France - Burgundy Flashcards
Describe semi-maceration carbonique
Seal whole bunch in pressurized steel vats.
The grapes will naturally start the fermentation, as the release of CO2 will form a cap and press for color and tannins.
Like this they’ll ferment internally.
Faster and lighter than normal fermentation.
Describe maceration carbonique
Seal whole bunch in pressurized steel vats and pump carbon dioxide inside. The pressure will let the grapes to ferment internally and release less tannins and color as quicker than normal fermentation.
What is ‘La Confrerie des Chevaliers du Tastevin’?
Burgundy Brotherhood based in the Chateau Clos de Vougeot, set up in 1933.
They try to maintain standards of Burgundian wines.
Label might have their seal if the wine passes their tasting panel.
How would you compair Macon wines with Chablis?
Macon wines are more fruity, open and don’t have the mineral edge and high acidity of Chablis
Where are the 7 Grand Crus of Chablis situated?
All south facing slopes, north-west of the town of Chablis. Next to the Serein River
What is the ‘Hospices de Beaune’?
Home for old and infirm opened in 1443. They auction wines for charity and the wines may be sold as ‘Hospices de Beaune’ on the label
Which are the 3 greatest Villages south of Volnay?
Mersault
Puligny-Montrachet
Chassagne-Montrachet
What are the ‘Combes’?
(Cote d’Or)
Dry transversal valleys that cut the ‘Cotes’.
They are conduit for cool breezes and hailstorms.
Which soil do we find in the Cote d’Or?
Limestone from the Jurassic period is the building block, topped with a combination of limestone and clay.
-‘Argillaceous Limestone’ if contains high percentage of limestone
-‘Marl/Calcareous Clay’ if contains low percentage of limestone
Where is the Cote d’Or situated?
Western edge of the Saone River Plain, occupying the eastern slopes (400-500mt) called ‘Cotes”
What can we expect from ‘Chatillonais’?
East of Chablis in the Cote d’Or.
Quality whites and rose.
Cremant de Bourgogne AOC, from Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and small % of Gamay and Aligote
Which Village in the Maconnais has higher concentration of limestone?
Pouilly-Fuisse
(famous Rock of Solutre in Solutre-Pouilly commune)
List the 5 Village AOPs of Maconnais from north to south
Vire-Clesse
Pouilly-Loche
Pouilly-Fuisse
Pouilly-Vinzelles
Saint-Veran
What is the subsoil in the Maconnais?
Limestone
How are Macon Chardonnay wines vinified?
Fermented and raised in steel, no oak
What is Maconnais famous for?
White wines from Chardonnay.
The grape maybe took the name from a village there
Which wines can we find in Montagny?
Only whites from Chardonnay.
Must reach 11.5%abv before chaptalization
Which wines can we find in Givry?
Almost all reds, similar to Mercurey
Which wines can we find in Mercurey?
Mainly red wines, similar to Cote de Beaune
Which wines can we find in Rully?
Red and Whites
Capital of Cremant de Bourgogne
How many Grand Crus are in Morey-Saint-Denis?
Name some
5
Clos de Tart
Clos de Lambrays
Clos de la Roche
Clos St. Denis
Bonnes Mares (part)
How are Chambolle-Musigny wines?
Silky, elegant and powerful
Name 2 Grand Crus and 1 Premiere Cru from Chambolle-Musigny
Grand Cru
Musigny
Bonnes Mares (part)
Premiere Cru
Les Amoreuses
What is the common vinification method for red and white Burgundy wines of the Cote d’Or?
reds and whites both undergo malolactic fermentation and usually aged in 228Lt oak.
Top reds maturate 15/18 months in oak.
Top whites maturate at least 12 months in oak.
What do we expect from Gevrey-Chambertin wines?
Masculine, broading, concentrated color and dark fruit characteristics.
List 2 Grand Crus and 1 Premiere Cru from Gevrey-Chambertin
Grand Cru
Chambertin
Chambertin-Clos de Beze
Premiere Cru
Clos Saint-Jacques
List the Cote de Nuits Villages from north to south
Marsannay
Fixin
Gevrey-Chambertin
Morey St.Denis
Chambolle-Musigny
Vougeot
Vosne-Romanee
Nuits-Saint-Georges
Which wines are produced in Bourgogne Cotes d’Auxerre AOP?
red, white, rose
Pinot Noir and Chardonnay
West of Chablis with limestone and marl soil
Which wines are sold as Bourgogne Epineuil AOC?
red, rose and white from Pinot Noir and Chardonnay
In Tonnerre area
Which wines are sold as Bourgogne Tonnerre AOC?
dry white wines from 6 villages of Tonnerois, north-east of Chablis
Name the 7 Chablis Grand Cru
Vaudesir
Les Clos
Grenouilles
Les Preuses
Bougros
Valmur
Blanchot
List TOP Burgundy Vintages
1949
1953
1964
1966
1971
1978
1985
1990
1996
1999
2005
2009
2015
Which are the 4 Classifications for Chablis wines?
