WSET D3 - Burgundy Flashcards

1
Q

What is the River that Chablis lies in?

A

River Serein.

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2
Q

What are Chablis wines like?

A

All wines are dry, most M bodied, M alcohol with General trend is for no or minimal oak flour, though fermentation and aging in oak can be used by some for premiers and grands crus.
mid-priced to premium with a few super-premium examples.

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3
Q

What has caused planting in Chablis shrank in the early 19th century?

A
  1. Phylloxera
    2.Powdery mildew
    3.Building of Paris-Lyons-Marseille railway

After: Rural depopulation after World War I and devastating frost of 1945.

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4
Q

What is the climate in Chablis like?

A

Continental with cold winters and warm summers. Because of cool northern location there is uncertainty about ripening and considerable vintage variation year to year.
Early ripening Chardonnay is an advantage,

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5
Q

What is the annual rainfall?

A

670 mm.
Spread throughout year making for moist climate and difficulties in period leading to harvest.

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6
Q

What are the main nature challenge in Chablis?

A

Spring frosts and hail storms.

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7
Q

What are the types of soils found here?

A

Limestone and clay soils, some has considerable amount fossilised seashells and is known as Kimmeridgian soils.

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8
Q

What are the options for managing spring frosts in Chablis?

A
  1. Smudge pots: smoky, cause air pollution, requires staff in vineyard.
  2. Sprinklers (aspersion), most popular. Installation and maintenance mean it is only a realistic option for vineyards with a good return on investment (premiers crus, grand cru) or for well-funded companies.
  3. Pruning choisis: later pruning promotes later bud-burst, reducing chance of damage to new buds from early spring frosts.
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9
Q

What rootstock is widely used in Chablis?

A

41B (vinifera × berlandieri) . Highly tolerant of limestone soils with a high PH.
420A (Riparia × berlandieri) popular for its low vigour and tolerance to high PH soils.

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10
Q

What is the most popular training system?

A

Double Guyot replacement cane training system. If one cane fails, the other may survive frost.

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11
Q

Is machine picking used in Chablis?

A

Yes. Although grand cru vineyards mostly too steep for mechanisation and generally picked by hand.

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12
Q

What are the location and soil types in Petit Chablis?

A

Higher, cooler vineyards, predominantly with Portlandian soils (hard limestone with less clay).
Mainly on flatland or gentle slopes

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13
Q

What are the location and soil types in Chablis?

A

Kimmeridgian soil and mixed aspects. Mainly on flatland or gentle slopes, varies aspect with many north-facing sites. Leads to light bodied wines, notable for high acidity, with light (Petit Chablis) to M (Chablis) intensity and green apple and lemon fruit.

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14
Q

What are the location and soil types in Chablis Premier Cru?

A

40 Premier Cru vineyards predominantly on south and south-east facing slopes of kimmeridgian soil. Some larger vineyards have specified named plots (lieux-dits) within them which can be labelled under their specific site (like Chablis Premier Cru Troêsmes) or under large climat they fall within (like Chablis Premier Cru Beauroy)

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15
Q

What is climat?

A

A climat is a named vineyard fixed in AOC legislation.

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16
Q

What is Lieu-dit?

A

A lieu-dit is a named piece of land in centralised land register.

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17
Q

What are the location and soil types in Chablis Grand Cru?

A

There is a single grand cru with 7 named vineyards (climat, including Les Clos and Vaudesir), face southwest, on right bank of river Serein, and is on Kimmeridgian soils. Mixture of crumbly marl with good drainage and high clay content for water retention contributes to higher quality.

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18
Q

What is the percentage of Chablis Grand cru production in terms of the region’s total production?

A

1%

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19
Q

The grand cru vineyards are benefited from shelter from?

A

Winds coming from north due to a belt of trees between it and adjacent Petit Chablis vineyards.

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20
Q

Is Chaptalisation used in Chablis?

A

Used regularly in all but warmest year.

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21
Q

Does it go through Malo and lees aging ?

A

Malo is common to soften acidity and wines may also spend some months on lees. to enhance texture.

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22
Q

Give an example of a producer who use old oak and a n example of new oak and an example of stainless steel or concrete.

