D3: Wines Of The World: Burgundy

Question 1

Grape growing history dates from 1000 CE Onwards. In which vineyards began to be divided into individually named plots knonw as: …

Answer 1

Climats

Question 2

Dijon is in the north. All the vineyards occupy a relatively narrow strip of land running approximately in a north south direction. between Dijon and Macon

Answer 2

Oki

Question 3

Just under Dijon:

Answer 3

Côte de Nuits:

Just under Dijon to just the south of Nuits Saint Georges

Côte De Beaune:

South from Nuits Saint Georges:
Ladoix, Pernand Vergelesse, Aloxe Corton

To Santenay

Question 4

The region is dominated by Chardonnay and Pinot Noir:

Answer 4

The wines are produced at a range of quality levels, but are mainly good to outstanding and sell for a range of prices from mid-priced to super-premium

Limited supply and surging (stijgend) worldwide demand, mean that average prices are high.

Question 5

Yonne (includes Chablis) = 80% Chardonnay

Côte d’Or = 60% Pinot Noir

Answer 5

oki

Question 6

Chablis is the name of a town and wine appellation that lies in the valley of the river: Serein

Character of Chablis wines:

Answer 6

1) all the wines are dry

2) Most are medium bodied

3) Medium alc

4) Zesty high acidity

5) Green apple and lemon fruit flavours

6)General trend is no or minimal oak flavour:

—-> though ageing and fermentation in oak can be used by some producers for premiers and grand crus

There is a range of quality from good to outstanding wines that can be cellared and aged

The price range from mid-price to premium, with a few super- premium examples (generally they do not reach the heights of the most expensive wines from the côte d’Or

Question 7

Chablis has experienced major swings in its popularity:

Answer 7

In the early nineteenth century it enjoyed a boom due its relative proximity to Paris

The département of the Yonne as a whole had 40.000 ha in this period

Plantings in Chablis Shrank under the challenges of:

• *1) Phylloxera**
• *2) powdery Mildew
  3) The building of the Paris Lyon Marseille Railway in the middle of the nineteenth century**

After the coming of the railway, Chablis could not compete with cheaper wines from the south of france

4) Rural depopulation after WO1 and the devestating frost of 1945 reduced Chablis to a low point of just 500he

– in the more recent decades, demand has led to the land under vine growing back to 5,500 ha

Question 8

Climate of Chablis:

Answer 8

Continental with cold winters and warm summers

1) Because of the cool northern location there is uncertainty about ripening and considerable vintage variation

2) The early ripening characteristics of chardonnay is an advantage

3) Annual rainfall is 670mm4
* *Spread throughout the year, making for a moist climate
- – High threath of fungal diseases and difficulties in the period leading to harvest (thrat of rot)**

4) Vulnarable to spring frost and hail storms during growing season

–Both of which have had a severe impact on the regions yield in the last vintages

Question 9

The appellation Chablis has limestone and clay soils

Answer 9

Some of which has a considerable amount of fossilized seashells and is known as

Kimmeridgian soils

Question 10

The cool, northerly location means vineyards are susceptible to spring frosts options for managing this risk are:

Answer 10

1) Smudge Pots: smoky, causes air pollution, requires staff in the vineyard

2) Sprinklers (aspersion): most popular option, though the installation and maintanance costs, mean that it is only a realistic option for vineyards with a good return on investment (premier or grand crus) of for well funded companies

3) Pruning Choices: later pruning, promotes later budburst, reducing the chance of damage to the new buds from early spring frost

Question 11

Vineyard Management:

Answer 11

1) 41B (Vinifera x Berlandieri) rootstock is widely used in Chablis
Highly tolerad of limestone soils with a high PH

2) 420 A (Riparia x Berlandieri) is popular for its lowvigour and tolerance to high PH soils

3) The Double Guyot replacement cane training system is typical
if one cane fale, the other may survive the frost
Taile Chablis (a multi-armed cordon system) is typical of champagne, not Chablis

4) Chablis can be badly hit by hail as in other parts of Burgundy

5) Yields are higher than in the Côte d’Or, Though recent years have seen severly reduced yields, due to frost and hail damage

6) Unlike the côte d’or, much in Chablis is machine picked, although the grand cru vineyards are mostly too steep for mechanisation and are generally picked by hand

Question 12

Petit Chablis Soil Types:

Answer 12

These are typically higher, cooler vineyards, predominantly with Portlandian soils (hard limestone with less clay)

Question 13

Chablis aop soil:

Answer 13

This is a large area of Kimmeridgian soil and mixed aspects

The vineyards of both Petit Chablis and Chablis are predominantly on flat land or on gentle slopes

The aspects vary with many north-facing sites

—> this leads to light bodied wines, notable for their high acidity, with light(Petit Chablis) to medium (Chablis) intensity and green apple and lemon fruit

Question 14

Chablis1er Cru appellation vineyards

Answer 14

1) 40 named vineyards have 1er cru

2) predominantly on south-and south-east-facing slopes of kimmeridgian soil

3) some larger premier cru vineyards have specified named plots (liex-dits) within them
e.g.: Chablis 1er Cru Troêsmes (site)
Chablis 1er cru Beauroy

Question 15

What’s the difference between climat & lieux dits?

