HTDW Flashcards
What are the two Alsace sweet wine regulated terms?
-
SGN (Selection de Grain Nobles)
* Strict selection of grapes that are infected with bortytis
* Always very sweet
* More opulent and intense than VT; more of a dessert wine -
VT (Vendages Tardives)
* Translates to Late Harvest
* Can range from off-dry to sweet
* Can have bortrytis, but not required
* Limited to Alsace 4 Noble Grapes
SGN is more labor intesive and more scarce
Four Noble Grapes of Alsace
- Gewurztraminer
- Riesling
- Pinot Gris
- Muscat
What is a fun fact about Alsace? (it’s known for a vegetable + pairing)
Asparagus Blanc! And it’s common and encouraged to pair with dry Muscat.
There are restaurants that only open from April to June (asparagus season)
Cremant d’Aslace
- Methode traditionnelle
- Grapes are harvested earlier than for still wines to maintain pronounced acidity
- Accounts for 25% of wines produced
- Grapes - Pinot Blanc, Auxerrois, Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris and/or Chardonnay
What is another name for Pinot Blanc in Alsace?
- Klevner
Name the two type of Muscats that grow in Alsace
- Muscat d’Alsace aka Muscat Blanc a Petit Grains
- Muscat Ottonel; often blended to make bone-dry and aromatic wines typical for apertifs.
What region in Burgundy makes a white wine that is NOT Chardonnay or Aligot?
Saint-Bris-le-Vineux aka St. Bris AOC which makes Sauvignon Blanc
Southeast of Auxerre, Southwest of Chablis
Coulanges-la-Vineuse
- Make red still and sparkling wines with Pinot Noir
- Part of Cote d’Auxerre
South of Auxerre
What are the producing communes in Cote d’Auxerre?
- Augy
- Saint-Bris-le-Vineux
- Auxerre
- Vaux
- Quenne
- Champs-sur-Yonne
- Vincelottes
Describe Vin Jaune
- It’s from Jura
- Distinct and pronounced yellow color; aka Jaune is yellow in francais
- Dry style wine from Savagnin
- Important ages for six years under thin layer of years called sous voile
- Similar in style and flavor to **Fino Sherry **
- Harvested later. Interesting to note, the sur voile protects from oxidation
Also, absolutely not fortified unlike Sherry. Important regions are Arbois and Chateau-Chalon
What is the french term for on lees?
Sur lie
Name the most important waterways for Champagne, Chablis, Auxerre, Burgundy, Beaujolais, and Alsace
- Champagne = Marle
- Chablis = Seine
- Auxerre = Yonne
- Burgundy = Saone
- Beaujolais = Saone
- Alsace = Rhine
Where is Savagnin popular?
Jura! It’s considerd a “founder variety” and can be traced back to the Traminer family of grapes (Gewurz-traminer)
Heida or Païen in some parts of Switzerland
Name two popular styles of wine in Jura
- Vin Jaune aka yellow wine
- Vin de Paille which means straw wines. Sweet wines redolent of candied oranges, quince, and caramel. Made from Savignon, Chardonnay, Poulsard
What is a region in Jura that can make vin jaune-style and is also known for cremant du Jura?
L’Etoile and their vin jaune style will use Chardonnay. Also famous for dry whites made in modern style + Cremant du Jura
Who is considered the father of modern enology
Louis Pasteur and contributed greatly to the modern understanding of fermentation. Born and raised in Jura and also owned a vineyard there.
Are reds popular in Jura? If so, name varietals
Yes
* Poulsard
* Trousseau
* Pinot Noir
Significant Winemakers in Jura
- Stephane Trissot (natty wine movement)
- Jean-Francois Ganevat (also natty)
- Les Matheney
- Domaine Berthet-Bondet
- Domaine Ganevat
- Domaine Labet
- Benedicte et Stephane Tissot
- Domaine de Montbourgeau
- Emmanuel Houillon/Maison Pierre Overnoy
Savoie (Sav-WAH)
- Another alpine wine region south of Jura
- Good skiing
- Vineyards are dispered of mountain slops and alpine valleys
- Sunny summers and many rivers, lakes, streams moderate climate
- Alluvial soils, glacier deposits, limestone, marl. diverse soils
- Similar to Jura, was a larger wine region pre-Phylloxera and mostly planted w/red varieties
- Main grape JACQUERE
this is Raceltte (yes the cheese) territory and is known to be paired with Jacquere
Two things about the most popular grape in Savoie
- Most popular grape is Jacquere
- Most well known south of Savoie, south of the town Chambery at the end of the Chartreuse mountain.
- Plays lead role in the Cremand de Savoie
What are the important grapes of Savoie
- Jacquere
- Altesse - the grape behind the wine, Roussette de Savoie. Mineral, round, quince and peach notes.
- Roussanne - best known in Rhone valley but makes the ultra-crip with apricots, beeswax wine known as Chignin-Bergeron (an old name in Savoie for Roussanne)
- The main red is an indigenous grape Mondeuse turns out best when grown in limestone. Sometimes blended with Gamay
Two tributaries that stem from Loire River
- Sevre
- Maine
Both run through vineyards within the Nantais
What AOP in the Loire is for a single biodynamic estate?
