Wines Final Study Guide

Front 1

What are the classifications of Burgundy and Beaujolais wines and what flavor differences might one find when comparing them?

Back 1

- Burgundy: laws under the Appellation d’origine controlee (AOC) and the wines are classified based on the rating of the vineyard, which is dependent on its classified “climat”
o Regional Wine:
 AOC Bourgogne: lowest level, basic regional wine w/no designation of sub-region
 Regional Wine w/sub-region designation (aka. Cote de Nuits Villages)
o Commune (Village) Wine: enjoyable wines that possess the characters of the village
o Premier Cru: “First Growth” = excellent wines above the commune standards
o Grand Cru: “Greatest Growth” = the best wines from the best vineyard sites

- Beaujolais: Beaujolais is produced using carbonic maceration (tanks are closed so that CO2 from fermentation naturally breaks the skins of the grapes, resulting in a fruity style wine w/less tannins).
o Beaujolais Nouveau
o Beaujolais Superieur = 1% higher alc. content than nouveau
o Villages = 39 villages; high rating
o Cru Beaujolais = top 10 villages

- In general, the higher the rating, the longer the wine needs to age to fully develop is bouquet of flavors. So Grand Crus and Premier Crus need the most time (5-8-10 years) to fully develop their richness.

Front 2

What are the major grape varieties grown in Burgundy and Beaujolais?

Back 2

- Burgundy:
o Reds = mainly Pinot Noir and some Gamay
o White = mainly Chardonnay (Bourgogne Blanc) and some Aligote
 Chablis is the name of the region in the north of Burgundy that makes Chardonnay aged in steel
- Beaujolais:
o Red = Gamay grape

Front 3

What are the labeling requirements and how does one decode a Burgundy and Beaujolais wine label?

Back 3

- Regional wines that list a sub-region can blend grapes from different villages
- Village wine labels show the village name, which aligns the village name WITH the best Grand Cru vineyard in that village (ex: Chambolle-Musigny, where Chambolle = village & Musigny = Grand Cru)
- Premier Cru = Village + Vineyard (so it would say Chambolle-Musigny “Les Charmes”, with the later statement being a reference of the vineyard)
- Grand Cru = Vineyard ONLY! (ex: Musigny)

Front 4

How does the Burgundy’s climate influence its wine styles?

Back 4

- Burgundy = continental climate (cold winters, hot summers)
- French place much emphasis on the Gout de Terroir (or the “flavor of the site”), which takes into account many vineyard site differences
- Terroir depends on soil, slope, drainage, rainfall, position of slope in relation to sun, elevation, and other micro-factors
- The flat territory in the villages produces Premier Cru
- The best viticulture sites are located in the middle of the hillsides and produce Grand Cru wines
- The highest sites are not usually suitable for growing good grapes b/c the soil lacks the nutrients in lower elevations
- Unpredictable weather in Burgundy results in a lot of vintage variation

Front 5

What historic events influenced the growth of the wine industry in the Burgundy?

Back 5

- Burgundy region is rich with history and long tradition of terroir
o Wine production predates the arrival of the Romans in 51 BC
o 910: Benedictines built Abbey at Cluny
o 1098: Cistercians and Citeaux
o 1336: Clos de Vougeot
- Cote d’Or: made-up of Cote de Nuits (mainly reds) and Cote de Beaune (both white & reds)

Front 6

What winemaking practices are unique to the Burgundy and Beaujolais?

Back 6

- Beaujolais  made using carbonic maceration (allowing natural carbon dioxide to break skins of grapes, which gives the red wines their lighter, fruitier flavors)
- Large number of growers in Burgundy (control 67% of the acreage due to the Napoleonic Code and partitioning of land), but these people often sell their grapes to negociants, who blend and bottle the wine (they control 64% of the market share)
o Best known negociants: George Dubeouf and Louis Jadot
- Some cooperatives grow and produce wine as well
- Maison Louis Lator in Cote de Beaunne = largest producer
- Limitations and regulations placed on upper yield limits for producers
o General trend: more specific site = less production = higher price

Front 7

What are the classifications of Rhone wines?

Back 7

Follows same AOC French regulation laws as other sites in France

Front 8

What are the major grape varieties grown in the northern and southern Rhone?

Back 8

- Southern Rhone = Grenache (makes high alcoholic wine w/low tannin)
- Northern Rhone = Syrah (red) and Viognier (white)

Front 9

How do the wines of the Northern Rhone differ from those of the Southern Rhone?

Back 9

- Northern region has continental climate and only produces one varietal (Grenache) while southern area has warmer climate and produces multiple varietals
- Cote du Rhone = Grenache wine from the North
- Chateauneuf-du-Pape = from Southern Rhone, made from blend of Grenache, Mourvedre & Syrah
- North: Cote-Rotie and Hermitage areas for Syrah in North

Front 10

What are the labeling requirements and how does one decode a Rhone wine label?

Back 10

- Same as AOC labels from the rest of France

Front 11

How does the Rhone’s climate influence its wine styles?

Back 11

- Rhone is sunnier and hotter than Burgundy  make mostly red wines that are fuller, more robust and higher alcohol content than their northern counterparts
- Even the whites made in the north (Viognier) are full and powerful