Burgundy

Question 1

What is the climate of Burgundy?

Answer 1

The overall climate is Continental.

It ranges from:
cool Continental in north (Chablis)
moderate Continental in south (Chalonnaise + Mâconnais)

Question 2

What are the 2 main grape varieties of Burgundy?

Answer 2

White: Chardonnay
Red: Pinot Noir

Question 3

What are 2 other grapes grown in Burgundy?

Answer 3

Gamay
Aligoté

Question 4

What 3 climatic hazards does Burgundy experience?

Answer 4

・Rain around flowering in early summer and harvest later in the year (which can cause rot).
・Springtime frost
・Summer hail storms

Question 5

Which Burgundian grape is particularly susceptible to grey rot?

Answer 5

Pinot Noir

Question 6

Where are vineyards located?
・village-level
・Premier cru or Grand cru villages

Answer 6

・Village-level
Flat sites or at the bottom of slopes.

・Premier cru or Grand cru villages
Mid-slope (Less prone to frost than those on flat land)
・Grand Cru = South or east facing exposure (Protection from prevailing westerly winds)

Question 7

Soils in Burgundy

Answer 7

Hillsides = Shallower with better drainage

Flat Land = Deeper and more fertile

Question 8

Pinot Noir from Burgundy
4,5,7,8,12

Answer 8

4 High acidity
5 Low-medium tannins
7 Red fruit
8 Barrel aging (Better quality = New oak). Earth, game and mushroom as matures
12 Use of whole bunches

Question 9

Which grape dominates the vineyard area in Burgundy?

Answer 9

Chardonnay
Nearly half the total vineyard area.

Question 10

Chardonnay
Northern and Southern

Answer 10

North (Chablis) = Lean, steely, high acid wines

South (Macon) = Full-bodied, riper-fruited wines

Question 11

Technique of premium Chardonnay in Burgundy

Answer 11

・Barrel fermentation
・Barrel aging (six to nine months)
・Malolactic convention
・Use of lees during maturation

Question 12

What is premature oxidation?

Answer 12

In the early aughts, many white Burgundy wines (Chardonnay) started aging faster than normal and no one was or has been able to explain why it happened.

It continues to be an issue.

Question 13

What are the main regions (areas of production) in Burgundy?

Answer 13

From north to south:

Chablis
Côte d’Or: Côte de Nuits/Côte de Beaune
Côte Chalonnaise
Mâconnais
Beaujolais (technically part of Burgundy)

Question 14

What is the river that runs through the heart of Chablis?

Answer 14

The Serein River

Question 15

How is village level Chablis different from Chablis 1er Cru and Chablis Grand Cru in respect to exposure and location?

Answer 15

Village level Chablis vineyards
・Face north
・Located on slopes and flatter land

Chablis 1er + Grand Cru vineyards ・/
・Face south
・Located on hillsides

Question 16

Less important vineyards in Chablis are classified as _____.

Answer 16

Petit Chablis

These vineyards are in less favorable areas.

Question 17

What is the main weather hazard in Chablis?

Answer 17

Frost

Question 18

How do Chablis producers combat spring frost?

Answer 18

・Sprinklers
・Heaters

Question 19

What is the only grape variety allowed in Chablis AOP?

Answer 19

Chardonnay

Question 20

Which grape dominates the vineyard area in Burgundy?

Answer 20

Chardonnay
Nearly half the total vineyard area.

Question 20

Which Chablis classification is most likely going to see oak?

Answer 20

Chablis Grand Cru and Premier Cru (Sometimes) are fermented in old oak.

Question 20

The Massif Central runs along which side of the Côte d’Or: the east side or west side?

What does this provide the Côte d’Or?

Answer 20

West side

This allows the Côte d’Or to have east and southeast-facing hillside vineyards.

Question 21

Generally speaking, Pinot Noirs from the Côte de Nuits tend to be ____ while Pinot Noirs from the Côte de Beaune tend to be ____.

Answer 21

fullest-bodied, longest-lived

fruitier style

Question 22

All red Grand Crus in Burgundy, except one, are made in the Côte de ____.
All white Grand Crus in Burgundy, except one, are made in the Côte de ____.

