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Burgundy wine ( or ') is made in the Burgundy region of eastern
France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...
, in the valleys and slopes west of the
Saône The Saône ( , ; frp, Sona; lat, Arar) is a river in eastern France. It is a right tributary of the Rhône, rising at Vioménil in the Vosges department and joining the Rhône in Lyon, at the southern end of the Presqu'île. The name ...
, a tributary of the
Rhône The Rhône ( , ; wae, Rotten ; frp, Rôno ; oc, Ròse ) is a major river in France and Switzerland, rising in the Alps and flowing west and south through Lake Geneva and southeastern France before discharging into the Mediterranean Sea. At Ar ...
. The most famous wines produced here, and those commonly referred to as "Burgundies," are dry red wines made from pinot noir grapes and white wines made from chardonnay grapes. Red and white wines are also made from other grape varieties, such as
gamay Gamay is a purple-colored grape variety used to make red wines, most notably grown in Beaujolais and in the Loire Valley around Tours. Its full name is Gamay Noir à Jus Blanc. It is a very old cultivar, mentioned as long ago as the 15th centu ...
and
aligoté Aligoté is a white grape used to make dry white wines, especially in the Burgundy region of France where it was first recorded in the 18th century.winepros.com.au. Since it is tolerant to cold, this variety is also cultivated in Eastern Euro ...
, respectively. Small amounts of rosé and
sparkling wine Sparkling wine is a wine with significant levels of carbon dioxide in it, making it fizzy. While the phrase commonly refers to champagne, European Union countries legally reserve that term for products exclusively produced in the Champagne regi ...
s are also produced in the region. Chardonnay-dominated
Chablis Chablis () is a town and commune in the Yonne department in Bourgogne-Franche-Comté in north-central France. It lies in the valley of the River Serein. Wine The village of Chablis gives its name to one of the most famous French white wines ...
and gamay-dominated
Beaujolais Beaujolais ( , ) is a French ''Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée'' (AOC) wine generally made of the Gamay grape, which has a thin skin and is low in tannins. Like most AOC wines they are not labeled varietally. Whites from the region, which mak ...
are recognised as part of the Burgundy wine region, but wines from those subregions are usually referred to by their own names rather than as "Burgundy wines". Burgundy has a higher number of ' (AOCs) than any other French region, and is often seen as the most '-conscious of the French wine regions. The various Burgundy AOCs are classified from carefully delineated ' vineyards down to more non-specific regional appellations. The practice of delineating vineyards by their ' in Burgundy goes back to medieval times, when various
monasteries A monastery is a building or complex of buildings comprising the domestic quarters and workplaces of monastics, monks or nuns, whether living in communities or alone (hermits). A monastery generally includes a place reserved for prayer which ...
played a key role in developing the Burgundy wine industry. The historical importance of the Burgundy wine region and its unique ''climats'' system led to sites in the region being inscribed on the
UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...
World Heritage List A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for ...
as part of the
Climats, terroirs of Burgundy ''Climats'', ''terroirs'' of Burgundy is a cultural landscape and a series of sites that exemplify the viticulture practices of the Burgundy wine region. The climats are small, precisely delimited land parcels that differ from each other in microc ...
site.


Geography and climate

The Burgundy region runs from
Auxerre Auxerre ( , ) is the capital of the Yonne department and the fourth-largest city in Burgundy. Auxerre's population today is about 35,000; the urban area (''aire d'attraction'') comprises roughly 113,000 inhabitants. Residents of Auxerre are r ...
in the north to
Mâcon Mâcon (), historically anglicised as Mascon, is a city in east-central France. It is the prefecture of the department of Saône-et-Loire in Bourgogne-Franche-Comté. Mâcon is home to near 34,000 residents, who are referred to in French as ...
in the south, or to
Lyon Lyon,, ; Occitan language, Occitan: ''Lion'', hist. ''Lionés'' also spelled in English as Lyons, is the List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, third-largest city and Urban area (France), second-largest metropolitan area of F ...
if the
Beaujolais Beaujolais ( , ) is a French ''Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée'' (AOC) wine generally made of the Gamay grape, which has a thin skin and is low in tannins. Like most AOC wines they are not labeled varietally. Whites from the region, which mak ...
area is included as part of Burgundy.
