France - Burgundy Flashcards
What is Chablis climate? What does this result in? How is this mitigated?
Continental with cold winters and warm summers. Because of this cool northerly latitude there’s uncertainty about ripening and marked vintage variation.
Chardonnay’s early ripening characteristic is an advantage?
What is Chablis average annual rainfall? What does this result in?
670mm spread throughout the year making for a moist environment, high threat of fungal diseases and difficulties in the period leading to harvest.
What are Chablis biggest climatic threats?
Spring frosts and hail during the growing season which both have significantly affected yields in recent vintages.
What are Chablis typical soil types?
Limestone and clay, some of which has a considerable amount of fossilised sea shells, known as kimmeridgian marl.
How to producers in Chablis mitigate the risk of spring frosts?
- Smudge pots: are smoky, cause air pollution and requires staff in the vineyard.
- sprinklers (‘aspersion’): now the most popular option, though installation and maintenance costs mean its only realistic for vineyards with significant return on investment (1er and grand crus), or well funded companies.
- Pruning choices: later pruning means later bud burst, reducing chance of damage.
Which rootstock are typically used in Chablis?
41B (a cross between vinifera and berlandieri) as its highly tolerant of limestone soils with a high pH.
420A (a cross between riparia and berlandieri) as it encourages low vigour and tolerant to high pH soils.
Which vine training method is typical in Chablis?
Double Guyot, replacement cane as if one cane fails there’s a chance the other survives frosts.
How do yields of Chablis compare to the Côte d’Or?
They are higher, but recent climatic hazards have resulted in severe reductions.
How is harvest generally carried out in Chablis?
By machine, through grand cru slopes are generally too steep so picked by hand.
What is the typical location and soil type of Petit Chablis?
Higher, cooler vineyards with Portoandian soils (hard limestone with less clay).
What is the typical location and soil type of Chablis?
A large area with mixed aspects on Kimmeridgian soils
What are common geographical factors of Petit Chablis and Chablis? What style of wine does this lead to?
Predominantly on flat land or gentle slopes, with aspects that include North facing resulting in light bodied wines, notable for high acidity, with light (Petit Chablis) to medium (Chablis) intensity.
How many vineyards have premier cru status in Chablis, and where are they based?
40, generally on south/south east facing slopes on kimmeridgian soil.
What is the difference between a climat and lieu-dit in Chablis Premier Cru?
A climat is a named vineyard fixed in AOC legislation.
A lieu-dit is a named piece of land in the centralised land register.
You can have named lieu-dits within larger Premier Cru vineyards eg Chablis Premier Cru Troêsmes is within Chablis Premier Cru Beauroy.
Where is Chablis Grand Cru based, what is it composed of and what is its soil type?
Immediately next to the village, on the right bank of the Serein facing South West.
It is one appellation with 7 named vineyards within.
Kimmeridgian soil.
How do the Chablis Grand Cru wines achieve extra weight, concentration and quality?
South facing slopes promote ripening.
The mixture of crumbly marl with good drainage but high clay content for water retention contributes to higher quality.
What is the production of Chablis Grand Cru as a percentage of Chablis?
1%
What do the slopes of Chablis Premier and Grand Cru sites offer?
Especially as Premier Crus are often situated mid slope, they receive better drainage and frost protection, and southerly aspect means better light interception, therefore ripening fruit.
What shelters the Chablis Grand Cru site from cool winds?
A belt of trees situated between the Grand Cru and Petit Chablis sights protects from the cool northerly winds, resulting in greater concentration, body and ability to age.
What is the general climate of Burgundy? (excluding Chablis)
Moderate continental, Dijon is at the northern end and is around 500km from the Meditteranean and experiences cold winters and warm summers.
Why are Chardonnay and Pinot Noir suitable varieties?
The relatively short summers make the early ripeners suitable.
What protects the Côte d’Or from rainfall, and what is the average annual rainfall?
The Morvan Hills to the west.
700mm.
What are autumn’s like in Burgundy?
Typically dry, though rain can be a problem at harvest.
What is the climate of the maconnais like in comparison?
Slightly drier and warmer.
Which factors influence potential quality of each site?
Aspect, altitude, degree of slopes and soils.
What is the key factor affecting ripeness, especially for Pinot Noir? What does this make a priority for growers?
Warmth. Even though the climate has been warmer in previous decades ripening Pinot Noir is still precarious, and a cool vintage can result in under-ripe tannins in the final wine.
Promoting ripeness of skins and seeds is priority.
What are three significant factors affecting yield and quality in Burgundy?
Northerly location, vineyard sire and particular weather of each vintage.
The variability of the latter leads to marked vintage variation.
What climatic factors are a threat in Burgundy?
In the northerly regions, frost. Exacerbated in recent vintages due to warmer winters resulting in an earlier bud burst.
Frost, in April-May it can damage early growths and lead to a reduction in yields, or even entire loss of crop. Later in the season it can lead to fruit damage, especially exposed grapes. If this isn’t sorted the exposed grapes can develop grey rot which will in turn taint the wine.
How do growers combat hail in Burgundy?
-Netting was previously banned, as it was thought to provide too much shading and appear an inauthentic part of the landscape, however it has been permitted since 2018.
-The most common preventative action is to seed clouds with silver iodide to induce precipitation away from the vineyards.
-Rigorous sorting is used to alleviate the risk of any contaminated fruit making it in to the wine.
