France-Burgundy-Viticulture Flashcards
What are the major farming styles of Burgundy?
Traditional Lutte Raisonée Lutte Intégrée Lutte Biologique Biodynamic
When was traditional viticulture most popular in Burg? Long term effects?
WWII-1990s
Use of Carbon disulfide to combat phylloxera, Chemical fertilizers, weed-killers, insecticides, Intensive use of nitrogen based-fertilizers resulted in infertile soils lacking biodiversity and imbalance of pH
Plots are marked by hard compacted soils w/ only vines growing
What does Lutte Raisonée mean?
“reasoned struggle”
grower limits chemical intervention only when necessary
Ministry of Agriculture defined term
Enhances positive effects on environment, limits negative impacts, without jeopardizing commercial viability of plots
What is Lutte Intégrée
i. “integrated struggle”
ii. farmer employs natural alternatives while combating pests
iii. 1 step further than raisonnée
What are some common techniques of Lutte intégrée?
- natural copper or sulfur-based sprays
- sexual confusion of male insects (release of pheromones)
- cover crops employed for biodiversity
- manure over fertilizer
What is the major drawback to both Lutte Raisonée and Lutte Intégrée?
Both well intentioned but “necessity of intervention” is left up to individual grower
What % of Burg is organically farmed?
8-12%
Who was 1st Bio estate in Cd’Or? When?
Jean-Claude Rateau 1979
Who are some prominent bio domaines in Burg now?
Leroy DRC Leflaive Dauvissat Comtes Lafon Comtes Armand
What are common vine diseases in Burg?
- Powdery and downy mildews
2. Fungal diseases like Eutypa Dieback (dead arm), Esca, Grey rot
What are some common pests in burg?
- Soil nematodes (xiphenema index) spread court-noué (fanleaf virus)
- Flavescence dorée, Phytoplasma disease spread by leafhoppers
- Ladybugs
What are most recent vintages of Burg affected by ladybugs? What is the cause of this?
2004, 2011
ladybugs secrete pyrazenes as pheromones, thought to have imparted herbal characteristics into the wines
What are some historic vintages severely affected by hail?
45, 51, 53, 57, 85 suffered almost entire crop loss
When were chaufferettes first intro to burg? where?
Chablis in 1950s
What is aspersion?
- Green alternative to chaufferettes
- Spray vines w/ water so they freeze and are protected from frost in “cocoon of ice”
- First employed in Chablis in 1960s
What is most modern method of combating frost in Burg?
electric heating cables intro into Chablis in 2004
what are 2 biggest climactic issues of Burg?
frost
hail
What major hail prevention technique is illegal in burg?
hail nets
What is most common hail prevention technique employed in Burg?
Ion cannons loaded w/ silver iodine
what recent vintages are most affected by hail?
12,13,14,16
When can coulure affect vine cycle in burg?
(shatter)
fruit set
Which vine issue is common in Burg but may be desirable? Why?
millerandage
Reduces yield, uneven/smaller berries
Can increase quality of Chard and PN w/ increased phenolic character
What are 2 major categories of Pinot Clones selected in burg?
Pinot Droit-High yielding, upright growing. Many conventional growers embraced Droit
Pinot Fin-Low yielding, more concentrated fruit/juice
When were Dijon clones first embraced in Burg?
1971
From where did the Dijon clones originate?
Ponsot’s Clos de la Roche parcel in 1960s
What are Bernard Clones?
name of Dijon Clones after creator Raymond Bernard
What qualities were Dijon clones selected for?
Selected for resistance to disease, tendency to form small bunches and berries
Which # strains of Dijon clones are the most popular?
115, 667, 777
What winemaking techniques is Henri Jayer most associated with?
- Cold Maceration (1st)
- total destemming
- New Oak
Which consultant of Burg is most associated w/ the movement towards heavily oaked, highly extracted styles of burgundy in the 1990s?
Guy Accad
What is cold maceration?
Red grapes are crushed, kept on skins at cool temps (10-14C) for up to a week. Addition of SO2 prevents fermentation from beginning
Advocates claim it produces wines of good color extraction, less astringent tannins, more developed fruit aromatics
What is the difference between carbonic and semi-carbonic maceration?
carbonic=Winemaker seals whole clusters or whole berries in vats and pump in CO2
Semi-carbonic=No CO2 added, just use what is naturally created from alc fermentation. Clusters at bottom are crushed under weight of those on top and begin to ferment naturally
What is carbonic maceration?
Intracellular fermentation happens (grape metabolizes individual stores of glucose and malic acid to create alc and CO2), grape can rupture internal alc of up to 2%
Tannin and anthocyanins move from skin to flesh, creating deeper color in juice
Which producers are most associated w/ whole cluster ferm?
DRC and Dujac use 70-100% whole cluster depending on year
Cooler years less, warmer years more
Why would a winemaker choose to use less whole cluster in a cool vintage and more in a warm vintage?
stems soak up alc, juice, and add potassium which increases concentration, moderates potential alc, and raises pH of final wine
What nutrient do stems add to a fermenting must?
potassium, which raises pH of final wine
What is the resulting character of whole berry fermentation for red burg?
Results in high toned, floral aromas
What are the effects of whole bunch pressing on white burg?
Press whole clusters w/out crushing fruit
Results in cleaner, less phenolic must (lower pH), less danger of oxidation early
Who invented chaptalization?
Named for Jean-Antoine Chaptal since 1801
What is the most common ingredient used to chaptalize in burg?
white beet sugar
What is Subtractive must enrichment? when was it legalized in burg?
2009
Can remove up to 10% water from must to concentrate the remainder
is acidification legal in burg?
yes, as long as declared and documented
is it legal to acidify and chaptalize the same wine in burg?
no, but does happen
How long does malo typically take in burg?
generally naturally occurs between March-June
What techniques could be causing premox in burg whites?
bâtonnage
whole bunch pressing
What are the prescribed percentages of new oak for each quality level of burg?
i. Bourg AOP: 0-10%
ii. Village AOP: 0-25%
iii. Premier Cru AOP: 25-50%
iv. Grand Cru AOP: 50%-100%
Which estate famously only uses 30% new oak for their GC’s?
Leflaive
Which region of the Cd’Or are you likely to see a heavier use of New oak?
CdNuits
What is the general toast level of most barrels in burg?
medium or lower
Who is the most favored tonnellerie in Cd’Or? Where were they founded?
François Frères
fd in St. Romain
What is a piece?
228L barrel common in Cd’Or
What size barrel is becoming more common for white burg? Which producers are embracing?
350-400L barrels
PYCM
Henri Boillot
What is the traditional barrel size of Chablis? How is it used modernly?
132L Feuillette
rarely in practice, mainly as unit of measurement for growers selling to négoc
What is most common barrel size in use in modern Chablis?
piece
What are some winemaking techniques producers are starting to embrace to combat premox in white burg?
- no bâttonage
- larger barrel sizes (350-400L)
overall embracing a “reductive” style of winemaking
