijon and ends at the village of Santenay.
What are the two subregions of Cote d’Or?
- Cote de Nuits 2. Cote de Beaune
Cote de Nuits - Location?
Northern section of the Cote d’or
Cote de Nuits - Topography/Aspect?
- Hillsides and ridges - Top vineyard sites are often in the middle section of the hillside
Cote de Nuits - Climate?
Continental
Cote de Nuits - Grape varieties?
Pinot Noir
Cote de Nuits - Soil?
- Marl - Limestone
What does the French word “Cote” mean?
Hillside or slope
What is the primary aspect of terroir in Burgundy?
- Hillsides and slopes - Soil compositions and microclimates can vary dramatically
Cote de Nuits - primary viticultural considerations?
- Frost - Summer hail - Excessive fall rain
Cote de Nuits - primary vinification considerations?
- French oak (often new) - Some ferment whole cluster, others destem
What other name does Cote d’Or often go by?
“Golden Slope”
Where does the name Cote d’Or come from?
Cote d’Orient literally meaning “eastern slope”
Primary soil - Cote d’Or?
Limestone
What characterizes a Bourgogne AOP (Cote de Nuits)?
- A regional appellation - Pinot Noir or Chardonnay from anywhere in the entire Burgundy region
How many communes are in the Cote de Nuits-Villages AOP?
5
How many villages have Village AOP designation in Cote de Nuits?
9
Name the Village AOP’s in Cote de Nuits.
- Marsannay 2. Fixin 3. Gevrey-Chambertin 4. Morey-St. Denis 5. Chambolle-Musigny 6. Vougeot 7. Vosne-Romanee 8. Flagey Echezeaux 9. Nuits-Saint-Georges
How many Village AOP’s contain Gran Cru AOP’s in Cote de Nuits?
6
Which Village AOP’s Grand Cru AOP’s in Cote de Nuits?
- Gevrey-Chambertin 2. Morey-St. Denis 3. Chambolle-Musigny 4. Vougeot 5. Vosne-Romanee 6. Nuits-Saint-Georges
How many Grand Cru AOP’s are in Cote de Nuits?
24
What is the appellation hierarchy in Cote de Nuits?
- Regional Appellation - Bourgogne AOP 2. Cote de Nuits-Villages AOP (5 communes) 3. Village AOP (9 villages) 4. Premier Cru AOP (130+ vineyards) 5. Grand Cru AOP (24/33 vineyars in Burgundy)
What characterizes a Cote de Nuits-Villages AOP (Cote de Nuits)?
- General appellation for wines from five small communes in Cote de Nuits - Red wine (Pinot Noir) ONLY
What characterizes a Village AOP (Cote de Nuits)?
- 100% of the grapes are grown in and around the named village (9 villages)
What characterizes a Premier Cru AOP (Cote de Nuits)?
- 100% of the grapes are grown in a specific, individually named vineyard (more than 130 of these) - If no vineyard is on label, can be blend from any premier cru vineyards in that village
What characterizes a Grand Cru AOP (Cote de Nuits)?
- 100% of the grapes are grown in the named grand cru vineyard sites
Give five examples of Grand Cru AOP’s in Cote de Nuits.
- Le Chambertin (Gevrey-Chambertin) 2. Bonnes-Mares (part in Morey-St. Denis; part in Chambolle-Musigny) 3. Musigny (Chambolle-Musigny) 4. La Tache (Vosne-Romanee) 5. La Romanee (Vosne-Romanee)
Top recent vintages in Cote de Nuits?
2005 2009 2010 2014 2015
Cote de Beaune - Location?
Southern section of Cote d’Or
Cote de Beaune - Topography/Aspect?
- Hillsides and ridges - Top vineyard sites are often in the middle section of the hillside
Cote de Beaune - Climate?
- Continental - Wide range of micro-climates village to village; vineyard to vineyard
Cote de Beaune - Soil?
- Marl - Limestone
Cote de Beaune - Grape Varieties?
- Chardonnay - Pinot Noir
Cote de Beaune - primary vinification considersations?
Oak, often new, is used for both reds and whites
True or False: Oak, often new, is used for both reds and whites in Cote de Beaune.
True
What is the appellation hierarchy in Cote de Beaune?
- Bourgogne AOP - Village AOP - Premier Cru AOP (hundreds) - Grand Cru AOP (8/33)
What are some of the best know Village AOP’s in Cote de Beaune?