Answer 15

1) Climat: a named vineyard fixed in AOC legislation
2) A Lieu Dit is a named piece of land in the centralised land register

Question 16

Chablis Grand Cru: There is a Single grand Cru with seven named vineyards (climats)

Answer 16

Its immediatly next to th evillage itself, faces southwest on the right bank of the river Serein and its on Kimmeridgian soil

1) The south facing slopes promote ripening and wines have a greater weight and concentration than either 1er or village level Chablis

2) The mixture of crumbly marl (mergel) with good drainage and high clay content for water retention (behoud) contributes to higher quality

3) Chablis Grand Cru represents just 1 per cent of the regions total production

Question 17

As noted the vineyards of both Chablis 1er cru and grand Cru are predominantly on south facing slopes and often sited mid slope.

Answer 17

The slope means that vineyardsa are better drained and protected from frost

The southernly aspect means better light interception and therefore riper fruit

The Grand Cru also benefit from shelter for winds coming from the north due to a belt of trees between it and the adjacent (aangrenzend) Petit Chablis Vineyards

As a result, the wines have greater concentration, body and capacity to age

Question 18

Winemaking options Chablis:

Answer 18

1) the option for chaptalisation up to legal limit is used regularly in all but the warmest years
2) Fermentation is typically in stainless steel vessels with storage in stainless steel or concrete for a few months for most wines

3) malolactic conversion is common to soften the acidity and the wines may also spend some months on the lees to enhance texture

4) oak aromas, flavours and textures are not typically desirable nor commonly found in most generic Chablis, which is celebrated for its crisp, bright citrus and green apple fruit flavours and high acidity

5) 1er and grand cru may be fermented and aged in barrels
Use of old oak (Dauvissat or Raveneau
New oak (William Fèvre)
Stainless steel (Jean-Marc Brocard

– this issue is controversial as some think that chablis should not smell or taste of oak, unlike many chardonnays from around the world

Question 19

Wine law and regulations Chablis:

Answer 19

1) only Chardonnay is allowed within the appellation

2) Max yields:
* 60hl/ha for Petit Chablis and Chablis
* 58hl/ha for 1er Cru
*54hl/Ha for Chablis Grand Cru

Question 20

Wine Business Chablis:

Answer 20

1) The traditional distinction between négociants (merchants) and domaines (estates) is breaking down as négociants have bought land and some domaines suppement their own production with additional négociant business

2) One Thrid of all wine is vinified by the co-operative La Chablisienne (opperates at all level of app

3) As elsewhere, more growers are making and marketing their own wines

3) Both the name of the domaine and the level of app can be very important drivers of price

Petit Chablis and Chablis mid priced, sometimes premium
1er cru and grand cru: usually premium or super premium in price

Wines from highly regarded producers as François Raveneau and Vinent Dauvissat sell at extremely high prices

In general prices for Chablis are lower than corresponding wines in the quality hierarchy in the côte d’or

4) 2/3 of chablis volume is exported, with UK being by far the biggest destination, followed by USA, Japan, Sweden and Canada

Question 21

There are several associations of wine producers in Chablis:

Answer 21

1) William Fèvre founded Le Syndicat de Défense de l’Appellation de Chablis in 1993: with the aims to combating the fraud and addressing environmental issues

2) L’Union des Grand cru de chablis is a voluntary association to promote the quality of Chablis Grand Cru and therefore limited to those who own grand cru sites

it has a quality charter:
* members must practice sustainable viticulture and harvest by hand

Question 22

The growing environment and grape growing of Côte d’Or, Chalonnaise and Mâconnais:

The Climate:

Answer 22

Here it is Moderate continental, Dijon at the Northern end of the Côte d’Or, 500km from the mediterranean, with cold winters and warm summers

The relatively short summers make early ripening Chardonnay and Pinot Noir suitable varieties

in the côte d’or the Morvan hills to the west provide protection from rainfall
the average rainfall is around 700MM

Early autumn (herfst) is typically dry, though rain can be a threat at harvest

The climate of the Mâconnais is typically slightly drier and warmer than the côte dor

Question 23

Many factors influence the potential quality of individual sites:

Answer 23

Aspect, altitude, degree of slope and soil

even though the climate is warmer than it was in previous decades, ripening Pinot Noir is still a precarious business

A cool vintage can result in under ripe tannins in the finished wines
therefore the ripeness of skins and seeds is a priority for growers in the region.

due to its northerly location, vineyard site and the particular weather of each vintage are incredibly important for both yield and quality.

the variability of the weather from year to year leads to marked vintage variation.

