Wines of Burgundy and the Rhone Valley Flashcards
Burgundy variety
Monovarietal; long and thin
Same as Alsace
Why is burgundy special?
- It is all about the land and not about the brand
- Mono-varietal
Comparison between burgundy and Bordeaux
Burgundy
- It is all about the land and not the brand
- Mono-varietal
Bordeaux
- It is all about the brand and not the land
- Blend
GV of Vouvray
Chenin Blanc
GV in Muscadet
Muscadet and Melon de Bourguignon
France is associated with ___ in Alsace
Reisling
Sancerre is __ part of Loire Valley
Eastern
Climate in Burgundy
Continental with potential for frost, hail, and heavy rains at the wrong time of year
Causes differences in vintage quality from year to year and even village to village
Vintage effects ____
prices
History of Burgundy
Wine production most likely predates the arrival of the Romans in 51 BC
910 Benedictines built Abbey at Cluny
1098 Cistercians at Citeaux
1336 Clos de Vougeot
The Walls (CLOS)
Monoclo - single owner
- Usually has several different owners
Cote de Beaune
lots of producer
How to identify the growers
Domaine = estate –> grow the grape, pick and press the grapes
Negociant wines will state on the label:
- Mis en bouteilles par - bottled by the firm
- Mis en Bouteille dans nos caves - bottled in our cellar
- Negociant would buy grapes/wines and sell it
What are the roles of the big name Negociants
- These firms own some vineyards and make some Domaine produced wine
- They also play a vital function for the many small growers in Burgundy who do not own enough vineyards to market their own wine commercially
- Can be better than some of the domains
What type of wine dominates Burgundy?
White wines
Maximum permitted yields
- Regional Yield 60 hl/ha = 605 Cases
- Village Yield 50 hl/ha = 550 Cases
- Premier Cru 45 hl/ha = 495 Cases
- Grand Cru 35 hl/ha = 385
What wine laws does Burgundy follow?
Burgundy comes under the Appellation d’Origine Controlee (AOC) laws
How many AOC laws are there in total for the region?
100
What is Burgundy’s classification of wines based on?
Rating of the vineyards
Classification and production
Grand Cru - 33 Vineyards = 1.4% of Production
Premier Cru - 562 Vineyards = 10.1% of Production
Village or Commune Wines 55 Communes = 36.8% of Proudction
Regional wine sub region - 51.7% of Production
AOC Bourgogne
51.7% - The lower level of classification within Burgundy proper for Chardonnay and Pinot Noir is a simple regional wine
These wines can be made from grapes coming from any and all parts or Burgundy except Beaujolais
Commune or Village
36.8% - Enjoyable wines which possess the characteristics associated with the village
Classification
Recognized certain “climats” or vineyards that consistently yield grapes which produce great wines
Premier Cru (first growth) 10.1% - Excellent wines well above the average for a commune (village) wine
Grand Cru (great growth) 1.4% - The best vineyard sites
Decoding a Burgundy label
- Regional - no designated sub-region
- Regional wine macon - villages
- Chambolle -Musigny: Village only = village wine
Grapes can be sourced from ______
47 different villages
Village + Vineyard =
Premier Cru wine
Chambolle + Musigny
Premier Cru
Vineyard only =
Grand Cru ( the best)
The village name Chambolle disappears
Burgundy: White grape varieties
Chardonnay 46%
Aligote 6%