Ch. 3 – Burgundy

Question 1

Classic expression of Chablis

Answer 1

Dry, medium body

Medium alcohol

Zesty, green apple, lemon

no or minimum oak (some oak in Premier and Grand cru)

Question 2

Chablis climate

Answer 2

Continental - cold winters, warm summers
(uncertainty about ripening and vintage variation)

Average rainfall 670mm (spread through the year)
(high threat of fungal diseases)

Vulnerable to spring frost and hail storms

Question 3

Soil type in Chablis

Answer 3

Kimmeridgian soil
- high proportion of fossilized seashells

Limestone and clay

Question 4

Ways to manage frost risk in Chablis

Answer 4

Smudge pots
- air polution, staff required

Sprinklers ‘aspersion’
- instalation and maintenance costs
- For well founded wineries or valuable lands

Pruning late - delays bud burst

Question 5

Vineyard management in Chablis

Answer 5

Rootstocks that are tolerant to limestone and high pH

double Guyot replacement cane is typical
- one cane fails, other one survives frost

higher yields than Cote d’Or
- but high vintage variation due to frost and hail

Mostly machine harvested
- Grand cru usually by hand (steep vineyards)

Question 6

Chablis hierarchy

Answer 6

Petit Chablis
Chablis
Chablis Premier Cru
Chablis Grand Cru

Question 7

Petit Chablis

Answer 7

typically higher, cooler sites

predominantly Portlandian soils (hard limestone with less clay)

Question 8

Chablis

Answer 8

Kimmeridgian soil and mixed aspects
- usually flat or gentle slopes
- many north facing slopes

Light bodied, high acidity, light to med intensity, apple and lemon fruit

Question 9

Chablis Premier Cru

Answer 9

40 named vineyards

Predominantly on south and south-east facing slopes with Kimmeridgian soil

Some vineyards have named plots (lieux-dits)
- can be labelled with specific site name
(Chablis 1er Cru Troesmes)
- or larger climat
(Chablis 1er Cru Beauroy)

Question 10

Difference between climat and lieu-dit

Answer 10

Climat
- Named vineyard fixed in AOC legislation

Lieu-dit
- Named piece of land in the centralised land register
- usually within climats

Question 11

Chablis Grand Cru

Answer 11

One Grand Cru with 7 named vineyards (climats)
(Les Clos, Vaudésir)
- facing south-west on the right bank of Serein
- Kimmeridgian soil (crumbly marl with good drainage and high clay for water retention)
- aspect promotes ripening - greater weight and concentration
- mid slope

1% of production

Question 12

Why are Premier and Grand cru vineyards in Chablis on south facing mid slopes?

Answer 12

Better drainage
Protection from frost
Better light interception
- riper fruit
Sheltered from northern winds

Question 13

Chablis winemaking

Answer 13

Chaptalization allowed (within limits) and quite regularly used

Ferment in stainless with storage in stainless or concrete for few months

Malo is common (soften acidity)

Few months on lees to enhance texture

Oak is usually not desirable (some Grand and Premier Cru is fermented/aged in wood)

Question 14

Wine law and regulations - Chablis

Answer 14

Only Chardonnay allowed

max yield
- Petit Chablis and Chablis 60 hl/ha
- Chablis Premier Cru 58 hl/ha
- Chablis Grand Cru 54 hl/ha

Question 15

Wine business in Chablis

Answer 15

1/3 of production made by La Chablisienne

Many negociants also own their own vineyards

2/3 are exported - UK mainly, USA, Japan

Producers: William Fevre, Jean-Marc Brocard

Question 16

Burgundy climate

Answer 16

Moderate continental
- short warm summers, cold winters

Rainfall around 700mm (dry autumn)
- moderated by protection from Morvan Hills (west)
-protection is greatest from Gevrey-Chambertin to Nuits-St-George, leading to greater ripeness in that area
-Maconnais slightly drier and warmer

Hazards:
- Frost (north) - early budding Chard and Pinot
- Hail (netting is permitted, seeding clouds with silver iode to induce precipation further from vineyards)
- Untimely rain fall
- Drought (irrigation is not permitted)
- Erosion

