The Sommpour — D3 Audible Cheat Sheets (2B)

This is a short wine education podcast designed for WSET students and serious wine learners. If Bordeaux is about blending to manage risk, Burgundy is about site selection to manage risk.In Episode 2B, we move deep into the growing environment and vineyard choices that shape Burgundy’s styles:Continental climate and the implications of short summersWhy early-ripening Pinot Noir and Chardonnay are essentialThe role of frost, hail, rain, and drought — and why vintage variation is extremeSlope position, aspect, altitude, and mid-slope superiorityLimestone and clay soil mixes and their influence on ripeness and structureRegional contrasts between Côte d’Or, Côte Chalonnaise, and MâconnaisChardonnay and Pinot Noir behavior in cool to moderate climatesClone selection, mass selection, and implications for style and disease riskVineyard management: pruning systems, planting density, yield control, harvest timingThis episode is about cause and effect — how marginal climate plus precise site choice creates Burgundy’s balance, tension, and ageing potential. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thesommpour.substack.com/subscribe