Chablis Chablis () is a town and commune in the Yonne department in Bourgogne-Franche-Comté in north-central France. It lies in the valley of the River Serein. Wine The village of Chablis gives its name to one of the most famous French white wines ...
, a white wine made from Chardonnay grapes, is produced in the area around
Auxerre Auxerre ( , ) is the capital of the Yonne department and the fourth-largest city in Burgundy. Auxerre's population today is about 35,000; the urban area (''aire d'attraction'') comprises roughly 113,000 inhabitants. Residents of Auxerre are r ...
. Other smaller appellations near Chablis include
Irancy Irancy () is a commune in the Yonne department in Bourgogne-Franche-Comté in north-central France. It is located southwest of Chablis in Bourgogne-Franche-Comté. History The town of Irancy was developed beginning in the year 900AD when the Abb ...
, which produces red wines and Saint-Bris, which produces white wines from Sauvignon blanc. There are 100 Appellations in Burgundy and these are classified into four quality categories. These are Bourgogne, village, premier cru and grand cru. Eighty-five miles southeast of Chablis is the
Côte d'Or Côte is a British cafe chain founded by Richard Caring, Andy Bassadone, Chris Benians and Nick Fiddler in Wimbledon, London Wimbledon () is a district and town of Southwest London, England, southwest of the centre of London at Charing Cross ...
, where Burgundy's most famous and most expensive wines originate, and where all ''
Grand Cru Cru is a wine term used to indicate a high-quality vineyard or group of vineyards. It is a French word which is traditionally translated as "growth", as is the past participle of the verb "croître" (to grow); it literally means 'grown'. The ...
'' vineyards of Burgundy (except for chablis grand cru) are situated. The Côte d'Or itself is split into two parts: the
Côte de Nuits The Côte de Nuits () is a French wine region located in the northern part of the Côte d'Or, the limestone ridge that is at the heart of the Burgundy wine region. It extends from Dijon to just south of Nuits-Saint-Georges, which gives its name to ...
which starts just south of
Dijon Dijon (, , ) (dated) * it, Digione * la, Diviō or * lmo, Digion is the prefecture of the Côte-d'Or department and of the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region in northeastern France. the commune had a population of 156,920. The earlies ...
and runs till Corgoloin, a few kilometers south of the town of
Nuits-Saint-Georges Nuits-Saint-Georges () is a communes of France, commune in the arrondissement of Beaune of the Côte-d'Or Departments of France, department in eastern France. It lies in the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté Regions of France, region. Wine Nuits-Saint-G ...
, and the
Côte de Beaune The Côte de Beaune area is the southern part of the Côte d'Or, the limestone ridge that is home to the great names of Burgundy wine. The Côte de Beaune starts between Nuits-Saint-Georges and Beaune, and extends southwards for about 25 km ...
which starts at Ladoix and ends at Dezize-les-Maranges. The wine-growing part of this area in the heart of Burgundy is just long, and in most places less than wide. The area is made up of tiny villages surrounded by a combination of flat and sloped vineyards on the eastern side of a hilly region, providing some rain and weather shelter from the prevailing westerly winds. The best wines - from ''grand cru'' vineyards - of this region are usually grown from the middle and higher part of the slopes, where the vineyards have the most exposure to sunshine and the best drainage, while the ''premier cru'' come from a little less favourably exposed slopes. The relatively ordinary "village" wines are produced from the flat territory nearer the villages. The Côte de Nuits contains 24 out of the 25 red ''grand cru'' appellations in Burgundy, while all but one of the region's white ''Grand Cru'' wines are in the Côte de Beaune (the exception being Musigny blanc). This is explained by the presence of different
soil Soil, also commonly referred to as earth or dirt Dirt is an unclean matter, especially when in contact with a person's clothes, skin, or possessions. In such cases, they are said to become dirty. Common types of dirt include: * Debri ...
s, which favour pinot noir and chardonnay, respectively. Further south is the
Côte Chalonnaise Côte Chalonnaise is a subregion of the Burgundy wine region of France. Côte Chalonnaise lies to the south of the Côte d'Or continuing the same geology southward. It is still in the main area of Burgundy wine production but it includes no Grand ...
