| Wine Styles | Cool/Moderate Climates • L to M body, H acidity in cool climates • M to M(+) body, M(+) to H acidity in moderate climates • Primary: blossom, green fruit (apple, pear), citrus fruit (lime, lemon), wet stones; stone fruit (moderate climates) • Secondary: struck match (reductive sulfur from lees contact), biscuit and creamy texture (lees stir) butter, cream (MLF) vanilla, clove spices, coconut (new oak) • Tertiary: dried apple, ginger, almond, honey, mushroom • Chablis, Burgundy |
| Warm Climates • M to F body, M acidity • Primary: ripe citrus, melon, stone fruit, tropical fruit; Secondary and Tertiary • California (Russian River), Margaret River | |
| Viticulture | • poor soils with good drainage • neutral and versatile variety • early budding (prone to spring frost) • early ripening (suits cool climate) • a wide range of climates and soils • relatively high yields without loss of quality • prone to millerandage, coulure • prone to powdery mildew, grey rot • grapevine yellow, pierce disease (bacteria) |
| Winemaking | • versatile wine styles • wide-range winemaking options • harvest by hand to allow greater selection and whole bunch pressing (stems aids drainage of the must) • harvest by machines to cover a large area in a short time or at lower temperature at night • chaptalisation less common in cool climates • pressed immediately with less skin contact to reduce oxidation and tannins extraction • less expensive wine is clarified via flotation/centrifugation (to speed up the processes and to reduce costs) • high quality wine is usually clarified by sedimentation (to preserve delicate flavours and complexity with least manipulation) • high quality wine may retain high levels of solids (to increase complexity and promote a less fruity style) • cultured yeasts (to undergo reliable fermentation particularly for high-volume wines) • wild yeasts (to promote complexity and unique flavours) • fermentation in various vessels (inert/small barrels/new oak) • fermentation at cooler temperature (16~18dC to preserve primary fruit and to reduce ester from low temperature) for inexpensive or mid-priced wines • fermentation at moderate temperature up to 20dC to produce more flavour compounds for more expensive wines • no/partial/full MLF • good oak affinity • lees ageing or lees stir to add texture >> Burgundy: ageing with fine lees for 8~12 months in barrels • blending from various vineyards, free run/pressed juice, fermentation vessels, levels of MLF, maturation processes |
| Ket Regions | France: Chablis, Burgundy, N Beaujolais, Jura USA: California (more coastal AVAs) Australia (most regions) |