Terroir 2014 banner
IVES 9 IVES Conference Series 9 Feminin vs masculin: the sensorial opposition between chambolle-musigny and gevrey-chambertin wines and the socioeconomical construction of a terroir/taste wine paradigm

Feminin vs masculin: the sensorial opposition between chambolle-musigny and gevrey-chambertin wines and the socioeconomical construction of a terroir/taste wine paradigm

Abstract

At least since de XIXth century, wine writers oppose quite often the wines from Gevrey-Chambertin to the wines from Chambolle-Musigny claiming that the former are more “masculine” (full-bodied, powerful tannins, leathery, rustic…) and the later more “feminine” (delicate, elegant, silky, flowery…). It is generally accepted that these sensory differences are the consequence of terroir differences between these two appellations. Our study, combining sensory sciences, psychology and history, aimed to check whether the above mentioned lexical dichotomy was nowadays likely to be found in the taste of the wines of these two appellations. In order to answer these questions 4 wines from Chambolle-Musigny and 4 wines from Gevrey-Chambertin was submitted to two sensory tasks. A panel of oenophiles performed first a blind sensory profile using a number of attributes related to the masculine or feminine character of the tannins.

The results of the sensory profile showed that the samples were not segmented by appellation and that the masculine/feminine character was not correlated with the appellation either. The panelists were then asked to categorize them into two groups explicitly named “Chambolle-Musigny” and “Gevrey-Chambertin”. We hypothesized that the feminine/masculine character of the wines would help the tasters to correctly categorize the wines. The results showed that only one of the samples was correctly categorized. Three explanations are plausible: our tasters do not have a precise idea of what is the taste of a Chambolle or a Gevrey wine; most of our samples were not representative of their respective appellations; the dichotomy Chambolle/feminine vs Gevrey/masculine do not have a sensory reality nowadays despite the fact that our panelist declare in a short questionnaire that they believe in the masculine vs feminine lexical dichotomy. In order to better understand our results we conducted a historical study on the construction of Burgundy appellations and the mental representation of those appellations that wine consumers have during XIXth et XXth century.

This study showed that the evolution of wine production and trade norms during the XIXth resulted in a marketing and cultural creation of those two different sensory identities by wine prescribers (wine producers, wine writers, INAO). The subsequent birth and development of French appellations will promote and, in finally, anchor, the idea between the terroir and the taste of the wine, of which Gevrey and Chambolle became one of the most salient examples.

DOI:

Publication date: August 18, 2020

Issue: Terroir 2014

Type: Article

Authors

Jordi BALLESTER (1), Olivier JACQUET (2)

(1) Centre des Sciences du Goût et de l´Alimentation, UMR6265 CNRS – Inra-UD, 9E Boulevard Jeanne d´Arc, 21000 Dijon, France, Chaire UNESCO « Culture et Traditions du Vin » de l’Université de Bourgogne.
(2) IUVV Jules Guyot, Université de Bourgogne, 1 rue Claude Ladrey, 21078 Dijon, Chaire UNESCO « Culture et Traditions du Vin » de l’Université de Bourgogne

Contact the author

Keywords

terroir, Gevrey-Chambertin, Chambolle-Musigny, sensory analysis, history masculine, feminine

Tags

IVES Conference Series | Terroir 2014

Citation

Related articles…

Influenza dell’esposizione del vigneto sulla maturazione dell’uva

Lo studio è stato condotto in vigneti commerciali di Vitis vinifera cv Nebbiolo localizzati in Piemonte, Italia del Nord-Ovest, intorno alla sommità di una collina. L’obiettivo dello studio è stato di determinare come l’esposizione del vigneto possa influenzare il comportamento vegetativo della vite, il manifestarsi delle fasi fenologiche, e la cinetica di maturazione dell’uva con particolare riguardo all’accumulo di antociani e flavonoli.

Understanding graft union formation by using metabolomic and transcriptomic approaches during the first days after grafting in grapevine

Since the arrival of Phyloxera (Daktulosphaira vitifolia) in Europe at the end of the 19th century, grafting has become essential to cultivate Vitis vinifera. Today, grafting provides not only resistance to this aphid, but it used to adapt the cultivars according to the type of soil, environment, or grape production requirements by using a panel of rootstocks. As part of vineyard decline, it is often mentioned the importance of producing quality grafted grapevine to improve vineyard longevity, but, to our knowledge, no study has been able to demonstrate that grafting has a role in this context. However, some scion/rootstock combinations are considered as incompatible due to poor graft union formation and subsequently high plant mortality soon after grafting. In a context of climate change where the creation of new cultivars and rootstocks is at the centre of research, the ability of new cultivars to be grafted is therefore essential. The early identification of graft incompatibility could allow the selection of non-viable plants before planting and would have a beneficial impact on research and development in the nursery sector. For this reason, our studies have focused on the identification of metabolic and transcriptomic markers of poor grafting success during the first days/week after grafting; we have identified some correlations between some specialized metabolites, especially stilbenes, and grafting success, as well as an accumulation of some amino acids in the incompatible combination. The study of the metabolome and the transcriptome allowed us to understand and characterise the processes involved during graft union formation.

Effet de l’ombrage respectif des ceps et des grappes de Muscat sur leurs teneurs en composés volatils libres et glycosyles et en précurseurs d’aromes carotenoïdiques

Le Muscat de Frontignan est bien connu pour ses fortes teneurs en composés terpéniques et par l’odeur florale et fruitée que ces composés confèrent aux vins qui en sont issus (1,2).

Il ruolo dei comuni nella gestione del territorio e nella tutela dei vitigni autoctoni di qualita’

Questo simposio organizzato dall ‘Associazione nazionale Città del Vino, che mi onoro di presiedere, è per me motivo di particolare soddisfazione perché porta a compimento parte di un percorso iniziato dall’associazione da alcuni anni e che ha un obiettivo apparentemente semplice: sollecitare gli amministratori delle Città del Vino a perseguire con tenacia, tal­volta anche con la necessaria caparbietà, programmi ed interventi che abbiano al centro, sempre, la qualità della vita dei loro territori.

The effects of reducing herbicides in New Zealand vineyards

Herbicides are commonly sprayed in the vine row to prevent competition with vines for water and minerals and to keep weeds from growing into the bunch zone. Sprays are applied before budbreak and reapplied multiple times during the season to keep the undervine bare. There is growing concern about the negative effects of herbicides on humans and the environment, and weeds in New Zealand have developed resistance to herbicides. Therefore, it is imperative that we reduce our reliance on herbicides in viticulture and incorporate methods that do not engender resistance.