, where again a mix of mostly red and white wines are produced, although the appellations found here such as
Mercurey Mercurey () is a commune in the Saône-et-Loire department in the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region of eastern France. The village dates from pre-historic times and is the most widely recognized and important wine village of the Côte Chalonnaise ...
, Rully and Givry are less well-known than their counterparts in the Côte d'Or. Below the Côte Chalonnaise is the
Mâconnais The Mâconnais district is located in the south of the Burgundy wine region in France, west of the Saône river. It takes its name from the town of Mâcon. It is best known as a source of good value white wines made from the Chardonnay grape; the ...
region, known for producing large quantities of easy-drinking and more affordable white wine. Further south again is the Beaujolais region, famous for fruity red wines made from
Gamay Gamay is a purple-colored grape variety used to make red wines, most notably grown in Beaujolais and in the Loire Valley around Tours. Its full name is Gamay Noir à Jus Blanc. It is a very old cultivar, mentioned as long ago as the 15th centu ...
grapes. Burgundy's terrain is continental climate characterized by cold winters and hot summers. The weather is unpredictable, with rains, hail, and frost all possible around harvest time. Such a climate results in vintages from Burgundy varying considerably.


History

Archaeological evidence establishes
viticulture Viticulture (from the Latin word for '' vine'') or winegrowing (wine growing) is the cultivation and harvesting of grapes. It is a branch of the science of horticulture. While the native territory of '' Vitis vinifera'', the common grape vine, ...
in Burgundy as early as the second century AD, although the
Celts The Celts (, see pronunciation for different usages) or Celtic peoples () are. "CELTS location: Greater Europe time period: Second millennium B.C.E. to present ancestry: Celtic a collection of Indo-European peoples. "The Celts, an ancien ...
may have been growing vines in the region previous to the
Roman Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lette ...
conquest of
Gaul Gaul ( la, Gallia) was a region of Western Europe first described by the Romans. It was inhabited by Celtic and Aquitani tribes, encompassing present-day France, Belgium, Luxembourg, most of Switzerland, parts of Northern Italy (only during ...
in 51 BC. Greek traders, for whom viticulture had been practiced since the late
Neolithic The Neolithic period, or New Stone Age, is an Old World archaeological period and the final division of the Stone Age. It saw the Neolithic Revolution, a wide-ranging set of developments that appear to have arisen independently in several p ...
period, had founded Massalía in about 600 BC, and traded extensively up the
Rhône valley The Rhône ( , ; wae, Rotten ; frp, Rôno ; oc, Ròse ) is a major river in France and Switzerland, rising in the Alps and flowing west and south through Lake Geneva and southeastern France before discharging into the Mediterranean Sea. At ...
, where the Romans first arrived in the second century BC. The earliest recorded praise of the wines of Burgundy was written in 591 by Gregory of Tours, who compared it to the Roman wine
Falernian Falernian ( la, Falernum) was a strong white wine popular in the classical Roman period, produced from Aglianico grapes (and quite possibly Greco as well)J. Robinson ''Vines, Grapes & Wines'' pgs 213 & 242 Mitchell Beazley 1986 on the slopes o ...
. Monks and monasteries of the Roman Catholic Church have had an important influence on the history of Burgundy wine. The first known donation of a vineyard to the church was by king
Guntram Saint Gontrand (c. 532 in Soissons – 28 March 592 in Chalon-sur-Saône), also called Gontran, Gontram, Guntram, Gunthram, Gunthchramn, and Guntramnus, was the king of the Kingdom of Orléans from AD 561 to AD 592. He was the third eldest and ...
in 587, but the influence of the church became important in
Charlemagne Charlemagne ( , ) or Charles the Great ( la, Carolus Magnus; german: Karl der Große; 2 April 747 – 28 January 814), a member of the Carolingian dynasty, was King of the Franks from 768, King of the Lombards from 774, and the first ...