Answer 22

Côte de Nuits
Côte de Beaune

Question 23

List 4 important villages of the Côte de Nuits.

Answer 23

North to south: Gevrey-Chambertin Vougeot Vosne-Romanée Nuits-Saint-Georges

Question 24

What are 7 key villages of the Côte de Beaune? Which are known for red wines and which are known for white wines?

Answer 24

Villages best known for red wines ・Aloxe-Corton AOP ・Beaune AOP ・Pommard AOP ・Volnay AOP Villages best known for white wines ・Meursault AOP ・Puligny-Montrachet AOP ​・Chassagne-Montrachet AOP

Question 25

Name Puligny-Montrachet’s and Chassagne-Montrachet’s most famous Grand Cru.

Answer 25

Montrachet The two communes share this Grand Cru.

Question 26

Name Aloxe-Corton’s 2 famous Grand Crus.

Answer 26

Corton Corton-Charlemagne

Question 27

Name Gevrey-Chambertin’s 2 most famous Grand Crus.

Answer 27

Chambertin Chambertin-Clos de Bèze

Question 28

Name Vosne-Romanée’s 3 most famous Grand Crus.

Answer 28

Romanée-Conti La Romanée La Tâche

Question 29

What is the main difference between Côte de Nuits-Villages and Côtes de Beaune-Villages?

Answer 29

Côte de Nuits-Villages can be red or white. Côtes de Beaune-Villages can be red only.

Question 30

Stylistically, how are Bourgogne Hautes-Côtes de Nuits and Bourgogne Hautes-Côtes de Beaune different from Côte de Nuits-Villages and Côte de Beaune-Villages?

Answer 30

Bourgogne HCdNuits + Bourgogne HCdBeaune tend to be lighter in body and less concentrated than CdN-Villages and CdB-Villages. This is primarily because the vineyards designated as Hautes-Côtes are planted at higher elevation, where the temperature is cooler and the vines are more exposed to wind.

Question 31

Where is the Côte Châlonnaise?

Answer 31

Directly south of the Côte de Beaune.

Question 31

What is the only grape variety allowed in Chablis AOP?

Answer 31

Chardonnay

Question 31

Is harvest in Côte Chalonnaise before or after the Côte d’Or’s?

Answer 31

AFTER because Chalonnaise is higher in altitude​. They are ripening less reliable. = Wines are lighter and tend to mature earlier.

Question 31

Name the main villages of the Côte Chalonnaise.

Answer 31

From north to south: Rully Mercurey Givry Montagny

Question 31

Is Rully AOP better known for its white or red wines?

Answer 31

Whites, but it does make some reds. It's an important centre for the production of sparkling wines.

Question 31

Which AOP in Côte Chalonnaise produces white wine only?

Answer 31

Montagny

Question 31

What is the regional AOP of the Côte Chalonnaise?

Answer 31

Bourgogne Côte Chalonnaise AOP Applies to all wines made on the Cote Chalonnaise from Pinot Noir for red, and Chardonnay for white.

Question 31

What are the AOPs in the Côte Châlonnaise best known for their production of red wines?

Answer 31

Mercurey AOP Givry AOP

Question 32

What is the most widely planted grape variety in the Mâconnais?

Answer 32

Chardonnay

Question 33

Red grape variety in Maconnais?

Answer 33

Gamay Pinot Noir (Only some)

Question 34

What styles of wine are produced under the Mâcon AOP?

Answer 34

Red and white wines

Question 35

What is the only style allowed to be made in Mâcon Villages?

Answer 35

White wine only

Question 36

What are 3 key appellations of the Mâconnais? Which two are its most famous?

Answer 36

・Saint-Véran AOP ・Pouilly-Fuissé AOP ・Mâcon AOP/Mâcon-Villages AOP

Question 37

Mâconnais Locations Direction

Answer 37

Planted on the limestone slopes of the Roche De Solutre with east and south-east exposures. = help produce some of the richest and ripest Chardonnays in Burgundy, which are often complemented by toasty oak flavours.