Coulée de Serrant AOP
What does Coulée de Serrant AOP mean on a bottle?
This historic (12th century!) renowned monopoly (single producer region–Nicolas Joly) and France’s only 100% biodynamic AOP. Dry, age-worthy Chenin that is harvested later than most other appellations in the region
What is a mostly ruined 12th Century Castle in France?
Chateau Crussol; south of Cornas made of limestone. Borders the white wine region of Saint-Peray
Where is Saint-Peray and what are the soils?
Saint-Peray is in the northern Rhone, south of Cornas and has granite sands
Known for white wine made with Marsanne (more) and/or Roussanne (less)
What is the soil type in Chateauneuf-du-Pape
- Sand
- Clay (limestone riched)
- Stones aka galet
What kind of wine does Tavel make
Roses (1 of 2 Rose Appellations in France)
The other is Rosé de Riceys within Champagne and typically made up to half of Grenache Noir
What is known for dry rose
Cotes de Provence
What kind of wines are made in Cotes de Provence
- Rose (dry)
- Red (Grenache, Syrah, Mouvedre)
- White (Ugni Blanc, Rolle, Clairette)
Name the main grape varieties in Provence red wine
- Cabernet Sauvignon
- Mouvedre
- Syrah
- Grenache
- Cinsault
Grape varieties grown in Corsica (remember, was Italian)
- Niellucciu (Sangiovese, R)
- Sciaccarellu (Mammolo, R)
- Elegante (Grenache, R)
- Vermentinu (W)
- Biancu Gentile (W)
- Muscat Blance a Petits Grains
What was created in 2003
Limoux AOC within Languedoc-Roussillon
What is the Napoleonic Code
Created in 1804 - Burgundy land ownership is extremely splintered. After the French Revolution, land was distributed to peasant supporters according to the Napoleonic Code, which required all heirs to inherit equally through generations. The result, many generations later, is a highly fragmented vineyard ownership structure.
What is Malolactic Fermentation
- Conversion of malic acid (tart acid) to lactic acid (soft acid)
- Nearly all reds, some whites included Chardonnay and Viogner
- A lactic acid bacteria, often Oenococcus oeni, is added either during primary fermentation or after
- Alcohol Content: Wines with high alcohol content (above 13%) may have difficulty supporting MLF
- Flavor Changes: As the malic acid converts to lactic acid, the wine may develop buttery, creamy, or nutty notes
Name the four Muscat AOP’s in Languedoc
The principal Muscat-based appellations in the Languedoc are four Vins Doux Naturels (VDN) made from Muscat à Petits Grains:
- Muscat de Frontignan
- Muscat de Lunel
- Muscat de Mireval
- Muscat de Saint-Jean-de-Minervois
All four are sweet, fortified wines (VDNs) produced in the Languedoc and have AOP (Appellation d’Origine Protégée) status.
What is - Vin Doux Naturel (VDN)
Refers to a category of sweet, fortified wines made by arresting fermentation with the addition of a neutral grape spirit (often around 95–96% ABV). Because the fortification (known as mutage) halts yeast activity before all the grape sugar is consumed, the resulting wine has both a higher alcohol content and a natural residual sweetness.
What is the French (un-official) capital of VDN’s?
Roussillon
What are the varieties grown in Madiran AOP?
- Red wine only
- Principal grape is Tannat
- Cabernet Franc
- Cabernet Sauvignon
- Fer (also known as Fer Servadou or Pinenc)
Tannat must represent at least 60–70% (depending on the specific rules in effect) of any Madiran blend
How many appellations in Savennieres and what are they?
3
* Savennieres AOP - 5 steep south facing slopes. considered best Chenin Blanc in the world.
* Savennieres-Rouche-aux-Moines AOP - hand-harvested on steep schist slopes
* Coulee de Serant AOP - important because monopole (Nicolas Joly), 100% biodynamic, harvested later than typical for region.
What is another name for Chenin Blanc in Loire
Plant d’Anjoy
What is another name for Malbec
- Cot
- Auxxerois
What is the wine cage on top of a cork of Champagne called?
Muselet
What are the 8 French Cremant AOP’s?
- Alsace - Crémant d’Alsace (1976)
- Bordeaux - Crémant de Bordeaux (1990)
- Bourgogne - Crémant de Bourgogne (1975)
- Die (the Rhône) - Drome Valley - Crémant de Die (1993)
- Jura - Crémant du Jura (1995)
- Limoux - Crémant de Limoux (1990)
- Loire - Crémant de Loire (1975)
- Savoie - Crémant de Savoie (2015)
What is the last major wine region to receive AOC status?
Alsace! 1962
What is Trimbach’s famous wine
Clos Ste. Hune
Who makes Clos Ste. Hune
Trimbach!
What does Gentil mean
it’s a label that indicates at least 50% of a blend is using a noble grape (alsace)
From West to East what are the grand cru climats
- Bougros
- Preuses
- Vaudesir
- Grenouilles
- Valmur
- Les Clos
- Blanchot
- la Moutonne is in betewen Preuses and Vaudesir; not considered 8th grand cru; but think of as a brand
How many premier crus does Chablis have
40
