The subjects of study

 Seminar themes 



French wine geography
The world of wine in Burgundy
The players in the wine world
History of wine in Burgundy
Geology and terroir
The vine and the grape
Grape varieties
The vegetative cycle of the vine
Climate, weather, and the vine
Vintages
Protecting the vineyard
Viticultural techniques
Winemaking and aging of wines in Burgundy
The making of sparkling wine : Crémant de Bourgogne
The composition of wine
The estate, the wine-merchant and the cooperative cellar
The Appellations d’ Origine Contrôlées of France
Label laws
Wine legislation
Introduction to sensory evaluation
Techniques of wine tasting
Wine and the senses
A wine-taster’s vocabulary
Chemical analysis of wine
Wine and food pairing
Burgundy’s wine markets and the economy
Wine tourism, Wine and health—the French paradox
Wine tasting themes

Wines of Burgundy 



Tastings of wine from the different wine regions of Burgundy (Chablis, Mâconnais, Cote de Beaune…)
single appellation tasting for example; Beaune, Pouilly-Fuissé, Mercurey
Horizontal tastings (several different appellations of the same vintage)
Vertical tastings (different vintages of one appellation or single wine)
Tastings of different levels of the appellation system (grand cru, premier cru, village or regional…)
Wine and food matching

Organised visits 


Guided visits of the vineyards
Viticultural practices
Visits to wineries
Visits to wine cellars
Guided visits to wine estates, cooperative cellars, and wine-merchant houses
Technical visits to cooperages, bottle manufacturers…
Visits to tourist sites associated with wine (Château de Clos de Vougeot, Hospices de Beaune…)
Tasting-lunches in local restaurants, and in the cellars of local winemakers