's era. The Benedictines, through their
Abbey of Cluny Cluny Abbey (; , formerly also ''Cluni'' or ''Clugny''; ) is a former Benedictine monastery in Cluny, Saône-et-Loire, France. It was dedicated to Saint Peter. The abbey was constructed in the Romanesque architectural style, with three churche ...
founded in 910, became the first truly big Burgundy vineyard owner over the following centuries. Another order which exerted influence was the Cistercians, founded in 1098 and named after Cîteaux, their first monastery, situated in Burgundy. The Cistercians created Burgundy's largest wall-surrounded vineyard, the
Clos de Vougeot Clos de Vougeot, also known as Clos Vougeot, is a wall-enclosed vineyard, a ''clos'', in the Burgundy wine region, and an ''Appellation d'origine contrôlée'' (AOC) for red wine from this vineyard. It was named for the River Vouge, which is in ...
, in 1336. More importantly, the Cistercians, extensive vineyard owners as they were, were the first to notice that different vineyard plots gave consistently different wines. They therefore laid the earliest foundation for the naming of Burgundy '' crus'' and the region's ''terroir'' thinking. Since Burgundy is land-locked, very little of its wine left the region in Medieval times, when wine was transported in barrels, meaning that waterways provided the only practical means of long-range transportation. The only part of Burgundy which could reach Paris in a practical way was the area around
Auxerre Auxerre ( , ) is the capital of the Yonne department and the fourth-largest city in Burgundy. Auxerre's population today is about 35,000; the urban area (''aire d'attraction'') comprises roughly 113,000 inhabitants. Residents of Auxerre are r ...
by means of the
Yonne Yonne () is a department in the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region in France. It is named after the river Yonne, which flows through it, in the country's north-central part. One of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté's eight constituent departments, it is l ...
. This area includes Chablis, but had much more extensive vineyards until the 19th century. These were the wines referred to as ''vin de Bourgogne'' in early texts. The wines from Côte d'Or would then be called ''(vin de) Beaune''. These wines first became famous in the 14th century, during the
Babylonian Captivity of the Papacy The Avignon Papacy was the period from 1309 to 1376 during which seven successive popes resided in Avignon – at the time within the Kingdom of Arles, part of the Holy Roman Empire; now part of France – rather than in Rome. The situation aros ...
in Avignon, which was reachable by
Saône The Saône ( , ; frp, Sona; lat, Arar) is a river in eastern France. It is a right tributary of the Rhône, rising at Vioménil in the Vosges department and joining the Rhône in Lyon, at the southern end of the Presqu'île. The name ...
and
Rhône The Rhône ( , ; wae, Rotten ; frp, Rôno ; oc, Ròse ) is a major river in France and Switzerland, rising in the Alps and flowing west and south through Lake Geneva and southeastern France before discharging into the Mediterranean Sea. At Ar ...
after some overland transport. In the extravagance of the papal court, ''Beaune'' was generally seen as the finest wine, and better than anything available in Rome at that time. The status of Burgundy wines continued in the court of the
House of Valois The Capetian house of Valois ( , also , ) was a cadet branch of the Capetian dynasty. They succeeded the House of Capet (or "Direct Capetians") to the French throne, and were the royal house of France from 1328 to 1589. Junior members of the f ...
, which ruled as
Dukes of Burgundy Duke of Burgundy (french: duc de Bourgogne) was a title used by the rulers of the Duchy of Burgundy, from its establishment in 843 to its annexation by France in 1477, and later by Holy Roman Emperors and Kings of Spain from the House of Habsburg ...
for much of the 14th and 15th centuries. Their ban on the import and export of non-Burgundian wines, effectively shutting out the then popular wines of the Rhone Valley from north European markets, gave a considerable boost to the Burgundy wine industry. It was during this era that the first reliable references to grape varieties in Burgundy were made. Pinot noir was first mentioned in 1370 under the name Noirien, but it was believed to have been cultivated earlier than that, since no other grape variety associated with Medieval Burgundy is believed to have been able to produce red wines of a quality able to impress the papal court. On 6 August 1395, Duke
Philip the Bold Philip II the Bold (; ; 17 January 1342 – 27 April 1404) was Duke of Burgundy and ''jure uxoris'' Count of Flanders, Artois and Burgundy. He was the fourth and youngest son of King John II of France and Bonne of Luxembourg. Philip II w ...
