Award in Wines & Spirits WSET® Level 2 Award in Wines & Spirits Session 3: Chardonnay & Pinot Noir

Chardonnay can grow in a range of soils and climates produces a wide range of styles characteristics and acidity varies with climate winemaking techniques influence characteristics

Climatic Influences Cool Climate Moderate Climate Hot Climate high acidity green fruit (apple, pear) citrus fruit (lemon) vegetable (cucumber) Moderate Climate citrus fruit stone fruit (white peach) tropical fruit (mango) Hot Climate tropical fruit (banana, pineapple, peach, mango, fig)

Winemaking Techniques Malolactic fermentation softens harsh acids dairy (butter, cream) Lees contact (dead yeast cells) savoury flavours (bread, yeast) creamy texture Oak ageing wood (toast, vanilla, nuts)

Chardonnay in blends semillon other local varieties

Climate Champagne FRANCE Alsace Loire Valley Burgundy Rhône Bordeaux Southern France FRANCE SPAIN

Chardonnay Champagne Burgundy Pays d’Oc IGP FRANCE SPAIN ITALY GERMANY

Chardonnay Chablis Burgundy Chablis

Burgundy labelling terms Regional Commune/Village Premier Cru Grand Cru

Chardonnay Burgundy Chablis Côte de Beaune Meursault Puligny-Montrachet Mâconnais Pouilly-Fuissé Chablis

Chardonnay World Map California South Africa Chile and Argentina Australia & New Zealand

California Sonoma County Los Carneros San Francisco

Chile and Argentina Casablanca Valley Mendoza CHILE Central Valley

South Africa Walker Bay WESTERN CAPE Cape Town

Australia Adelaide Hills Yarra Valley Margaret River SOUTH EASTERN AUSTRALIA Adelaide Hills Sydney Melbourne Yarra Valley Margaret River

New Zealand Marlborough North Island South Island

Level 2 Systematic Approach to Tasting Wine® APPEARANCE Clarity clear – hazy Intensity pale – medium – deep Colour white rosé red lemon – gold – amber pink – salmon – orange purple – ruby – garnet – tawny NOSE Condition clean – unclean light – medium – pronounced Aroma characteristics e.g. fruits, flowers, spices, vegetables, oak aromas, other PALATE Sweetness dry – off-dry – medium – sweet Acidity low – medium – high Tannin Body light– medium – full Flavour Characteristics e.g. fruits, flowers, spices, vegetables, oak flavours, other Finish short – medium – long CONCLUSIONS Quality faulty – poor – acceptable – good – very good – outstanding

Pinot Noir cool or moderate climate thin skins low levels of tannins light colour most Pinots best consumed when young and fruity

Pinot Noir Too Cool Climate Cool to Moderate Climate Hot Climate excessive vegetal (cabbage, wet leaves) Cool to Moderate Climate red fruit (strawberry, raspberry, red cherry) vegetal, animal (wet leaves, mushroom, game, meat) Hot Climate loses delicate flavours excessively jammy Oak Ageing wood (toast, vanilla) can overpower delicate aromas

Pinot Noir World Map France & Germany Oregon & California South Africa Chile South Africa Australia & New Zealand France & Germany

Germany GERMANY Baden Pfalz ITALY SWITZ. FRANCE

France FRANCE Burgundy Champagne (sparkling wine) SWITZ. ITALY GERMANY

France: Burgundy Côte de Nuits Côte de Beaune Chablis Gevrey-Chambertin Nuits-St-Georges Côte de Beaune Beaune Pommard

Burgundy labelling terms Regional Commune/Village Premier Cru Grand Cru

Oregon and California Sonoma County Los Carneros Oregon San Francisco Oregon USA Santa Barbara County California

Chile Casablanca Valley CHILE ARGENTINA

South Africa Walker Bay WESTERN CAPE Cape Town

Australia Yarra Valley Mornington Peninsula SOUTH EASTERN AUSTRALIA Sydney Melbourne Yarra Valley Mornington Peninsula

New Zealand Marlborough North Island South Island Central Otago

Level 2 Systematic Approach to Tasting Wine® APPEARANCE Clarity clear – hazy Intensity pale – medium – deep Colour white rosé red lemon – gold – amber pink – salmon – orange purple – ruby – garnet – tawny NOSE Condition clean – unclean light – medium – pronounced Aroma characteristics e.g. fruits, flowers, spices, vegetables, oak aromas, other PALATE Sweetness dry – off-dry – medium – sweet Acidity low – medium – high Tannin Body light– medium – full Flavour Characteristics e.g. fruits, flowers, spices, vegetables, oak flavours, other Finish short – medium – long CONCLUSIONS Quality faulty – poor – acceptable – good – very good – outstanding