WSET D3 - Beaujolais Flashcards
What is the climate in Beaujolais ?
Continental. Slight warmer than rest of Burgundy, adequate rainfall (740mm).
Saone River act as a moderator of extreme temperatures.
Mistral winds can affect flowering in cold, damp early summer weather and damage leaves and grapes (Gamay has thin skins)
What types of soils are found here ?
Northern part (Beaujolais Cru AOCs and Beaujolais-Villages AOC) is hilly (200-500m) has fast-draining granite, schist and sandy soils.
Describe the grape variety Gamay Noir.
Early budding (spring frost)
Vulnerable to millerandage and rot in cold, damp and windy conditions and to wind.
Early ripening.
Different nuances depending on topography and soil, giving varying tannins and fruitiness.
Productive, yields need to be controlled, reducing number of buds.
How is the vine trained?
Traditionally as bushes (protection from wind) still used on steep slopes.
Increasingly trained on trellises to aid mechanisation (especially inexpensive wines)
How is picking carry out?
Mostly by hand (whole bunches required).
Where is chardonnay mainly found in Beaujolais?
North Beaujolais bordering Mâcon Villages appellation.
Does best on cooler marl or limestone soils that slow down ripening, preserve acidity.
Describe the winemaking process for Beaujolais wines.
Majority by semi-carbonic maceration.
Chaptalisation common.
4-5 days maceration for Beaujolais and Beaujolais-Villages.
6-9 days maceration for very good quality Beaujolais-Villages.
10-20 days for Cru Beaujolais wines. Alternatively destemmed and crushed. Followed by fermentation and maceration on skin like normal reds. May be oak aged, sometimes referred to Burgundian style.
Beaujolais has become a centre for low intervention winemaking, give 2 examples.
Négociant Jules Chauvet (Pioneers of French nature wine movement).
Winemaker Marcel Lapierre.
Summarise Beaujolais Nouveau.
Can be labelled Beaujolais Nouveau AOC or Beaujolais-Villages Nouveau AOC depending on where fruit is grown.
Can be sold easier from 3rd Thursday in November.
Carbonic or semi-carbonic maceration, bottled 3-5 days after fermentation. Malo depends on producer, finning and sterile filtration are common, moderate to high use of SO2 (especially if no malo)
Summarise Beaujolais AOC.
Covering whole area but vineyards are in south of region.
60 hl/ha max - some low intensity.
Can sold from mid-January year after harvest.
Good quality and inexpensive.
Summarise Beaujolais-Villages AOC.
Higher ripeness in northern half of Beaujolais.
58 hl/ha.
An individual village name may be put on label if grapes sourced from that village.
Typically purple in colour with M intensity fresh cherry, raspberry, red plum fruit (often with kirsch, banana from semi-carbonic maceration), m+ to high acidity, light to m- body, m alcohol and light to m tannins,
Good to very good, inexpensive to mid-priced.
Some top producers working organically with old vines, low intervention, may aged in oak, m+ to pronounced intensity, M tannins. Very good to outstanding, premium and super-premium priced.
Which 2 Crus are significantly larger than others?
Brouilly and Morgon.
Brouilly AOC.
Most southern, marginally warm area, lighter more perfumed style.
Chiroubles AOC.
Highest altitude, lighter and fragrant wines with marked acidity.
Fleurie AOC.
Southern part has sandy soils - lighter, more fragrant wine.
Northern part next to Moulin-à-Vent has more clay, wines heavier, lower acidity and more full-bodied.