A

Old oak: Dauvissat or Raveneau
New oak: William Fèvre
Stainless steel or concrete: Jean-Marc Brocard

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23
Q

What are the maximum yields for all the appellations in Chablis?

A

Petit Chablis AOC: 60hl/ha
Chablis AOC: 60hl/ha
Chablis Premier Cru AOC: 58hl/ha
Chablis Grand Cru AOC: 54hl/ha

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24
Q

What are the associations of wine producers in Chablis and what are the aims.

A
  1. William Fèvre - Le Syndicat de Défense de l’Appellation de Chablis (1993 )
    Aim: Combating fraud and addressing environmental issues.
  2. L’Union des Grands Crus de Chablis
    Aim: To promote the quality of Chablis Grand Cru and therefore limited to those who own grand cru sites.
    (Members must practice sustainable viticulture and harvest by hand.
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25
Q

Name 2 highly regarded producers who sell their wine at extremely high prices.

A

Francois Raveneau and Vincent Dauvissat.

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26
Q

What are the top 5 export countries?

A
  1. UK
  2. USA
  3. Japan
  4. Sweden
  5. Canada
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27
Q

In Côte d’Or what has provide protection from rainfall?

A

Morvan hills to west.

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28
Q

What’s the climate in Côte d’Or , Côte Chalonnaise and Mâconnais?

A

Moderate continental.

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29
Q

Whats the average rainfall here ?

A

700mm.
Climate of Mâconnais typically slightly drier and warmer than Côte d’Or.

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30
Q

What’s the priority for growers in the region?

A

Promoting ripeness of skins and seeds is priority here.

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31
Q

What is the main nature challenge here and what has exacerbated it?

A

1.Spring frost. Particularly acute as both PN and Chardonnay are early budding. Exacerbated by recent warmer than usual winters encourage earlier growth , making vine more vulnerable to frost.
2. Hail: April-May: damage to early growth of vine can reduce yields or even loss of crop. Later in season: Fruit damage, can lead to grey rot tainting wine. ( sorting table , anti-hail netting or seed thunderclouds with silver iodide to induce precipitation some distance from vineyards)
3. Rain: Flowering and Fruit set - Lowering yields and uneven ripening, threat of fungal diseases, dilution , increase chance of rot.
4. Drought-stress: berries shrivel or even vines shutdown . Irrigation not permitted, high clay content cope better.

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32
Q

What’s the elevation in Côte d’Or ?

A

200m - 400m.

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33
Q

What are the soil types here?

A

Côte de Nuits more dominated by limestone in mixture.
Côte de Beaune has more clay and soils are deeper.
Soil in Côte Chalonnainse and Mâconnais are mixed with range of limestones and clay,

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34
Q

What is the continuing problem about soils?

A

Even in gently sloping vineyards such as walled Clos de Vougeot. There are thinner soils at higher elevations and deeper ones at bottom of slopes. At top there is too little soil for vines to thrive. At bottom, drainage is poorer, soil is deeper with more clay, resulting greater fertility leads to more vigour with increased danger of shading, a factor contributes to less ripe grapes in these areas.

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35
Q

Describe Chardonnay.

A

A versatile variety , buds early (spring frosts), ripens early (cool region). high yields without loss of quality.
Grey rot, powdery mildew, millerandage and grapevine yellows. Can be grown in wide range soils and climates resulting range of styles. (top-quality grown on limestone/clay)
Cool climates: apple, pear, lemon and lime with wet stone notes, light to M body and high acidity.
Moderate climates: ripe citrus, melon and stone fruit, M to M+ body with M+ to high acidity.

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36
Q

Describe Pinot Noir.

A

Buds early (spring frost) , ripens early ( suitable in cool regions), yields must limited to produce quality wines. Delicate variety, prone to millerandage, downy and powdery mildew, botrytis bunch rot and fanleaf and leaf roll viruses.
In warm climates, tends to ripen too fast (reducing intensity of aromas) berries can shrivel and suffer from sunburn.
In Burgundy: strawberry, raspberry and red cherry with village wines and above having light, oak-derived flavours (smoke, clove), low to M tannins, M alcohol and high acidity. Can develop earth, game and mushroom notes with time in bottle.

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37
Q

What is the pruning and training methods commonly used here?