Question 17

Burgundy topography

Answer 17

Range of hills oriented north-south 200-400m

Best sites are mid slope
- well drained, shallow soil
- optimal sunshine
- frost protection

Top of the slope
- poor, thin soils
- exposed to wind

Bottom of the slope
- deeper soils
- vulnerable to frost

Cooler sites planted with Aligote or producing Cremant de Bourgogne

Question 18

Soils in Burgundy

Answer 18

Various types of limestone and clay

Cote de Nuits - dominated by limestone

Cote de Beaune - more clay and deeper soils

Chalonnaise and Maconnais - mixed limestone and clay

Depth of soil is varying significantly due to erosion

Question 19

Chardonnay

Answer 19

Early budding (spring frost)
Early ripening

Relatively high yields without quality loss
- canopy management to promote quality in Burgundy

Prone to grey rot, powedery mildew, millerandage and grapevine yellows

Can be grown on wide range of soils and climates
- top quality grown on limestone/clay

Question 20

Pinot Noir

Answer 20

Buds early (spring frost)
Ripens early

Yields must be managed to produce quality wines

Delicate and prone to millerandage, downy and powdery mildew, botrytis, fan leaf and leafroll virus

In warm climate tends to ripen too fast
- berries can shrivel and sun burn
- Burgundy concern is full ripeness - skins, pipes

Clones from University of Burgundy in Dijon
- planting single or various clones (more resistance to disease)
- some use mass selection

Question 21

Pruning systems in Burgundy

Answer 21

Some are cordon-trained
- limits vigour, high proportion of old wood can harbor disease

Traditionally Guyot (making a comeback)
- Replacement cane with VSP

Poussard-Guyot
- maintains same sap route from one year to next
- pruning wounds only on the upper part of cordon
- reduces wounds (less Esca and trunk diseases)
- requires skilled labour

Question 22

Planting densities in Burgundy

Answer 22

around 8-10,000 vines per hectare

encouraging root competition
- better quality fruit
- smaller berries - more intensity

Question 23

Yield management in Burgundy

Answer 23

Winter pruning

De-budding
- promoting balance
- reducing yield early in season (threat of bad weather)

Green harvesting
- assessing quality/quantity of grapes first
- taking weather events into account
- can lead to compensation (excessive growth, dilution)

Question 24

Maximum yields in Burgundy

Answer 24

Regional
- moderate to high

Village
- red 40-45 hl/ha
- white 45-47 hl/ha

Grand Cru
- red 35 hl/ha
- white 40 hl/ha

Max yields vary depending on the specific appellation

Question 25

Organic and biodynamic challenges in Burgundy

Answer 25

Climate makes it a challenge

Many vineyards are shared
- minimum area to be implenented
- friction between growers

Question 26

Disease and pest control in Burgundy

Answer 26

Grape moths - pheromone capsules

Fungal diseases - canopy management and spraying

Grapevine yellows, Esca, and trunk diseases are recent issues

Question 27

Harvest directions in Burgundy

Answer 27

Timing is critical

Weather changes fast in autumn

Mostly picked by hand

Workforce is major consideration

Question 28

Acidification and de-acidification in Burgundy

Answer 28

Permitted within EU limits but rarely practiced

Question 29

Chaptalization in Burgundy

Answer 29

Common practice but recent warm temperatures lower the need for it

Max +1.5 - 2%

Question 30

White winemaking in Burgundy

Answer 30

Mostly hand harvested, sorted

Whole bunches pressed (help to drain) usually immediately (no skin contact)

High quality - filtered by sedimentation (levels of soilds vary)

Some use hyperoxidation

Ambient yeast are common, particularly for higher-quality

Stainless or concrete (lower quaity) mid range temperature - preserving fruit, avoiding banana (cold) Aged in same or older barrels

Higher quality - fermented and aged in barrel (16-20’)
Aged for 8-12 months in barrel with lees contact. Proportion of new barrels
- village 20-25% new
- premier cru 30-50% new
- Grand Cru 50% and more

Malo is very common (may be once or twice stirred)