issued a decree concerned with safeguarding the quality of Burgundy wines. The duke declared the "vile and disloyal Gamay"
Le Figaro ''Le Figaro'' () is a French daily morning newspaper founded in 1826. It is headquartered on Boulevard Haussmann in the 9th arrondissement of Paris. The oldest national newspaper in France, ''Le Figaro'' is one of three French newspapers of r ...
and
La Revue du vin de France ''La Revue du vin de France'' is a French magazine on wine published monthly. The publication has been described by wine critic Jancis Robinson as "France's only serious wine magazine". Following the magazine's acquisition by Groupe Marie Claire i ...
(2008) : ''Vins de France et du monde'' (Bourgogne : Chablis), L'histoire, p. 26.
—which was a higher-yielding grape than Pinot noir in the 14th century, as it is today—unfit for human consumption and banned the use of organic
fertilizer A fertilizer (American English) or fertiliser (British English; see spelling differences) is any material of natural or synthetic origin that is applied to soil or to plant tissues to supply plant nutrients. Fertilizers may be distinct from ...
(
manure Manure is organic matter that is used as organic fertilizer in agriculture. Most manure consists of animal feces; other sources include compost and green manure. Manures contribute to the Soil fertility, fertility of soil by adding organic ma ...
), which probably increased yields even further to the detriment of quality. High-quality white Burgundy wines of this era were probably made from Fromenteau, which is known as a quality grape in northeastern France in this time. Fromenteau is probably the same variety as today's
Pinot gris Pinot Gris, Pinot Grigio (, ) or Grauburgunder is a white wine grape variety of the species ''Vitis vinifera''. Thought to be a mutant clone of the Pinot Noir variety, it normally has a grayish-blue fruit, accounting for its name, but the gra ...
. Chardonnay is a much later addition to Burgundy's vineyards. In the 18th century, the quality of roads in France became progressively better, which facilitated commerce in Burgundy wines. The first ''
négociant A winemaker or vintner is a person engaged in winemaking. They are generally employed by wineries or wine companies, where their work includes: *Cooperating with viticulturist Viticulture (from the Latin word for '' vine'') or winegrowing (wi ...
'' houses of the region were established in the 1720s and 1730s. In the 18th century, Burgundy and
Champagne Champagne (, ) is a sparkling wine originated and produced in the Champagne wine region of France under the rules of the appellation, that demand specific vineyard practices, sourcing of grapes exclusively from designated places within it, ...
were rivals for the lucrative Paris market, to which Champagne had earlier access. The two regions overlapped much in wine styles in this era, since Champagne was then primarily a producer of pale red still wines rather than of sparkling wines. A major work on Burgundy wines written by Claude Arnoux in 1728 deals with the famous red wines of Côte de Nuits and the Œil-de-Perdrix pink wines of Volnay, but only briefly mentions white wines. After Burgundy became incorporated in the Kingdom of France, and the power of the church decreased, many vineyards which had been in the church's hands were sold to the ''bourgeoisie'' from the 17th century. After the
French revolution The French Revolution ( ) was a period of radical political and societal change in France that began with the Estates General of 1789 and ended with the formation of the French Consulate in coup of 18 Brumaire, November 1799. Many of its ...
of 1789, the church's remaining vineyards were broken up and from 1791 sold off. The Napoleonic inheritance laws then resulted in the continued subdivision of the most precious
vineyard A vineyard (; also ) is a plantation of grape-bearing vines, grown mainly for winemaking, but also raisins, table grapes and non-alcoholic grape juice. The science, practice and study of vineyard production is known as viticulture. Vineya ...
holdings, so some growers hold only a row or two of
vine A vine (Latin ''vīnea'' "grapevine", "vineyard", from ''vīnum'' "wine") is any plant with a growth habit of trailing or scandent (that is, climbing) stems, lianas or runners. The word ''vine'' can also refer to such stems or runners themsel ...
s. This led to the emergence of ''négociants'' who aggregate the produce of many growers to produce a single wine. It has also led to a profusion of increasingly smaller, family-owned
wineries A winery is a building or property that produces wine, or a business involved in the production of wine, such as a wine company. Some wine companies own many wineries. Besides wine making equipment, larger wineries may also feature warehouses, b ...
