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WSET Level 4 - D3 > France - Burgundy - Beaujolais > Flashcards

France - Burgundy - Beaujolais Flashcards

(44 cards)

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1
Q

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

A

Gamay (98%)

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2
Q

What is the quantity compared to the rest of Burgundy?

A

Similar volume than the rest of Burgundy together

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3
Q

What two other styles of wines are produced?

A
  • Tiny amount of rosé (Gamay)
  • Tiny amount of white (mainly Chardonnay)
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4
Q

How is the climate? How compared to Burgundy?

A
  • Continental
  • Slightly warmer than Burgundy
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5
Q

What is the avg. yearly rainfall?

A

740mm

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6
Q

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

A
  • Saone River -> moderating influence
  • Cold Mistral wind -> cooling influence
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7
Q

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

A
  • Can affect flowering in cold, damp early summer weather
  • Can damage leaves and grapes towards the end of the ripening period
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8
Q

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

A
  • Vine orientation
  • Training low to the ground
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9
Q

What are the three classifications? (descending in quality)

A
  • Beaujolais Cru
  • Beaujolais-Villages
  • Beaujolais
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10
Q

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

A
  • Northern part
  • Hilly (200–500 m)
  • Fast-draining granite, schist and sandy soils
  • South and south-east facing slopes
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11
Q

Describe the location, topography, and soils for Beaujolais AOC

A
  • Southern part
  • Richer soil
  • Flatter
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12
Q

Gamay
What is the budding/ripening time?

A
  • Early budding -> spring frost
  • Early ripening -> early harvest
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13
Q

Gamay
What is it susceptible to?

A
  • Spring frost
  • Millerandage
  • Rot (delicate skin)
  • Wind
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14
Q

Gamay
On what does the style depend on?

A

Ripeness of grapes (incl. skins and seeds)

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15
Q

Gamay
Describe a fully ripe and less-ripe wine

A
  • Fully ripe: Intense fruit character
  • Less ripe: Green leafy character
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16
Q

Gamay
What is important to produce concentrated ripe grapes?

A

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

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17
Q

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

A
  • Bushes
  • Protection from wind
  • Steeper slopes
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18
Q

Gamay
How are vines increasingly trained and why?

Study These Flashcards
A

Trained on trellises to aid mechanization

19
Q

Gamay
How is harvest conducted and why?

Study These Flashcards
A
  • By hand
  • Whole bunch fermentation is common
20
Q

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

Study These Flashcards
A
  • Chardonnay
  • North of Beaujolais, close to Mâcon villages
  • Cooler marl or limestone soil to slow down ripening and preserve acidity
21
Q

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

Study These Flashcards
A
  • 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
22
Q

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

Study These Flashcards
A
  • Extended maceration time (10–20 days)
  • Destemmeing, crushing, and maceration like a normal red wine
23
Q

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

Study These Flashcards
A
  • Ageing in small or large barrels (some new oak)
  • Deeper color
  • Fuller body
  • Higher tannin
24
Q

Beaujolais Nouveau
How can the wines be labelled?

Study These Flashcards
A
  • Beaujolais Nouveau
  • Beaujolais-Villages Nouveau
25
**Beaujolais Nouveau** Describe the winemaking process (maceration, ageing, malo, fining, filtration, SO2, release date)
* **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)
26
**Beaujolais** What is the max yield and what does it mean for the final wines?
* 60 hL/ha * Low flavor intensity
27
**Beaujolais** Describe the quality and price of the wines
* Good quality * Inexpensive
28
**Beaujolais-Villages** Why are these wines better than normal Beaujolais?
Higher level of ripeness
29
**Beaujolais-Villages** What is the max yield?
58 hL/ha
30
**Beaujolais-Villages** Where is it located?
In the north, alongside the ten single crus
31
**Beaujolais-Villages** Describe the typical style (color, intensity, aromas, acidity, body, alcohol, tannins, quality, price)
* 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
32
**Beaujolais-Villages / Cru** How are the wines from top producers different? (vineyard, ageing, intensity, tannins, quality, price)
* 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
33
**Beaujolais Crus** How many are there and what is their rough size?
* 10 * 250-1,300 ha
34
**Beaujolais Crus** Name the 5 most important Crus
* Brouilly * Chiroubles * Fleurie * Moulin-à-Vent * Morgon
35
**Beaujolais Crus** Describe specifics and the style of wines from Brouilly
* Most southern * Warmer * Lighter, more perfumed wines
36
**Beaujolais Crus** Describe specifics and the style of wines from Chiroubles
* Highest altitude * Lighter and fragrant wines * High acidity
37
**Beaujolais Crus** Describe specifics and the style of wines from Fleurie
* South: sandy soils -> lighter, more fragrant wine * North: more clay -> lower acidity and fuller body
38
**Beaujolais Crus** Describe specifics and the style of wines from Moulin-à-Vent
* Most powerful and long-lived wines * Closer in style to Côte d’Or red wines
39
**Beaujolais Crus** Describe specifics and the style of wines from Morgon
* Pronounced intensity black cherry fruit alongside red fruit * Sufficient tannins to age for a decade in bottle
40
Why are Burgundy growers interested in the region and what effects did it have?
* Land prices are cheaper * Looking to diversify * Helped drive quality * Trend away from carbonic maceration and the increased use of oak
41
**Wine Business** How much is exported?
40%
42
**Wine Business** What are the top 3 export markets?
* Japan * USA * UK
43
**Wine Business** What is the avg. size of holdings?
10 ha
44
**Wine Business** How much wine is produced as Nouveau?
25%

WSET Level 4 - D3 (56 decks)

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