General Flashcards
What are the 10 major wine regions of France?
Bordeaux
Burgundy
Dordogne and SW France
Beaujolais
Alsace
Loire Valley
Northern and Southern Rhône
Southern France
Alsace
What is the climate of Bordeaux?
Moderate Maritime
What is the main benefit Bordeaux receives from the Gulf Stream?
The warming ocean current extends the growing season.
Spring frosts are rarely a problem and ripening may extend into October.
What are the main disadvantages the Atlantic Ocean brings to Bordeaux?
High levels of rainfall and humidity, which may:
- Disrupt flowering and fruit set
- Promote rot
- Dilute flavors
What protects Bordeaux from the worst Atlantic storms?
- Landes Forest
- Sand Dunes
True or false:
Almost all Bordeaux red and white wines are single varietals?
FALSE
The variability in weather (rainfall) makes it too risky to rely on one variety.
What are the top 4 black grape varieties of Bordeaux?
Cabernet Sauvignon
Cabernet Franc
Merlot
Petit Verdot
What are the top 3 white varieties of Bordeaux?
Sémillon
Sauvignon Blanc
Muscadelle
What are the 2 main areas of Bordeaux?
Left Bank
Right Bank
Left/Right of the Gironde River
What is the area in Bordeaux between the Left and Right Banks?
Entre-Deux-Mers (Between two seas)
This area can only produce white wines red wines from this area must be labeled with a generic appellation name.
What are the 3 main areas of Bordeaux’s left bank?
Médoc
Graves
Sauternes
What are the two main areas of Bordeaux’s Right Bank?
Saint-Émillion
Pomerol
What are the two generic appellations of Bordeaux?
Bordeaux
Bordeaux Supérior (stricter appellation rules and requires higher levels of alcohol in final wine).
(Mainly red wines)
What black grape dominates the Right Bank of Bordeaux?
Merlot
And to a lesser extent Cabernet Franc
Why is the Pessac-Légnan (the most highly rated area in the Graves - southern Bordeaux) well suited for Cabernet Sauvignon?
Gravel soils which promoted heat and drainage.
What are the top four highly rated Communes of Haut-Médoc?
From North to South:
Saint-Estèphe
Paulliac
Saint-Julien
Margaux
What type of red wines does the Graves area make?
Similar wines as Pessac-Léognan to the north but less concentrated and complex, usually with a higher proportion of Merlot.
What are the 3 groups of vineyards on differing soils in Saint-Émilion?
- Vineyards on a plateau to the north and west of the town of Saint-Émilion - warm, well-grained gravel and limestone encourage Cab Franc, occasionally Cab Sauv.
- Vineyards on escarpment to the south and east with clay limestone soils.
(The above have the most prestigious wines of Saint Emilion. High tannins, soft rich texture, red berry fruit, plum aromas and tobacco and cedar with age) - Vineyards on sandy soils at the foot of the escarpment- typically lighter bodied less prestigious wines.
What are the characteristics of red wine from Pomerol?
The wines tend to be richer with a spicier blackberry character.
Where are the top sweet wine appellations of Bordeaux located?
They are grouped in the banks of the Garonne River and its tributary Ciron.
Creates ideal autumn mist conditions for noble rot.
What is the climate of Burgundy?
Cool to Moderate continental
What are the 3 weather conditions of Burgundy that can cause negative vineyard consequences?
- Excessive rain - can disrupt flowering and fruit set as well as rot.
- Spring Frost particularly in Chablis.
- Localized hailstorms.
Where are the basic village and premier/grand cru vineyards located in Burgundy?
Basic village vineyards are located on flat sites at the bottom of slopes. Soil tends to be deeper and more fertile.
Premier and Grand cru vineyards are often found mid-slope which are less prone to frost and generally have south or east facing exposure protecting against winds. Soils tend to be shallower with better drainage.
What are the major grapes of Burgundy?
- Pinot Noir (over 1/3 of vineyards)
- Chardonnay (nearly 1/2 of vineyards)
*Others: Aligoté (neutral wines with high acid) and Gamay (early drinking red wines with ripe berry fruit and low tannins).
What are the characteristics of Burgundian Pinot Noir?
Red flavors in youth that evolve into flavors of earth, game and mushroom with age. High acid, low-med tannins. 16 to 18 months of barrel aging is normal for the best wines.
What are the characteristics of Burgundian Chardonnay?
Chablis: lean, steely, high acid.
Côte d’Or: Complex, expressive
Macôn: Full-bodied, riper-fruited
Overall: Barrel aging 6-9 months typical.
Malolactic conversion and used of lees during maturation.
What are the 4 appellations of Burgundy?
- Chablis
- Côte d’Or (Cǒte de Nuits, Cǒte de Beaune)
- Cǒte Chalonnaise
- Maconnais
What are the hierarchies of Burgundy Appellations?
Regional Appellations (Bourgogne Rouge and Bourgogne Blanc - most generic) 50% of production.
Commune Appellations (I.e. Chablis or Gevery-Chambertin) 1/3 of production.
Single Vineyard Appellations: Premiers Cru and then Grand Crus
There are more than 600 premier crus. There are 33 Grand Crus (32 in Côte D’Or and 1 in Chablis).
What are the key villages of Côte de Nuits?
North to South (most famous grand crus)
Gevery-Chambertin (Chambertin, Chambertin Clos de Bèze)
Vougeot (Clos de Vougeot)
Vosne-Romanée (Romanée-Conti, La Tâche and La Romanée
Nuits-Saint-George
What are the key villages of Côte de Beaune.
Aloxe-Corton (Corton, Corton-Charlemagne)
Beaune
Pommard
Volnay
Meursault
Puligny-Montrachet (Montrachet)
Chassagne-Montrachet (Montrachet)