Filtered more often than red wines

Question 31

Standardly used size of barrels in Burgundy

Answer 31

228 Piece (burgundy barrel)

some use 500-600l

Question 32

Red winemaking in Burgundy

Answer 32

Has to be treated carefully to not overwhelm fruit

Sorting is common for all but least expensive wines

Whole bunch or destemmed
- stems add perfume, freshness
- some use a proportion of whole bunches

Low in anthocyanins - cold soak (hours or days)

Mostly ambient yeast

Usually small open top vessels
- pumping over
- punching down
- avoiding reduction (Pinot Noir is prone to it)
- avoiding acetic acid
- promoting colour, tanin, flavor

Ferment up to 30’
Post-ferment maceration depends on fruit and style

Pneumatic or basket press (Free run kept separate)

Usual 228 Piece for maturation 12-20 months (premium)
- higher % of new oak in Premier and Grand Cru

Malo usually spontaneous in spring

Premium usually not filtered

Question 33

Vineyard classification in Burgundy is based on:

Answer 33

Soil, aspect and microclimate, position on the slope (i.e. terroir)

Question 34

Labelling term for Grand Cru vineyards in Burgundy

Answer 34

Name of Grand Cru

Village does not appear on label

Question 35

When is wine labelled ‘Village + Premier Cru’ without vineyard name in Burgundy?

Answer 35

If grapes come from more than one premier cru vineyard

Question 36

Appellations in Burgundy can be followed by additional geographical denomination, such as:

Answer 36

Regional appellation + additional geographical denomination which can be:
- General area (Bourgonge Haut-Cotes de Beaune)
- or village (Bourgogne Chitry)

Village appellation followed by name of premier cru vineyards
- Meursault Perrieres AOC

Macon + village name
- Macon Verze AOC

Grand Cru vineyard + additional geographical demonimation referring to a climat
- Chablis Grand Cru Valmur AOC

Question 37

Appellations in Cotes de Nuits

from north to south

Answer 37

Specializes in Pinot Noir

Gevrey-Chambertin (fuller bodied red)
Morey-Saint-Denis (red)
Chambolle-Musigny (fruity, fragrant red)
Vougeot (red and white)
Vosne-Romanee (red)
Nuits-Saint-Georges (red)

Question 38

Cote de Beaune appellations

from north to south

Answer 38

Important for white wine (one grand cru for red wine)

Aloxe-Corton AOC, Pernand- Vergelesses AOC, and Ladoix-Serrigny AOC
— around the hill of Corton
— mainly red
— includes Corton-Charlemagne GC (white) and Corton GC (red and white)

Beaune AOC (red and white)
Pommard AOC (fuller bodied red)
Volnay AOC (fruity, fragrant red)
Meursault AOC (full bodied, powerful white)
Puligny-Montrachet AOC (perfumed, concentrated white)
Chassagne-Montrachet AOC (white)
Saint-Aubin AOC (white)

Question 39

Cote Chalonnaise

+ appellations

Answer 39

Produces more red than white

Regional wines usually just labelled as ‘Bourgogne AOC’

Number of premier crus but no grand cru

Bouzeron AOC (100% Aligote)
Rully AOC (white and red)
Mercurey AOC (white and red)
Givry AOC (red)
Montagny AOC (white)

Question 40

Maconnais appellations

Answer 40

mostly white wines

Macon AOC (predominantly red)

Macon-Villages or Macon+named village (Macon-Lugny)
- white wine only

Named village appellaions
- Pouilly-Fuisse AOC (contains premier cru vineyards)
- Saint-Veran AOC
- Vire-Clesse AOC

Question 41

Division of organisations in Burgundy

Answer 41

Growers

Domaines

Negociants

Micro-negociants
- small businesses, buy grapes from top vineyards, make wine and sell under their label (Benjamin Leroux)

Cooperatives (important in Chablis and Maconnais)

Question 42

Wine business in Burgundy

Answer 42

50% sold in France
25% in EU
25% rest (US, UK)

Traditionally, most wine was bottled/sold by large negociants
- trend toward domaine bottling
- direct-to-consumer sales increasing

En Primeur, specialist wine shops, fine dining

Question 43

Raise in prices in Burgundy due to:

Answer 43

High land prices

Increased demand

Small production and vintage variation