Frost can be a challenge this far north
Spring frosts, if severe, are a significant problem and may substantially reduce yields if they occur after budburst

This risk is particularly acute as both Pinot Noir and Chardonnay are early budding

Question 24

The issue of recent warmer winters than usual:

Answer 24

These warmer winets encourage earlier growth, making the vines more vulnurable to frost

Question 25

What about hail damage throughout the year in cote dor and south burgundy

Answer 25

1) in april-May the damage to the early growht of the vine can lead to reduced yields
* *Or even in extreme cases a total loss of the crop**

2) Later in the growing season it can lead to fruit damage (particularly to exposed grapes)

– risk of grey rot if not picked the damaged ones out
this can taint the wine
– the use of sorting tables has played a big role on this part

3) Hail netting was not permitted in the past as it was thought to cause too much shading and appear an inauthentic part of the landscae

Sinds 2018 Limited use of hail netting is permitted

Question 26

Beyond anti hail nets, what can you do ?

Answer 26

Seed thunderclouds with silver iodide to induce (onderscheppen) precipitation (neerslag)

hail tend to be highly localized (plaatselijk) but the impact is on the winemaking and commercial terms

– villages in Beaune, most notably Volnay and Pommard where particularly badly affected by hail between 2012 and 2015

Question 27

Rain can be a problem if it falls at the wrong time

(growing environment)

Answer 27

1) early in the cycle it can disrupt flowering and fruit set
- - lowering yields and leading to uneven ripening

2) extended periods of rain during the season increase the threat of fungal diseases
- - too much rain before harvest can lead to dilution because of uptake of water by the grapevine and increase the chance of rut due burst of the grape

3) Drought stress is also a problem in recent vintages, due the hot summers, the berries shrivel and sometimes caused vines to shut down completely, causing a halt in ripening
- - since irrigation is not permitted, water stress is a concern
- - vineyards with high clay content cope better with water stress due to their water-retaining properties

Question 28

Topography: Aspect and elevetion determines style and quality of the wines:

Answer 28

1) Côte dor lies on a range of hills oriented north-south at elevations ranging aroud 200 and 400 m

2) Side valleys are oriented in a more east-west direction at various points along the main slope
* *This means that the main ridge (bergkam) of cote dor is east facing**

3) there are a range of aspects who are more south east or even southerly in aspect

• *4) The best sites are mostly found on the mid slope**
• they benefit from well draining shallow (oppervlakkig) soils
• good sunlight interception
• comparative frost protection
• better ripening potential due their central position

5) Vineyards at the very top of the slope can have very pore thin soil and are exposed to cooling winds

6) vineyards at the bottom of the slope have deeper soils and are vulnurable to frost

7) The coolest sites may be planted by aligoté, or used for the production of crémant de Bourgogne

8) aspects are more varied in the cote chalonnaise and Mâconnais
* *- Some of the best in chalonnaise: east facing slopes of Bouzeron and Rully**

- Pouilly fuissé south facing slopes

Question 29

Soils:

Answer 29

1) in general The vineyard soils are composed of mixtures (samengestelde mengsels) of various types of limestones and clay

• *– though the proportion varies
• • cote de nuits: more limestone so good for Pnot Noir
• • beaune more clay and deeper soils: so chardonnay
• • chalonnais and maconnais are mixed with a range of limestones and clay**

2) The depth of the soil above the bedrock varies, due part to the movement of soils down the slopes by erosion

– this can be a problem, even in gentle sloping vineyards like Clos De Vougeot

* there are thinner soils at higher elevations and deeper ones at the bottom of the slope
* At the top of the slope there is too litle soil to thrive and at the bottom drainage is poorer and the soil is deeper with more clay, resulting in greater fertility
— this leads to more vigour with an increased danger of shading (less riper grapes)

Question 30

Chardonnay for whites, Pinot Noir for reds, what about others ?

