The
Burgundy Wine
Institute
THE PROGRAM
BURGUNDY: FOUNDATIONS
(Arrival Tuesday PM)
Tuesday
PM FIELD
ARRIVAL
Introduction and presentation of the Program.
Introductory tasting
before Welcome Dinner.
Wednesday
AM CLASS
SUBJECT: FUNDAMENTALS
The first of 2 intensive sessions in the Ecole des Vins professional facilities. Expositions on the Geography and
Geology of Burgundy, on vineyard techniques and Burgundian grape varieties;
on Climate and Vintage; on Vinification and Aging; on the Appellation Contrôlée
regulations and labeling requirements in Burgundy; on the fundamentals of
tasting (methods, techniques, vocabulary, analytic control). Restaurant lunch with commented table tasting.
PM FIELD
SUBJECT: COURTIER
This afternoon we’ll accompany a professional
courtier on his rounds. As opposed to tasting finished wines, the
courtier’s job is to taste wine at the earliest stage possible, in order to
make recommendations to negociant houses about vintage quality and
individual lots of wine available for purchase. In contrast to the
controlled and organized tasting of the previous days’ classes, today we
enter the real world and put our new skills to the test. We also pick up
some techniques for analyzing young wines in the barrel from professionals
whose livelihood depends on their tasting ability.
Cellar Tasting.
Thursday
AM CLASS
SUBJECT: TASTING METHODS
An intensive morning of training in
tasting in the Ecole des Vins professional facilities. In depth analysis of
Burgundy wines from the various regions--Chablis, Auxerrois, Cote de Beaune,
Cote de Nuits, Cote Chalonnaise, Maconais-- from the BIVB tasting cellar.
Numerous practical exercises. The bases
of analysis, methods and techniques illustrated by commented tastings over a
wide range of wines.
Restaurant lunch with commented tasting.
PM FIELD
SUBJECT: NEGOCIANT
The courtier acts as a liaison between
the grape farmer and the negociant. This afternoon we will look at what
becomes of the wine that a courtier arranges for a negociant to buy. The
negociants are the big houses that control the Burgundy wine market and who
have the capacity to sell all around the world. We’ll have a close look at
how that system operates, and how large volumes of wine are produced from
small individual lots.
Cellar tasting.
Friday
AM FIELD
SUBJECT: SMALL DOMAIN
We’ll walk the vineyards and visit the
winery of a small domain. These are often husband and wife teams who
oversee every aspect of wine production (from planting, working the
vineyards, harvesting, vinification, aging, bottling, as well as the
business side of selling and accountancy.) It is a labor-intensive life,
but for many, a passionate one. The best producers are perfectionists who
appreciate a knowledgeable client.
Cellar tasting. Restaurant lunch.
PM FIELD
SUBJECT: THE NEW NEGOCIANT
The ‘new negociant’ is a
revolutionary structure that allows ambitious small domains to add to their
production in situations where purchasing vineyards is not possible. Many
of the most talented producers today started with a small stake of vines
inherited from their families, and have ‘rented’ additional vineyards to
increase their volume and perhaps to add a prestigious wine to their list.
This structure is the future for quality production in Burgundy. We’ll look
closely at one of these domains to understand the evolution of the market
for quality Burgundy.
Cellar tasting.
EVENING
Grand Cru tasting.
Distribution of Diplomas.
Farewell dinner.
This curriculum is meant as a guide only, and is subject to change.
©2007 SARL Elden.
All Rights Reserved