A

Cordon systems including Cordon de Royat. ( limits vigour and yields although high proportion old wood can harbour disease.
Guyot system - replacement-cane pruned with VSP
- Poussard-Guyot: Maintains same sap route from one year to next with pruning wounds only on upper part of cordon, reduce number of pruning wounds and decrease incidence of Esca and other trunk diseases. ( require skilled labour)

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38
Q

What is the typical planting densities?

A

8 - 10,000 vines per hectare.
Denser planting encourage root competition leads to better quality ( smaller berries with higher flavour intensity)

39
Q

What are the maximum yields?

A

regional appellation: 69hl/ha (red), 75hl/ha (white)
Village level: 40-45hl/ha (red) , 45-47hl/ha (white)
Some grand crus: 35hl/ha (red), 40hl/ha (white)

40
Q

What are the main diseases here?

A

Grape moths (pheromone capsules).
Powdery mildew, downy mildew, grey rot (canopy management and spraying) .
Grapevine yellow.
Esca and other trunk diseases.

41
Q

Is acidification or de-acidification permitted in white Burgundy ?

A

Yes.

42
Q

Is Chaptalisation permitted in white Burgundy?

A

Yes. Maximum enrichment is +1.5-2%.

43
Q

What are the common practices for white Burgundy ?

A

Hand harvested , sorted , whole bunch pressed (immediately rather than skin contact ), clarified, hyperoxidation (some)

44
Q

What is the fermentation like for White Burgundy?

A

Fermentation by ambient yeast is common (terroir expression).
Inexpensive to mid-priced: stainless steel or concrete, 16-18℃, aged in same or in older barrels.
More expensive wines: typically fermented, aged in barrel for creamier and rounder style. fermentation temperature around 20℃. Aged for 8-12M in barrel in contact with fine lees.

45
Q

What is the Burgundy standard oak cask called.

A

Pièce: 228 litres.

500-600 litres barrels are used by some producers too.

46
Q

Do the wines go through malo?

A

Depends but usually yes.

47
Q

What are the possible causes for ‘Premature oxidation’ or ‘Premox’?

A
  1. Changes in vineyard practices leading to higher yields and different chemical composition of grapes.
  2. Warmer vintages or later picking times.
  3. Use of over-clean musts resulting from use of pneumatic presses.
  4. Overzealous bâtonnage.
  5. Lower sulphur dioxide at bottling
  6. Quality of cork and changes in cork treatment before use.
48
Q

Who favoured destemmed fruit, brought a major change in attitude in Burgundy?

A

Henri Jayer.

49
Q

Because PN is low in anthocyanins what practice is commonly used?

A

Cold soaking. Few hours to few days to maximise extraction of colour.

50
Q

Why is it so important for the cap to be regularly broken up during fermentation? (remontage, pigéage)

A

Introduce oxygen (essential for yeast metabolism), avoid reduction and production of reductive sulphur compounds (PN is prone to reduction), avoid production of acetic acid, to extract colour, tannin and flavour from skins, regulate temperature in must (reaches 30℃ in healthy ferment).

51
Q

How long is red Burgundy normally aged for?

A

12-20M common for premium and super-premium wines, less expensive wines may aged for less than a year

52
Q

What is the classification based on ?

A

Terroir, factors as soil, aspect and microclimate.

53
Q

What is the four-tier hierarchy in the Côte d’Or?

A

1.Regional or generic appellation (eg: Bourgogne AOC, Bourgogne Hautes Côtes de Beaune AOC), Bourgogne Côte d’Or introduced in 2017.
2.Communal or village appellation (eg: Mersault AOC, Gevrey-Chambertin AOC)
3.Premier Cru (eg: Pommard Premier Cru Les Rugiens AOC, Vosne Romanée Premier Cru Aux Malconsorts AOC)
4.Grand Cru (eg: Richebourg Grand Cru AOC, Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru AOC

54
Q

How many appellations are there in Burgundy?

A

33 grands crus, 44 village and 7 regional appellations.
Each grand cru of Côte d’Or is an appellation in its own right.
640 premiers crus are additional geographical denomination related to a village, not appellation in their own right.

55
Q

If wine comes from more than one Premier cru vineyard, how will it be labelled?