Answer 30

1) historically there was a substantial proportion of aligoté and gamay grown here until the early part of the twentieth century

Some well regarded aligoté is grown in the village of Bouzeron Chalonnaise

Question 31

Chardonnay:

Answer 31

1) Chardonnay is a versatile variety suited to a range of climates
2) it buds early so can be susceptible to spring frost
3) it also ripens early, making it suitable to grow in a cool region
4) it can relative produce high yields withouth loss of wuality
5) its however prone to grey rot, powdery mildew, millerandage and grapevine yellows

6) it can be grown in a wide range of soils and climates resulting in a range of wtyles
* *top quality examples are grown on limestone/clay soils as in Burgundy**

Question 32

Chardonnay aroma characteristics burgundy:

Answer 32

1) cooler climates: apple pear lemon and lime fruit with wet stone notes
- - light to medium body and high acidity (Chablis)

2) in more moderate climates: ripe citrus, melon and stone fruit, medium to medium+ body with medium (+) to high acidity (Côte dor)

In a good growing season in burgundy, the main challenge in making high quality wine can be vigour management to avoid excessive yield and shading, which would reduce the qualtiy of the fruit

Question 33

Pinot Noir:

Answer 33

1) Like Chardonnay, Pinot Noir is a Variety that buds early
* *Can therefore be susceptible to spring frosts**

• *2) It ripens early, making it suitable to grow in cool regions
• • however, unlike chardonnay, yields must be limited to produce quality wines**

3) its a delicate variety and prone to millerandage, downy and powdery mildew, botrytis bunch rot, fan leaf and leaf roll viruses

4) in warm climates it tends to ripen too fast (reducing the intensity of aromas)
The berries can shrivel and suffer from sunburn
* In Burgundy the concern is eather the grape will ripen sufficiently to achieve desired ripeness (tannin, colour and flavour)

5) in Burgundy Pinot noir has typically strawberry, raspberry and red cherry flavours
*with village wines and above having light, oak-derived flavours (smoke, clove) low to medium tannins (G.C. Can have medium(+) tannins), medium alcohol and high acidity

* The wines can develop earth, game and mushroom notes with time in bottle

Question 34

Many of the clones used in both red and white Burgundy are drawn from the dijon clone families developed at the university of Burgundy in Dijon.

Answer 34

These clones are now widely used in many wineregions around the world growing pinot noir and chardonnay.

• *1) as different clones tend to vary in a number of aspects such as yield, disease tolerance, speed of ripening and fruit characteristics
• • Producers must decide wether to plant vineyard plots with a single clone leading to a more uniform fruit profile or plant a mix leading to greater diversity in grape characteristics (whether good or bad) and potentially more resistance to disease**

– A number of producers choose to propagate their own vines via mass selection

Question 35

Vineyard management: Pinot Noir:

Answer 35

1) Some vines are pruned using Cordon training systems, including Cordon de Royat (single armed cordon)
* *this limits vigour and thus yields
- - although the high proportion of old wood can harbour disease**

• *2)** traditionally vines throughout Burgundy were pruned, trained and trellised using the Guyot system (Replacement-Cane pruned with VSP)
• Softer method of cane pruning -: Poussard-Guyot

*this systemmaintains the same sap route from one year to the next with pruning wounds only on the upper part of the cordon
- this reduces the number of pruning wounds and seeks to cut down the incidence of ESCA and other trunk diseases

This method require skilled vineyard workers but it can be hugely helpful in combatting trunk disease and also aids canopy management during the growing season

Question 36

Planting densities Burgundy:

Answer 36

* typically around 80-10.000 vines per ha

• though there are growers who have much higher planting densities

denser pllanting is thought to encourage root competition, leading to better quality fruit:

I.E. smaller berries with higher flavour intensity

* as wel as through winter pruning choices, growers can manage and reduce yields by de-buddig (usually before flowering) and green harvesting during the latter part of the growing season

• debudding can promote good balance in the vine, but by reducing the potential yield so early in the growing season, damage inflicted by hail, frost or fungal diseases can have a drastic effect on yield
• bud rubbing can (removing shoots and buds that are starting to grow on the lower part of the vine) lead to substantially reduced yields if the subsequent growing conditions are poor or later hailstorm reduce the crop

- green harvesting (remove extra bunch of grapes on vine) can asses the size, shape and postion of bunches, before they decide to sacrifice any
* this decisio made relatively late in the season allows growers to take incount unpredictable weather events (especially hail) before taking action

* however it can lead to changes in vine development through compensation via excessive growth in the remaining bunches and resultant dilution in the grapes