- Aloxe-Corton - Beaune - Pommard - Volnay - Meursault - Puligny-Montrachet - Chassagne-Montrachet
List five examples of Grand Cru AOP’s in Cote de Beaune.
- Le Corton 2. Corton-Charlemagne 3. Le Montrachet 4. Batard-Montrachet 5. Chevalier-Montrachet
Top recent vintages in Cote de Beaune?
2005 2009 2010 2014 2015
Where is Cote Chalonnaise located?
Directly south of the Cote d’Or
What is important about the geography of of Cote Chalonnaise?
No hillside escarpments to protect the vineyard from eastern winds
Cote Chalonnaise - climate?
Continental
Cote Chalonnaise - soil?
Limestone
Cote Chalonnaise - grape varieties?
- Chardonnay 2. Aligote (in small volume) 3. Pinot Noir
Cote Chalonnaise - primary vinification considerations?
Little to no new oak used (whites and reds)
How many Grand Crus are in Cote Chalonnaise?
0
There are ___________ grand crus but ____________ premier crus in Cote Chalonnaise.
no, many
Name the five village AOP’s in Cote Chalonnaise.
- Bouzeron AOP 2. Rully AOP 3. Mercurey AOP 4. Givry AOP 5. Montagny AOP
Grape varieties in Bouzeron?
- 100% Aligote
Grape varieties in Rully?
- Chardonnay 2. Pinot Noir 3. Cremant de Bourgogne
Grape varieties in Mercurey?
- Chardonnay 2. Pinot Noir
Grape varieties in Givry?
- Chardonnay 2. Pinot Noir
Grape varieties in Montagny?
- Chardonnay
Wines from Cote Chalonnaise are generally __________ than wines from the Cote d’Or and offer __________.
Less expensive, great value
Maconnais - climate?
Continental (but slightly warmer and drier than the more northern Burgundy regions)
Maconnais - topography?
Large area; low-lying hills and flat farmland
Maconnais - grape varieties?
MAINLY Chardonnay (some Pinot Noir and Gamay)
Maconnais - primary vinification considerations?
Mainly white wine production; little to no use of oak (except for Pouilly-Fuisse)
What is the appellation hierarchy in Maconnais?
- Macon AOP 2. Saint-Veran AOP 3. Pouilly-Fuisse AOP
How many Grand Crus are in Maconnais?
0
How many Premier Crus are in Maconnais?
0
Macon AOP - grape varieties grown?
Mainly white wines - Chardonnay
Saint-Veran AOP - grape varieties grown?
White wine only - Chardonnay
Saint-Veran AOP - use of oak?
Yes, some use of new oak
Pouilly-Fuisse AOP - use of new oak?
Yes, some use of new oak
Pouilly-Fuisse AOP - grape varieties?
White wine only - Chardonnay
Wines from Pouilly-Fuisse are generally __________ than other wines from the region.
More expensive
Where is Beaujolais located?
South of, and slightly overlapping, the Maconnais
How long is Beaujolais from North to South?
35 miles
Beaujolais - climate?
Semi-continental; warmer than the rest of Burgundy
Beaujolais - soils?
- Schist and granite (northern Beaujolais Cru villages) - Sandstone and clay in the south
Beaujolais - grape varieties?
- Chardonnay (in small volume) - Gamay
Beaujolais - viticultural characteristics?
- Hillside vineyards with low yields in northen Beaujolais Crus - Flatter plains in the south
Beaujolais - vinification characteristics?
- Carbonic maceration - Stainless steel - Used or older French oak barrels
Beaujolais - appellation hierarchy?
- Beaujolais AOP 2. Beaujolais Nouveau 3. Beaujolais-Villages AOP 4. Beaujolais Crus
Define the Beaujolais AOP.
Made from grapes anywhere in the region. (small proportion is white)
Define the Beaujolais Nouveau.
- Easy drinking - Released 3rd Thursday after harvest - Should be drunk soon afterwards
Define the Beaujolais-Villages AOP.
- 38 designated villages - No individual village names on label; simply designated as villages
Define the Beaujolais Crus.
- Only red wines made from Gamay - Ten named villages, each with own AOP - Region’s best wines; from hillside vineyards with granite in the soil - Morgon AOP is a good example
Name the ten Beaujolais Crus.
- Saint-Amour 2. Julienas 3. Chenas 4. Moulin-a-Vent 5. Fleurie 6. Chiroubles 7. Morgon 8. Regnie 9. Cote de Brouilly 10. Brouilly
