France Flashcards
when did the indentifications of vineyards in Burgundy begin, and by whom
- 11th century
- cistercian monks
what was the catalyst that transferred vineyard ownership from the Benedictine monks (and aristocracy) to new owners
The French Revolution
what did the emperor Napoléon change to the inheritance system?
What is this system known as?
Known as Napoleonic Code, or the Code of Inheritance, Napoléon mandated that estates be divided equally among male heirs rather than all land being inherited by the first-born son
what does Napoleonic Code mean to wine professionals today
It fragments land ownership in Burgundy, making it a challenge to keep up with who own which vines within which vineyard, who sold their land to which family member to consolidate ownership, etc., which can lead to price, quality, and style differences even within the same vineyard.
what are the 5 areas of Burgundy from north to south
- chablis
- côte d’or, which is split into the:
- Côte de Nuits
- Côte de Beaune - Côte Chalonnaise
- Mâconnais
- Beaujolais
What is the climate of burgundy
continental
note: it’s cooler in the Chablis than in the beaujolais, but overall the climate is continental
the topography of burgundy is:
rolling hills
what is the aspect of Burgundy’s most prized vineyards
east/ southeast
what are the 4 soil types found in burgundy
- chalk
- limestone
- calcareous clay
- marl
what is the main soil type in beaujolais
granite
what are the 2 white grapes allowed in burgundy
- chardonnay (the majority)
2. aligoté
what are the 2 red grapes allowed in burgundy?
- pinot noir (the majority)
2. gamay (mostly in beaujolais)
go though the 4 levels of Burgundy’s AOP Pyramid from largest to smalles (in both terms of size and production)
- regional appellations
- village wines
- premier crus (first growths)
- grand crus (great growths)
how do you define “domaine” on a label of French wine.
- grower / producer that owns their own vineyard and makes wine from those vineyards;
- process of growing the grapes to making/bottling the wine is all done on their estate and by them;
- if they do sell off any grapes from their vineyards, it’s grapes they wouldn’t have used in their bottling (meaning, they keep the best for themselves and sell off the rest).
what is a négociant
a négociants will buy grapes, juice, or finished wine from growers and/or co-ops so they can bottle it under their own label.
négociants can be big or small, and they usually make a range of quality levels
what is a clos? give an example
a vineyard or part of a vineyard that is enclosed by stone walls.
Clos Vougeot in Burgundy, a Grand Cru
what is a monopole
a vineyard or part of a vineyard that has one single owner
what is a village wine
a wine in which all the grapes come from one village.
examples: volley, gevrey-chambertin, meursault
what is a single vineyard premier cru
where 100% of the grapes of the wine come from a specific, single vineyard
what is a single vineyard grand cru
where 100% of the grapes come from one grand cru vineyard.
note: grand crus won’t have the village name on the label, just the Grand Cru
is chablis north or south of the Côte d’Or?
North, but about 80 miles (128 km)
Fun fact: chablis is actually geographically closer to champagne than it is to the rest of burgundy
what is the climate of chablis
cool continental
what are some risks winemakers face in chablis
- spring frosts
- grapes not fully ripening due to cooler climate
what are the soils of chablis
kimmeridgian clay/limestone
the clay part of the soil provides good structure and water retention while the limestone part offers good aeration and drainage due to all the fossil fragments