D3 France: Burgundy Flashcards
When did Burgundies grape growing history begin?
Roman times.
When did vineyards begin to be divided into individually named plots known as climats.
period of the great monasteries in 100 CE onwards.
What is the name of the river in the Chablis wine region?
Serein
Why did Chablis experience of boom in the early 19th century?
Because of its relative proximity to Paris.
Why did the plantings in Chablis shrink in the middle of 19th century?
- Phylloxera
- Powdery mildew
- Building of the Paris-Lyon-Marseille railway. Chablis couldn’t compete with cheaper wines from south of France.
What led to the further shrinking of the vineyards in Chablis in the 20th century?
- Rural the population after World War I.
- The devastating frost of 1945.
What is the climate in Chablis?
Continental. Cold winters and warm summers.
What is the average rainfall in Chablis? When does the rain fall?
- 670 mm.
- Spread throughout the year. Making it a moist climate and leading to a high threat of fungal diseases and difficulties in period leading to harvest (rot).
What are the main great growing hazards in Chablis?
Frost in spring and hail storms during the growing season. Both have had a severe impact on the regions yields in recent vintages.
What are the soil’s in Chablis?
Lime stone and clay. Some have a considerable amount of fossilized seashells and are known as Kimmeridgian.
What are the options for managing the risk of spring frosts? What are their
disadvantages?
- Smudge pots. Smoky, causes air pollution, requires staff in the Vineyard.
- Sprinklers or aspiration. This is now the most popular option, though the installation and maintenance costs mean that it is only a realistic option for vineyards with a good return on investment (1er or GC) or for well-funded companies.
- Pruning choices. Later pruning promotes later bud burst, reducing the chance of damage to the new buds from early spring Frost.
Which roots stocks widely used in Chablis? Why?
-41B (vinifiera x berlandieri)
It is highly tolerant of limestone soils with a high pH.
-420A (riparia x berlandieri)
Low vigor and tolerance to high pH soils.
What is the most common vine training system? Why?
Double Guyot replacement cane.
If one cane fails, the other may survive frost.
Are most of the vineyards in Chablis hand-picked or a machine picked?
Machine picked. Although the Grand Cru vineyards are mostly too steep for machines and are generally picked by hand.
What is the location and soil type of Petit Chablis?
Typically higher, cooler vineyards, predominantly with Portlandiand soils (hard lime stone with less clay). Predominantly on flatland or on gentle slopes. The aspects vary with many north facing sites. This leads to light bodied ones with light intensity.
What is the location and soil type of Chablis vineyards?
Large area of Kimmeridgean soil and mixed aspects. Predominantly on flatland or on gentle slopes. The aspects vary with many north facing sites.
What is the location and soil type of Chablis Premier Cru vineyards?
40 named vineyards have premier cru status and are predominately on south and south east facing slopes of Kimmeridgian soil.
How can Chablis premier cru be labeled?
Some larger vineyards have specified named plots within them, also called lieux-dits. Wines made from these can be labeled under their specific site, like Chablis premier cru Troêsmes or under the larger climat they fall within like Chablis premier cru Beauroy.
Explain the difference between a climat and a lieu-fit.
A climat is a named vineyard fixed in AOC legislation. A lieu-dit is a named piece of land in the centralized land register.
What is the location and soil type of Grand Cru Chablis?
There is one single Grand Cru with seven named vineyards known as climats. It is immediately next to the village itself, faces south west, on the right bank of the river Serein. It is on Kimmeridgian soil.
Explain why Chablis Grand Cru is of better quality than Premier Cru or Chablis.
- The south facing slopes promote ripening and the wines have a greater weight and concentration.
- The mixture of crumbly marl with good drainage and high clay content for water retention contributes to higher quality.
- Sheltered from winds coming from the north due to a belt of trees between it and the adjacent PC vineyards.
All of this = wines with greater concentration, body and capacity to age.
What is the percentage of total wine production in Chablis represented by Chablis Grand Cru?
1%
What are the advantages of planting on the mid slope?
The slope means that vineyards are better drained and better protected from frost.
Is chaptalisation used in Chablis?
It is used regularly in all but the warmest years.
Malolactic conversion in Chablis?
Yes. Common. To soften the acidity.
Typical wine making steps in Chablis?
- Fermentation typically in stainless steel.
- Storage in stainless steel or concrete for a few months for most wines.
- Malolactic conversion common.
- Some months on the lees to enhance texture.
- Some oak might be used for fermentation an aging in some GC wines and sometimes premier Cru wines. Depends on the winemaker. Old oak for Dauvissat and Raveneau. Some new oak for William Fevre. Some use only stainless and concrete for GC, like Jean-Marc Brocard.
What are the maximum yields in Petit Chablis, Chablis, Chablis PC. Chablis GC?
Petit Chablis 60 hL/ha
Chablis 60 hL/ha
Chablis PC 58 hL/ha
Chablis GC 54 hL/ha
Negociants vs Domaine in Chablis?
Traditional distinction is breaking down as some Negociants have bought land and some domaines supplémentaires their production with additional Negociants business.
Who vinifiés 1/3 of all wines in Chablis?
Co-operative La Chablisienne. At all levels of the appellation hierarchy.
Why are Chardonnay and Pinot Noir suitable varieties in Burgundy?
Moderate continental climate, relatively short summers.
Those varieties are early ripening.
What is the average annual rainfall in the Côte d’Or?
700mm
Protection from rainfall in the west by the Morvan Hills.
What factors influence the quality of individual sites in Burgundy?
- aspect
- altitude
- degree of slope
- soils
What is the result of a cool vintage for Pinot Noir?
A wine with underripe tannins
What are the main hazards in burgundy? How do they affect grape growing?
- Spring frosts (substantially reduce yields if after bud burst)
- Hail (damage to early growth leads to reduced yields. Later in the season will lead to fruit damage, which leads to grey rot if damaged fruit isn’t removed).
- rain at the wrong time (early in growing cycle can affect flowering and fruit set, lowering yields, leading to uneven ripening. Extended periods during growing season can lead to fungal disease. Just before harvest can lead to dilution.)
- drought stress (hot dry summers in recent vintages have caused berries to shrivel and sometimes caused vines to shut down, halting ripening)
What is exacerbating the issue of frost?
Recent warmer than usual winters encourage earlier growth, making the vines more vulnerable to frost.
Why are Chardonnay and Pinot noir at risk of damage from spring frost?
They are early budding.
What are solutions bring used to alleviate issues caused by hail?
- netting
- seeding thunderclouds with silver iodide to induce precipitation away from the vineyards
- use of sorting tables to remove damaged fruit
Which 2 villages have been particularly affected by hail in recent years which 2 vintages in particular?
Volnay and Pommard
2012, 2015
Why are hit, dry dummer a particular concern in Burgundy?
Irrigation not allowed.
Describe the slopes and elevation in the Côte d’Or.
200-400m.
Range of hills running north-south with side valleys running east-west. So the main ridge is basically east facing, but huge range of aspects across the vineyards. Many are south-east or south facing.
Explain why the best vineyards are usually on the mid-slope.
- They benefit from well draining shallow soils
- Good sunlight interception
- Comparative frost protection
- Better ripening potential due to the essential position
Why are vineyards at the very top of the slope not as good?
They can have very poor, thin soil and are exposed to cooling winds.
Why are vineyards at the bottom of the slope not as good?
They have deeper soils and are vulnerable to frost.