A

Village + Premier Cru without a vineyard name.

56
Q

Many of the appellations can be followed by an additional geographical denomination, give some examples.

A

1.Regional appellation plus additional denomination that can be a general area (eg: Bourgogne Hautes-Côtes de Beaune AOC) or a village (eg: Bourgogne Chitry AOC)
2.Village appellation followed by name of premier cru vineyard, eg: Meursault Perrières AOC)
3.Mâcon + village name, eg: Mâcon Verzé AOC
4.Grand cru vineyards plus additional geographical denomination referring to a climat, eg: Chablis Grand Cru Valour AOC or Corton-Les Bressandes Grand Cru AOC.

57
Q

Why is classification system bot a guarantee of quality?

A

As a result of Napoleonic inheritance laws, majority of vineyards in Côte d’Or owned by more than one domaine hence range of quality from even a small appellation depends as much upon reputation and skill of domaine as reputation of vineyard.

58
Q

How is the classification in Côte d’Or reflects the location of the vineyards, including their position on the slopes?

A

1.Flat land beyond top of slope comes under generic appellations such as Hautes Côtes de Beaunes and Hautes Côtes de Nuits. (lack of protection from prevailing weather, poorer sunlight interception and richer soils encouraging vine vigour - less concentrated and structured than Côte d’Or and can struggle to ripen in cooler years.
2. Grand crus - mid-slope. Premiers crus often surrounding them. Full ripeness achieved even cooler years. (poor but adequate shallow soils, good drainage, protection from prevailing weather systems, good sunlight interception.
3. Lowest part of slope typically village Level. Soils richer and less well drained, fruit does not reach same ripeness, still very good quality and character.
4.Flat land at bottom of slope typically classified as generic appellation, Bourgogne.

59
Q

Summarise Gevrey-Chambertin AOC.

A

Red only. Largest village in Côte de Nuits. Grands crus also include Charmes Chambertin AOC and Chambertin Clos de Bèze AOC.

60
Q

Summarise Morey-Saint-Denis AOC.

A

Almost exclusively reds. grands crus include Clos de Tart AOC and Clos de la Roche AOC.

61
Q

Summarise Chambolle-Musigny AOC.

A

Reds only for village wine. Grands crus include Bonnes Mares and Musigny AOC

62
Q

Summarise Vougeot AOC.

A

Tiny village appellation for red and whites. Grands crus called Clos de Vougeot AOC and is much larger than village appellation.

63
Q

Summarise Vosne-Romanée AOC.

A

Reds only. Grands crus include number of most famous grand crus, including La Tâche AOC and Romanée-Conti AOC.

64
Q

Summarise Nuits-Saint-Georges AOC.

A

Almost exlusively reds. No grands crus but important premiers crus such as Les Saint-Georges and Les Vaucrains.

65
Q

As demand and prices risen and skill in grape growing and winemaking increased, focus also turned to other villages or more accessible priced wine. give some examples.

A

Marsannay (more red than rosé and white)
Fixin (mainly red).

66
Q

Summarise Aloxe-Corton AOC, Pernand-Vergelesses AOC and Ladoix-Serrigny AOC.

A

Mostly reds. The hill’s most famous vineyards, Corton Charlemagne Grand Cru AOC is exclusively white. The substantial Cordon Grand Cru AOC has many lieu-dits. Mostly planted with PN, but can produce Chardonnay.

67
Q

What are the villages who have no grand cru?

A

Beaune, Pommard, Volnay, Mersault and Saint-Aubin, but have many important premier crus.

68
Q

Summarise Beaune AOC.

A

Predominately reds.
Leading premiers crus include Le Clos des Couches and Les Grèves.

69
Q

Summarise Pommard AOC.

A

Reds only, most prestigious premiers crus include Les Rugiens and close des épeneaux.

70
Q

Summarise Volnay AOC.

A

Reds only, sought after premiers crus include Clos des Chênes and Les Caillerets.

71
Q

Summarise Mersault AOC.

A

Mostly white with well-known premiers cru including Perrières and Genevrières.

72
Q

Summarise Puligny-Montrachet AOC and Chassagne-Montrachet AOC.