, exemplified by the dozen-plus ''Gros'' family ''
domaine An estate is a large parcel of land under single ownership, which would historically generate income for its owner. British context In the UK, historically an estate comprises the houses, outbuildings, supporting farmland, and woods that s ...
s''. The awareness of the difference of quality and style of Burgundy wines produced from different vineyards goes back to Medieval times, with certain '' climats'' being more highly rated than others. An early author on this aspect of Burgundy wines was Denis Morelot with his ''La Vigne et le Vin en Côte d'Or'' from 1831. In 1855, the same year as the famous Bordeaux Wine Official Classification was launched, Dr. Jules Lavalle published an influential book, ''Histoire et Statistique de la Vigne de Grands Vins de la Côte-d'Or'', which included an unofficial classification of the Burgundy vineyards in five classes and which built on Morelot's book. In decreasing order, Lavalle's five classes were ''hors ligne'', ''tête de cuvée'', ''1ère cuvée'', ''2me cuvée'' and ''3me cuvée''. Lavalle's classification was formalized in modified form by the Beaune Committee of Agriculture in 1861, and then consisted of three classes. Most of the "first class" vineyards of the 1861 classification were made into ''Grand Cru'' ''appellations d'origine contrôlées'' when the national AOC legislation was implemented in 1936. Burgundy wine has experienced much change over the past 75 years. Economic depression during the 1930s was followed by the devastation caused by World War II. After the War, the ''vignerons'' returned home to their unkempt vineyards. The soils and vines had suffered and were sorely in need of nurturing. The growers began to fertilize, bringing their vineyards back to health. Those who could afford it added
potassium Potassium is the chemical element with the symbol K (from Neo-Latin ''kalium'') and atomic number19. Potassium is a silvery-white metal that is soft enough to be cut with a knife with little force. Potassium metal reacts rapidly with atmosph ...
, a mineral fertilizer that contributes to vigorous growth. By the mid-1950s, the soils were balanced, yields were reasonably low and the vineyards produced some of the most stunning wines in the 20th century. For the next 30 years, they followed the advice of renowned
viticultural Viticulture (from the Latin word for ''vine'') or winegrowing (wine growing) is the cultivation and harvesting of grapes. It is a branch of the science of horticulture. While the native territory of ''Vitis vinifera'', the common grape vine, ran ...
experts, who advised them to keep spraying their vineyards with chemical fertilizers, including potassium. While a certain amount of potassium is natural in the soil and beneficial for healthy growth, too much is harmful because it leads to low acidity levels, which adversely affect the quality of the wine. As the concentration of chemicals in the soil increased, so did the yields. In the past 30 years, yields have risen by two-thirds in the ''appellations contrôlées'' vineyards of the Côte d'Or, from 29 hectoliters per hectare (hl/ha) (yearly average from 1951 to 1960) to almost 48 hl/ha (1982–91), according to a study by the Institut National des Appellations d'Origine. With higher yields came wines of less flavor and concentration. Within 30 years, the soils had been significantly depleted of their natural nutrients. The period between 1985 and 1995 was a turning point in Burgundy. During this time, many Burgundian ' renewed efforts in the vineyards and gradually set a new course in winemaking, producing deeper, more complex wines. Today, the Burgundy wine industry is reaping the rewards of those efforts.


Wine characteristics and classification

Burgundy is in some ways the most ''
terroir (, ; from ''terre'', "land") is a French term used to describe the environmental factors that affect a crop's phenotype, including unique environment contexts, farming practices and a crop's specific growth habitat. Collectively, these contex ...
''-oriented region in France; immense attention is paid to the area of origin, and in which of the region's 400 types of soil a wine's grapes are grown. As opposed to Bordeaux, where classifications are producer-driven and awarded to individual ''chateaux'', Burgundy classifications are geographically-focused. A specific vineyard or region will bear a given classification, regardless of the wine's producer. This focus is reflected on the wine's labels, where appellations are most prominent and producers' names often appear at the bottom in much smaller text. The main levels in the Burgundy classifications, in descending order of quality, are: '' Grand crus,
Premier cru Cru is a wine term used to indicate a high-quality vineyard or group of vineyards. It is a French word which is traditionally translated as "growth", as is the past participle of the verb "croître" (to grow); it literally means 'grown'. The t ...
s'', village appellations, and finally regional appellations:Wine Pages: Burgundy by Tom Cannavan
, accessed on 12 October 2008.
