Module 5: Chapters 8-9 - World Wine Industry, France (through Bordeaux) Flashcards
Country with the largest vineyard acreage in the world.*
Spain
Top three wine-producing countries, worldwide.*
France, Italy, Spain (exact order changes year by year)
Year the European Union was created.*
1993
Date the EU’s “Umbrella Framework” of revised wine regulations took effect.*
August 1, 2009
PDO*
Protected Designation of Origin
PGI*
Protected Geographical Indication
The EU permits continuing use of preexisting wine designations, if they were already in place by this date.*
December 31, 2011
EU Labelling laws: If a protected place name is used on a PDO wine, what % must be from the named place?*
100%
EU Labeling Laws: If a protected place is used on a PGI wine, what % must be from the named place?*
85%
EU Labeling Laws: If a vintage date is used on a wine label, what % must be from named vintage?*
85%
EU Labeling Laws: If a single grape variety is used on a wine label, what % must be the named variety?*
85%
The most widely planted white grape in France.*
Ugni Blanc (aka Trebbiano)
The most widely planted red grape in France.*
Merlot
Main town on the Right Bank of Bordeaux.*
Libourne
Area south of the city of Bordeaux, on the Left Bank.*
Graves
Three main white grape varieties of Bordeaux.*
Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, Muscadelle
Three main red grape varieties of Bordeaux.*
Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc (Malbec and Petit Verdot make up the big 5)
Main red grape of Bordeaux’s Left Bank.*
Cabernet Sauvignon
Main red grape of Bordeaux’s Right Bank.*
Merlot
Term used for Bordeaux wines sold “in futures.”*
En primeur
Year the wines of St.-Emilion were first classified.*
1954
Approximately how much of the global vineyard is located in Europe?
Roughly 56%
How long ago was the first alcoholic beverage made to that incorporated grapes?
According to evidence from China, 7000 BCE
Vinifera varieties first moved out from the Caucasus Mountains in western Asia into eastern Europe and the Middle East.
From The Caucasus, where did wine spread in Europe?
Greece became a stronghold, spreading viticulture around the Mediterranean coast. Romans from there carried production inland into Spain, France, Germany, and the Balkans (as well as all over Italy, obviously).
What kept winegrowing continuing after the fall of the Roman Empire?
The Catholic Church. Wine was necessary for the consecration of the mass, and the Church slowly located further prime growing regions and vines, while refining techniques.
What was a key reason for the explosion of wine consumption during and after the Renaissance?
Poor sanitation. Water was dangerous to drink, and wine was free of germs because of alcohol content,, and was a safer daily beverage.
What caused the explosion of vineyards during and after the Renaissance?
The inability of wine to be transported long distances, both because of poor roads and spoilage concerns.
During the colonial period, what kind of wine was able to make overseas journeys?
Fortified wines became a major player after this period.
North America had native vines, but did other colonies?
In general, no. Spanish Catholic missionaries brought vinifera to South America, while the English and Dutch colonies in South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand established much of the rest of what is now New World wines.
When were vinifera vines planted in North America?
Italian immigrants, along with Germans and Eastern Europeans were responsible for the spread of vinifera grapevines in the mid-nineteenth century. By the end, Commercial wineries began appearing in California, Chile, and Argentina.
Where did phylloxera come to Europe from, and when?
The root louse came from the eastern United States in the 1860’s. Devastated Europe and much of the rest of the world for decades until grafting onto North American rootstock that were phylloxera resistant became widespread.
What was a positive legacy of Phylloxera?
After the destruction of their own vineyards, the spread of French and other European winemakers around the globe, spreading expertise and quality winemaking.
The United States ushered in a second wine crisis in 1920. How?
Enacting Prohibition. Other countries around the world flirted with similar legislation, and New World wine demand plummeted as a result. It took decades for the industry to recover in the United States.
What was the symbolic turning point that the US had turned the corner in recovering from Prohibition?
The Judgement of Paris, 1976. California wines were awarded first place over top French wines in a major head-to-head competition. It was a coming-of-age moment for California and all New World wine.
What is the geographic “Old World”?
Europe, and a small part of westernmost Asia.
Where is wine less accepted or customary?
The band of territory from Morocco across North Africa, and Central Asia as far as Indonesia; areas dominated by religions that forbid alcohol. Equatorial and polar regions as well, where viticulture is impossible and even storage is a challenge.
What was the global volume of wine produced in 2018?
292hL or 3.2 billion cases. Up 17% from 2017.
What is the record for wine production?
296 million hL in 2004.
Why was 2017’s 250 million hL ‘historically low’?
Adverse weather conditions in any parts of the world.
What is the production breakdown of 2018?
65% from Europe 10% from South America 9% from north America 6% each in Asia and Oceania 4% in Africa
Who are the top 5 ountries in consumption?
USA, France, Italy, Germany, China
Top 5 in Production?
Italy, France, Spain, USA, Argentina
Top 5 in vineyard acreage?
Spain, China, France, Italy, Turkey
Top 5 in Wine Exports? (by volume)
Spain, Italy, France, Chile, Australia
Top 5 in Wine Imports? (by volume)
Germany, UK, USA, France, China
What are the most successful latitudes for wine growing?
30-50 degrees N or S
Even countries with little to no vineyard land can make, blend, and/or bottle wine domestically. Why?
Modern shipping methods allow bulk wine and unfermented juice to be sent anywhere in the world without spoiling. This is a significant part of the industry and will only grow as suppliers try to cut costs and reduce emissions by not shipping in heavy glass.
The US is the largest overall wine consumer. What is odd about that?
Per capita consumption remains low.
What is unique about Australia and Chile in terms of production?
They are net exporters of wine, making far more than they consume, and needing outside markets for the remainder.
What are the two ways wine regions are delineated?
Political foundations: nations, states, provinces, counties, etc.
Viticultural foundations: Theoretically based on terroir or traditional winemaking techniques.
Why was it necessary to delineate the boundaries of wine regions?
As certain regions gained fame (Bordeaux, Champagne, Tokaj, etc) it was important to protect the reputation from impostors.
What is reciprocity?
The agreement between the majority of winemaking countries to respect the laws and wine regions of the other countries.
What are officially sanctioned wine regions known as generically in English?
Appellations or Geographic Indications (GIs)
True or false: Generally speaking, the smaller an appellation, the more accurate it is as a predictor of wine characteristics.
True. Small appellations based on terroir generally have a relatively uniform climate, topography, and soil structure. Larger appellations have more variability and are therefore less predictive of the character of the wines.
What is nesting?
Increasingly small appellations contained within each other. This gives winemakers many options in how specific they want to be in sourcing and labeling their wines.
While official appellations protect the place name, they also have rules within the given appellation. Give examples.
Yield per acre, alcohol level, varieties of grapes used.
True or false: In general, appellations in the New World are less restrictive.
True. They normally stipulate geographic origin and define boundaries, but typically do not restrict varieties or style.
The largest meaningful groupings of global wine regions are New World and Old World. What are the primary characteristics of each?
New World: Bolder flavors, emphasis on fruit and grape variety, more alcohol, less acidity, nd highlight the style of the winemaker.
Old World: More subtlety, lowe alcohol, higher acidity, earthier flavors, and less winemaker intervention with an emphasis on terroir instead.