A

Virtually all Puligny-Montrachet are white.
Chassagne-Montrachet: more white wine than red.
Between them stretch most celebrated white grands crus of Burgundy, including Le Montrachet AOC and Bâtard-Montrachet AOC.

73
Q

Summarise Saint-Aubin AOC.

A

Mostly whites, Leading premiers crus - Sur le Sentier du Clou and En Remilly.

74
Q

As in Côte de Nuits, next tier of village appellation has also become sought after including?

A

St Romain AOC (mainly white), Auxey-Duresses AOC (mainly red), and Santenay AOC (mainly red).

75
Q

Summarise The Côte Chalonnaise.

A

More red. Its regional Bourgogne Côte Chalonnaise AOC can offer good value and frequently labelled as Bourgogne AOC. Many Premier Cru, no Grand Cru.
Premier cru tend to be on warmest, south, south-east and east facing slopes ( good sunlight interception) with well-drained limestone soils, riper fruit and higher quality.

76
Q

Summarise Bouzeron AOC.

A

100% Aligoté, respected as finest region for Burgundy’s second white grape.

77
Q

Summarise Roully AOC.

A

More whites than reds, with premiers crus for both. just over 1/4 appellation is premier cru. Important for Crémant de Bourgogne.

78
Q

Summarise Mercurey AOC.

A

Largest producer of communal appellations in Côte Chalonnaise.
More reds. 1/4 classified as premier cru.

79
Q

Summarise Givry AOC.

A

mostly reds, over 40% premier cru.

80
Q

Summarise Montagny AOC.

A

Whites only. 2/3 classified as premier cru.

81
Q

Summarise The Mâconnais.

A

Mostly whites. Inexpensive regional wines often labelled simply as Bourgogne AOC.

82
Q

Summarise Mâcon AOC.

A

Predominately reds (or rosé), with small amount of white.

83
Q

Summarise Mâcon-Villages and Mâcon-plus nameds village.

A

eg: Mâcon-Lugny, Mâcon-Solutré,
Whites only.

84
Q

What are the named village appellations in Mâconnais ?

A

Pouilly-Fuissé AOC, Saint-Véran AOC and Viré-Clessé AOC along with much smaller Pouilly-Vinzelles AOC, Pouilly-Loché AOC are only separate appellations in Mâconnais, though more maybe added.
2020, Premier Cru status awarded to 22 climats in Pouilly-Fuissé.

85
Q

Why is Marsannay cooler than the rest of Côte d’Or?

A

Slops is gentler and less protection from cold winds coming from south-west.
Only village on Côte d’Or that includes option for a rosé within appellation and produces white, rosé and reds.

86
Q

The differences in appellations are subtle but consistent, give examples.

A

In red, Volnay and Chambolle-Musigny are fruitier and more fragrant where as Pommard and Gevery-Chambertin are fuller bodied.
In whites, Puligny-Montrachet is more floral and concentrated while Meursalt is full bodied and powerful.

87
Q

How did the wine trade go through historically and what has it moved towards to since 1980s?

A

Historically much of trade went through large négociants who would buy grapes, must, or finished wine from other growers. Since 1980s a move towards more domaine bottling.

88
Q

Give some names of well-known and well-regarded négociants.

A

Albert Bichot, Joseph Drouhin, Faiveley, Louis Jabot and Bouchard Pére et Fils.

89
Q

Since 2000s has seen the rise of domaines who also act as négociant such as?

A

Dujac.
Bottles wine made from their own vineyards as Doamine Dujac and wine from purchased fruit or bought in wine simply as Dujac Fils et Père.

90
Q

What’s micro-négociant and give an example.

A

Smaller businesses buy grapes from very good to top quality vineyards, make wines and sell them under own name.
eg: Benjamin Leroux .

91
Q

Give one factor that has led to a significant rise in quality.

A

Many young winemakers now both better trained technically and have often travelled and made wine more widely.

92
Q

Where are the main exports countries?

A

50% in France.
25% EU States and 25% outside EU.
Largest by value are USA, UK and Japan.

93
Q

What has cause the land prices in Burgundy increasing ?

A

1.Scarcity of supply
2.Foreign buyers of wine businesses added pressure on land prices.
3.Increasing world demand
4.Relatively small production
5.Dramatic differences in volumes produced due to weather hazards.