WINES OF THE WORLD I

Week Eight

Burgundy & Bordeaux

AC WINE REGIONSOF FRANCE

N

0 100 200 km

0 100 Miles

CHAMPAGNE

ALSACELOIRE VALLEY

BURGUNDYJURA

SAVOIE

BORDEAUX

RHONE

PROVENCELANGUEDOC

ROUSSILLON

MEDITERRANEANSEA

ATLANTICOCEAN

©WSET®2003 Other AC Regions

46N

48N

50N 50N

48N

46N

44N 44N

42N 42N

R. G

aron

ne

R. Dord

ogne

R. Tarn

R. CharenteR

. Allier R

. Lo

ire

R. R

hô

ne

R. Loire

R. Doubs

R. Saône

R. Seine

R. Seine

R. Marne

R. R

hin

e

R. M

ose

lle

FRANCE OLD World!

Has produced more wine than even Italy, but going through some major changes

World-wide influence

Perfected many viticultural and vinicultural practices

Set up classification and laws that other countries “copied” in their own way

Many different grapes that have traveled to many countries

Location, location, location and the laws – AOC – Appellation d’origine contrôlée; “my name is the region where my grapes were planted”; grape name rarely appears on the label

N

0 20 40 Km

0 20 Miles

46N

47N

48N 48N

47N

46N

Auxerre

Dijon

Beaune

Chalon-sur-Sâone

Mâcon

Villefranche- sur-Sâone

LYON

CHABLIS

Côte de Nuits

Côte de Beaune

CÔTE D’O

R

CÔTECHALONNAISE

MACONNAIS

BEAUJOLAIS

BURGUNDYDISTRICTS

©WSET®2003

A6

A6

A7

R. Rhône

R. S

âon

e

R. S

âone

R. Doubs

BURGUNDY Bourgogne

Varied soils

Cool, Continental climate – frost, hail, summer rain

The Catholic Church documented terroir, perfected techniques and had sophisticated distribution channels

French Revolution led to Napoleonic Code

Today there are multiple AOCs and vineyards with many owners; complicated and confusing

BURGUNDY Co-ops and negociants and

domaines

Demand exceeds supply, so pricy for higher quality

Classifications - Generic, District, Commune, Premier Cru (11%) and Grand Cru (1%)

Food – Dijon! Regional dishes that can be very rich and fatty, but acidity balances it out

BURGUNDYGrapes – mono-varietal

Red Pinot noir

Gamay – only in Beaujolais; maceration carbonique (whole berry)

White

Chardonnay

BURGUNDY Regions – Terroir; Hokey Pokey

Chablis – only white wine and made only from chardonnay, crisp, usually unoaked or no obvious oak; distinctive climate and soil

Côte d’Or – “Coast” or “Slopes of Gold” Cote de Nuits – top reds

Cote de Beaune – top whites

Beaujolais – different soil and grape, gamay

45´30N

45N

44´30N

45N

45´30N

Bordeaux AC

N

0 10 20 Km

0 10 Miles

BOURG

BLAYE

FRONSACPOMEROL

ST. EMILION

Libourne

C O G N A C

MONTRAVEL

PECHARMANTROSETTE

Bergerac

MONBAZILLAC

BERGERAC

BERGERAC

MEDOC

ST. ESTEPHE

PAUILLAC

ST. JULIEN

LISTRAC

HAUT-MEDOC

MOULISMARGAUX

COTESDE DURAS

COTES DU MARMANDAIS

BORDEAUX

PESSAC-LEOGNAN

SAUTERNES

CERONS

BARSAC

GRAVES

PREMIERES-COTES- DE-BORDEAUX

CADILLAC

LOUPIAC

STE-CROIX- DU-MONT

ENTRE- DEUX- MERS

Gironde

A T

L A

N T

I C

O

C E

A N

R. Dordogne

R. Garonne

BORDEAUX Moderate, maritime climate

Vintage variation

Extremes in pricing Great values from large

producers

Pricy, collectible, age-worthy wines that are in limited supply

Chateau, not Domaine

BORDEAUX Blends

Red and less white wines

Classifications – Generic, District, Commune, Premier Cru is highest

Dry white Bordeaux is a great aperitif, with fish or seafood and reds are traditionally served with lamb

BORDEAUXWhite or Blanc

Primarily blends of Sauvignon blanc, Sémillon and Muscadelle

Inexpensive to more expensive estate bottlings

Entre-Deux-Mers and Graves

Sauternes – famous late-harvest dessert white made from botrytis-affected sémillon

BORDEAUXRed or Rouge

Primarily blends Merlot, cabernet sauvignon, cabernet

franc, malbec and petit verdot are the main five

Left bank – generally more structure, ageability 1855 Classification – five Chateaux are

Premier Cru properties, but only four originally

Main red grape is cabernet sauvignon Most popular are Haut-Medoc communes

(St. Estephe, Pauillac, St. Julien, Margaux)

BORDEAUXRed or Rouge

Right Bank – generally softer, earlier maturing Main red grape is merlot

Most popular are St. Emilion and Pomerol

DECANTINGWhy decant?1. To aerate a young wine that may be opened

before it has aged to its full potential

Use decanter with wider bottom

May decant a couple of times to really mix air in

2. To separate the clear wine from the sediment in an older wine

Stand bottle up ahead of time (advance time depends on how long it has been on its side and how thick the sediment is)

Use a taller decanter with narrow opening so there is less air contact after the clear wine is poured out

Use light source to look through neck of bottle