France - Burgundy - Beaujolais

Question 1

What is the main grape variety (incl. percentage)?

Answer 1

Gamay (98%)

Question 2

What is the quantity compared to the rest of Burgundy?

Answer 2

Similar volume than the rest of Burgundy together

Question 3

What two other styles of wines are produced?

Answer 3

• Tiny amount of rosé (Gamay)
• Tiny amount of white (mainly Chardonnay)

Question 4

How is the climate? How compared to Burgundy?

Answer 4

• Continental
• Slightly warmer than Burgundy

Question 5

What is the avg. yearly rainfall?

Answer 5

740mm

Question 6

What are two factors that influence the climate? In what way?

Answer 6

• Saone River -> moderating influence
• Cold Mistral wind -> cooling influence

Question 7

What effect can the cold Mistral wind have on grape growing?

Answer 7

• Can affect flowering in cold, damp early summer weather
• Can damage leaves and grapes towards the end of the ripening period

Question 8

What can be done to mitigate the risks of the cold Mistral wind?

Answer 8

• Vine orientation
• Training low to the ground

Question 9

What are the three classifications? (descending in quality)

Answer 9

• Beaujolais Cru
• Beaujolais-Villages
• Beaujolais

Question 10

Describe the location, topography, and soils for Beaujolais Cru and Beaujolais-Villages

Answer 10

• Northern part
• Hilly (200–500 m)
• Fast-draining granite, schist and sandy soils
• South and south-east facing slopes

Question 11

Describe the location, topography, and soils for Beaujolais AOC

Answer 11

• Southern part
• Richer soil
• Flatter

Question 12

Gamay
What is the budding/ripening time?

Answer 12

• Early budding -> spring frost
• Early ripening -> early harvest

Question 13

Gamay
What is it susceptible to?

Answer 13

• Spring frost
• Millerandage
• Rot (delicate skin)
• Wind

Question 14

Gamay
On what does the style depend on?

Answer 14

Ripeness of grapes (incl. skins and seeds)

Question 15

Gamay
Describe a fully ripe and less-ripe wine

Answer 15

• Fully ripe: Intense fruit character
• Less ripe: Green leafy character

Question 16

Gamay
What is important to produce concentrated ripe grapes?

Answer 16

Yield control, e.g., restrain number of buds

Question 17

Gamay
How were vines traditionally trained, why, and where is it still done like that?

Answer 17

• Bushes
• Protection from wind
• Steeper slopes

Question 18

Gamay
How are vines increasingly trained and why?

Answer 18

Trained on trellises to aid mechanization

Question 19

Gamay
How is harvest conducted and why?

Answer 19

• By hand
• Whole bunch fermentation is common

Question 20

What other variety is planted, where, and on what soil does it grow best?

Answer 20

• Chardonnay
• North of Beaujolais, close to Mâcon villages
• Cooler marl or limestone soil to slow down ripening and preserve acidity

Question 21

Winemaking
Describe the typical Beaujolais and Beaujolais-Villages (method, chaptalisation, time on skins, aim, blending, ageing, profile, aromas)

Answer 21

• Mostly semi-carbonic maceration
• Chaptalisation is common
• 4-5 days on skins
• Aim: enhance fruitiness and depth of color -> ready for early consumption
• Press wine is blended with free-run wine for added color and tannins
• Short ageing in stainless steel and released early -> reducing costs
• Red fruit and kirsch, banana, and blueberry

Question 22

Winemaking
What are the two options for Cru Beaujolais in terms of skins contact?

Answer 22

• Extended maceration time (10–20 days)
• Destemmeing, crushing, and maceration like a normal red wine

Question 23

Winemaking
Describe Cru Beaujolais that are made as normal red wines in terms of ageing, color, body, and tannin.

Answer 23

• Ageing in small or large barrels (some new oak)
• Deeper color
• Fuller body
• Higher tannin

Question 24

Beaujolais Nouveau
How can the wines be labelled?

Answer 24

• Beaujolais Nouveau
• Beaujolais-Villages Nouveau

Question 25

**Beaujolais Nouveau** Describe the winemaking process (maceration, ageing, malo, fining, filtration, SO2, release date)

Answer 25

* **Carbonic or semi-carbonic maceration** * Bottled **3–5 days** after fermentation * Some do malolactic conversion * Commonly fined and sterile filtered * Moderate to high use of SO2 * Third Thursday in November (VERY early)

Question 26

**Beaujolais** What is the max yield and what does it mean for the final wines?

Answer 26

* 60 hL/ha * Low flavor intensity

Question 27

**Beaujolais** Describe the quality and price of the wines

Answer 27

* Good quality * Inexpensive

Question 28

**Beaujolais-Villages** Why are these wines better than normal Beaujolais?

Answer 28

Higher level of ripeness

Question 29

**Beaujolais-Villages** What is the max yield?

Answer 29

58 hL/ha

Question 30

**Beaujolais-Villages** Where is it located?

Answer 30

In the north, alongside the ten single crus

Question 31

**Beaujolais-Villages** Describe the typical style (color, intensity, aromas, acidity, body, alcohol, tannins, quality, price)

Answer 31

* Purple * Medium intensity * Fresh red cherry, raspberry, red plum (often kirsch and banana aromas) * Medium(+) to high acidity * Light to medium(–) body * Medium alcohol * Light to medium tannins * Good to very good quality * Inexpensive to mid-priced

Question 32

**Beaujolais-Villages / Cru** How are the wines from top producers different? (vineyard, ageing, intensity, tannins, quality, price)

Answer 32

* Often organic with old vines * May be aged in oak * Medium(+) to pronounced intensity * Medium tannins * Very good to outstanding quality * Premium and (for Beaujolais Crus) super-premium priced

Question 33

**Beaujolais Crus** How many are there and what is their rough size?

Answer 33

* 10 * 250-1,300 ha

Question 34

**Beaujolais Crus** Name the 5 most important Crus

Answer 34

* Brouilly * Chiroubles * Fleurie * Moulin-à-Vent * Morgon

Question 35

**Beaujolais Crus** Describe specifics and the style of wines from Brouilly

Answer 35

* Most southern * Warmer * Lighter, more perfumed wines

Question 36

**Beaujolais Crus** Describe specifics and the style of wines from Chiroubles

Answer 36

* Highest altitude * Lighter and fragrant wines * High acidity

Question 37

**Beaujolais Crus** Describe specifics and the style of wines from Fleurie

Answer 37

* South: sandy soils -> lighter, more fragrant wine * North: more clay -> lower acidity and fuller body

Question 38

**Beaujolais Crus** Describe specifics and the style of wines from Moulin-à-Vent

Answer 38

* Most powerful and long-lived wines * Closer in style to Côte d’Or red wines

Question 39

**Beaujolais Crus** Describe specifics and the style of wines from Morgon

Answer 39

* Pronounced intensity black cherry fruit alongside red fruit * Sufficient tannins to age for a decade in bottle

Question 40

Why are Burgundy growers interested in the region and what effects did it have?

Answer 40

* Land prices are cheaper * Looking to diversify * Helped drive quality * Trend away from carbonic maceration and the increased use of oak

Question 41

**Wine Business** How much is exported?

Answer 41

40%

Question 42

**Wine Business** What are the top 3 export markets?

Answer 42

* Japan * USA * UK

Question 43

**Wine Business** What is the avg. size of holdings?

Answer 43

10 ha

Question 44

**Wine Business** How much wine is produced as Nouveau?

Answer 44

25%