-Chablis Grand Cru AOC (min. 11%abv)
-Chablis Premiere Cru AOC(min.10.5%abv)
-Chablis AOC (min. 10%abv)
-Petit Chablis (min. 9.5%abv)
List the 10 Grand Cru of Beaujolais from north to south
Saint-Amour
Julienas
Chenas
Moulin-a-Vent
Fleurie
Chiroubles
Morgon
Regnie
Brouilly
Cote de Brouilly
What is the predominant factor of the soil in Cote de Beaune?
Limestone
Which is Vougeot only Grand Cru and how many Premiere Cru are there?
Clos de Vougeot
4 Premiere Cru
ex. Les Cras
Which are the 2 biggest decisions for a winemaker in Burgundy for reds and whites?
-Reds
Whole bunch or not. The stems will give more tannins and complexity, but de-stemmed is more fruit pure
-Whites
Batonnage, as depending on the frequency, it will have massive impact in the final wine.
What is ‘Beaujolais Noveau’?
Wine light and lower quality.
Usually from the center/south.
Sold from the 3rd Thursday of November of the current vintage.
Undergo semi-maceration carbonique.
Which grapes are used for red, rose and white Beaujolais?
-Red, rose from Gamay with small % of Pinot Noir
-White from Chardonnay with small % of Aligote
What is the main soil in Beaujolais?
Granite and Schist hills in the north
What are the 2 new Cremant Classifications and what’s the difference between them?
-Cremant Eminent: min. 24 months before release.
-Cremant Grand Eminent: min. 36 months before release, made only from 1st press of only Pinot Noir and Chardonnay
What does ‘Climat’ means?
Climat is a single plot of vines or vineyard
Why ‘negotiants’ are so important in Burgundy?
Due to Napoleonic inheritance laws, someone might only own 1 row of vines, as split between family members.
Negotiants buy grapes and blend them to get quality and quantity to be bottled and sold.
The Negotiants name are specified in the bottle.
How is Cremant de Borgogne AOC produced?
Methode Champenois
Minimum 12 months before release.
Combined minimum of:
20% Chardonnay
20% Pinot Gris
20% Pinot Blanc
20% Pinot Noir
Max 20% Gamay
List all Grand Cru of Cote de Beaune
Corton
Corton-Charlemagne
Charlemagne
Chevalier-Montrachet
Montrachet
Bienvenue-Batard-Montrachet
Batard-Montrachet
Criots-Batard-Montrachet
What does Macon Rouge AOC means?
Wine must be from Macon region and made from 100% Gamay
How many Grand Cru in the Cote de Beaune?
8 Grand Cru
Corton is the only Grand Cru for red and white wines
How are Cote de Beaune white wines vinified and what can we expect from them?
Usually fermented and remain in cask for up to 18 months. Racked in clean barrels after fermentation.
Outstanding wines with great lenght and elegance
List the Grand Cru between Puligny and Chassagne Montrachet
-Chevalier-Montrachet (Puligny)
-Batard-Montrachet (Puligny-Chassagne)
-Le Montrachet (Puligny-Chassagne)
Bienvenue-Batard-Montrachet (Puligny)
Criots-Batard-Montrachet (Chassagne)
Which are the 2 main soil types in Chablis?
-Kimmeridgian marl soil. Mixture of limestone and clay with oyster shells. Where the best Cru and Premiere Cru are situated on.
-Portlandien limestone. Younger and pure limestone rock. Where Petit Chablis is tipically produced.
What should we expect from Vosne-Romanee wines?
Models of precision and finesse, maintaining richness
List all Grand Cru from Vosne-Romanee
6+2
La Romanee
La Tache
Romanee-Conti
La Grand Rue
Richebourg
Romanee-Sain-Vivant
Echezaux
Grands-Echezaux
What does ‘Bourgogne Gamay AOC’ means?
The grapes must be sorted from one of the 10 Grand Cru of Beaujolais.
