France Flashcards
Most AOC wines are known by their _________ instead of their __________
Geographic names (Sauncerre, Cote Rotie) instead of their grape varieties
What are the three climates of France?
North (Champagne and Burgundy) - continental climate with severe winters and cool, rainy autumns
South - Mediterranean climate more ‘sunny’ on the mouth
West (western Loire and Bordeaux) - maritime climate - muggy summers make sweet wine possible
Where does the name ‘bordeaux’ come from?
au bord de l’eau meaning ‘along the waters’ - lies within Aquatine meaning a ‘well watered place’
What are the 3 white grapes of Bordeaux?
Muscadelle, Sauvingnon Blanc, Semillon
What are the 6 red grapes of Bordeaux?
Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignin, Carmenere, Malbec, Merlot, Petit Verdot
What are the 5 major regions of Bordeaux?
the Medoc, Graves, Sauternes, St. Emilion, Pomerol
What does apertif mean?
Latin aperire, meaning ‘to open’
What is the soil composition of St. Emilion?
Hillsides (cotes) - limestone
Mixed with clay, sand, quartz, and chalk
Are white wines made in St. Emilion?
No, only red
What is the soil composition of Pomerol?
Gravel and clay beds
What is the climate like in Champagne?
Chilly and cold. Sunlight is painfully scarce. Average temperature is no more than 50 degrees F. Champagne is one of the coolest wine-producing areas in the world.
What is the soil composition of Champagne?
Limestone rich with minerals and marine fossils
What are the three grapes used to make Champagne?
Chardonnay (used in almost all champagnes)
Pinot Meunier
Pinot Noir
What is the 4th ‘grape’ of Champagne?
Time itself
What are the 5 main vineyard areas of Champagne?
Montagne de Reims - south facing - chalk layer is deep, where pinot noir and meunier are planted
Cotes des Blancs - hillside of whites - east facing - almost exclusively chardonnay
Valley de la Marne - soil more mark, clay, and sand - meuiner
Cote de Sezanne - east facing - mostly chardonnay
Cote des Bar / Aube - south - pinot noir
7 Dosages of Champagne
Brut Nature - .3% sugar Extra Brut - 0 - .6% sugar Brut - < 1.2% sugar Extra Dry - 1.2 - 1.7% sugar Sec - 1.7 - 3.2% sugar Demi-Sec - 3.2 - 5% sugar Sweet - 5% sugar
What are the 3 types of Champagne?
Blanc de Blancs - white from whites - made entirely of chardonnay
Blanc de Noirs - white from reds - slightly pink tinged - made entirely of pinot noir or pinot meunier
Rose Champagne - more expensive and harder to make - traditional method (saignee) involves letting some of the base wine sit with pinot noir skins until color is achieved
- more common method involves adding a small amount of pinot noir wine into the bottle before the second fermentation
What are the 2 major grapes of Burgundy? And the 1 minor grape?
Major: Chardonnay and Pinot Noir
Minor: Aligote
Where did the name Cote d’or originate?
Often translated to ‘golden slope’ but is actually a contraction of Cote d’Orient ‘eastern facing slope’ because the vineyards face east to catch the morning sun
What are the 4 main sub-regions of Burgundy?
Chablis, Cote d’or, Cote Chalonnaise, Maconnais - Beujolais is also considered a sub-region but differs greatly from all the other regions
Most Beaujolais is made using _____ fermentation. What’s the process?
Carbonic maceration - to maximize the fruitiness of the wine.
Process: Entire clusters of grapes are put into the tank. The grapes at the bottom, crushed by the grapes on top, release their juice which immediately starts fermenting naturally due to the wild yeast of the grape skins. This bathes the grapes on top in carbon dioxide gas. The top layer grapes eventually explode from the pressure of the CO2 causing them to ferment as well. It then rests in the tank for several months or more.
What are the 3 categories of Beaujolais?
Beaujolais (50% of production) Beaujolias Villages (25% of production) Beaujolais Cru (25% of production)
What are the 10 Beaujolais Cru villages?
St. Amour Julienas Chenas Moulin-a-Vent Fleurie Chiroubles Morgon Regnie Brouilly Cote de Brouilly
What are the 3 great wine regions of France?
Bordeaux
Burgundy
Rhone