Must contain at least 30% Gamay
List the hierarchy of classification in Burgundy from top wines under
AOC Grand Cru
AOC Premiere Cru (Communal)
AOC Village (Communal)
AOC Regional (Bourgogne AOC)
Which grapes are produced in the 5 main regions? Specify each one
-Chablis
Chardonnay
-Cote d’Or
Pinot Noir and small % Gamay
Chardonnay and small % Aligote & Pinot Blanc
-Cote Challonais and Maconnais
Pinot Noir and small % Gamay
Chardonnay and small % Aligote & Pinot Blanc
-Beaujolais
Gamay and small % Pinot Noir
Chardonnay and small % Aligote
Name 6 regions of Burgundy from north to south
-Chablis (Yonne)
-Cote de Nuits (Cote d’Or)
-Cote de Beaune (Cote d’Or)
-Cote Chalonnaise (Saone-et-Loire)
-Cote Maconnaise (Saone-et-Loire)
-Beaujolais (Rhone)
What does maceration carbonique gives to the wine?
Aromas of banana, pear drops and bubble gum
How would you pair red Burgundy?
Perfect for medium strength meat dishes
How would you pair white Burgundy?
Aperitif, shellfish or seafood dishes, lightly flavored meat entree.
More buttery dishes for more structured wines
How many grand Cru are in the Cote de Nuits?
24 for reds
1 for white (Musigny Blanc)
What is the usual barrique capacity for Burgundy?
228 Lt
Piece
What should we expect from a good producer’s Chablis wine?
Chalky minerality, dry, crisp acidity, green apple, lemon/grapefruit.
Usually unoaked
Describe the climate in Chablis and its contributing factors
Cool climate
In the River Serein Valley, which is conduit for cold winds and frosts.
Very unpredictable
What is ‘Bourgogne Aligote AOC’?
white wine with min. 9.5%abv and made from Aligote.
Max allowed 15% Chardonnay in the blend
What is ‘Cote d’Or AOC’?
introduced in 2017, wines from Cote de Nuits and Cote de Beaune made from 100% Pinot Noir or 100% Chardonnay
What does ‘Bourgogne-Passe-Tout-Grains AOC’ means?
red and rose with min. 9.5%abv
must be a blend of 1/3 Pinot Noir and rest Gamay
Which wines can we find in Bouzeron?
Dry whites from Aligote with up to 15% Chardonnay permitted
Which are the 5 main Villages of the Cote Chalonnaise from north to south?
Bouzeron
Rully
Mercurey
Givry
Montagny
Why Montrachet wines are the best white AOP?
Maintain balance of richness and acidity
Achive more depth than any other Grand Cru
Name a Premiere Cru from Mersault
Perrieres
Les Genevrieres
Les Charmes
How would you describe a classic Mersault wine?
Rich, fat on the palate.
Nutty, buttery, honeyed flavors.
softer acidity than Puligny-Montrachet
Describe Pommard AOP and Volnay AOP wines
Only reds.
Pommard has harder-edged tannic structure, compared to Volnay softer fragrance and charm.
Pommard is the most full-bodied after Corton in the Cote de Beaune
Which are the 3 Communes in Corton?
Alox-Corton
Lodoix-Serrigny
Pernand-Vergelesses
Which soil can we find in the Cote Chalonnaise?
Similar to the Cote de Beaune with weathered limestone and clay.
Different as there is no protection from cold winds, as no hills
What do we expect from whites from Corton?
Opulent and broad Chardonnay, but not with depth and concentration of Montrachet
List main AOPs from north to south of the Cote de Beaune
Corton
Pommard
Volnay
Mersault
Puligny-Montrachet
Chassagne-Montrachet
Blagny
Santenay
Which wines are sold under Irancy AOC?
Red light wines from Pinot Noir (might have Pinot Gris and Cesar in the blend)
South of St.Bris AOC
Which wines are sold as Saint-Bris AOC?
Wines made from Sauvignon Blanc and Sauvignon Gris, similar to Central Loire.
South-west of Chablis
Which wines are sold as Vezelay AOC?
Chardonnay whites similar to Chablis with less finesse.
South of Auxerre region on sides of the Cure river
Where is the Cote Chalonnais situated?
How else can be called?
South from Santenay, close to the western edge of Saone River Valley.
Region de Mercurey
What is Blagny AOP used for?
It’s used for red wines only, as the few whites produced there use ‘Mersault’ or ‘Puligny-Montrachet’, depending on their location.
Describe Chassagne wines
Generally closer in style to Mersault than Puligny and high quality, containing 55 Premiere Cru
Describe Puligny wines
Generally more straight and focused than Mersault, as they use less oak
Why is Corton special for the Cote de Beaune?
Only Grand Cru for red and white wines in the Cote de Beaune
How are red Cote de Beaune vinified and what to expect from them?
Vinified the same as the Cote de Nuits.
Generally lighter in color and body compared with Cote de Nuits.
What do we expect from Nuits-Saint-Georges wines?
Name a TOP Vineyard
Sturdy, long lived and might be harsh in their youth.
Great Premiere Cru
Les Saint-Georges