The Wine Doctor: Burgundy Wine Guide - Introduction and the Côte d'Or
accessed on 12 October 2008.
* ''Grand Cru'' wines are produced by a small number of the best vineyard sites in the Côte d'Or region, as strictly defined by the AOC laws. These Cru wines make up 2% of the production at 35 hl/ha, and are generally produced in a style meant for cellaring, and typically need to be aged a minimum of five to seven years. The best examples can be kept for more than 15 years. ''Grand Cru'' wines will only list the name of the vineyard as the appellation - such as Corton or
Montrachet ''For the restaurant, see Montrachet (restaurant)'' Montrachet (pronounced ''Mon-rashay''; ) is an ''Appellation d'origine contrôlée'' (AOC) and Grand Cru vineyard for white wine made of Chardonnay in the Côte de Beaune subregion of Burgundy. ...
- on the wine label, plus the ''Grand Cru'' term, but not the village name. * ''Premier Cru'' wines are produced from specific vineyard sites that are still considered to be of high quality, but not as well regarded as the ''Grand Cru'' sites. ''Premier Cru'' wines make up 12% of production at 45 hl/ha. These wines often should be aged three to five years, and again the best wines can keep for much longer. ''Premier Cru'' wines are labelled with the name of the village of origin, the ''Premier Cru'' status, and usually the vineyard name, for example, " Volnay 1er Cru Les Caillerets". Some ''Premier Cru'' wines are produced from several ''Premier Cru'' vineyards in the same village, and do not carry the name of an individual vineyard. * Village appellation wines are produced from a blend of wines from supposedly lesser vineyard sites within the boundaries of one of 42 villages, or from one individual but unclassified vineyard. Wines from each different village are considered to have their own specific qualities and characteristics, and not all Burgundy communes have a village appellation. Village wines make up 36% of production at 50 hl/ha. These wines can be consumed two to four years after the release date, although again some examples will keep for longer. Village wines will show the village name on the wine label, such as "
Pommard Pommard () is a commune in the Côte-d'Or department and Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region of eastern France. Famous for its Côte de Beaune wine production, Pommard is situated directly south of Beaune along the Route des Grands Crus. The D973 r ...
", and sometimes - if applicable - the name of the single vineyard or ''climat'' where it was sourced. Several villages in Burgundy have appended the names of their ''Grand Cru'' vineyards to the original village name - hence village names such as "
Puligny-Montrachet Puligny-Montrachet () is a commune in the Côte-d'Or department in eastern France. In the middle of the Côte de Beaune, it is a well-known appellation of Burgundy wine, containing one of the most famous vineyards in the world, Montrachet. Popu ...
" and " Aloxe-Corton". * Regional appellation wines are wines which are allowed to be produced over the entire region, or over an area significantly larger than that of an individual village.Burgundy Wines: Regional appellations
accessed on 12 October 2008.
At the village, ''Premier Cru'' and ''Grand Cru'' levels, only red and white wines are found, but some of the regional appellations also allow the production of rosé and sparkling wines, as well as wines dominated by grape varieties other than Pinot noir or Chardonnay. These appellations can be divided into three groups: :* AOC Bourgogne, the standard or "generic" appellation for red or white wines made anywhere throughout the region, and represent simpler wines which are still similar to the village. These wines may be produced at 55 hl/ha. These wines are typically intended for immediate consumption, within three years after the vintage date. :* Subregional (''sous-régional'') appellations cover a part of Burgundy larger than a village. Examples are Bourgogne Hautes-Côtes de Beaune, Bourgogne Hautes-Côtes de Nuits and Mâcon-Villages. Typically, those communes which do not have a village appellation will have access to at least one subregional appellation. This level is sometimes described as intermediate between AOC Bourgogne and the village level. :* Wines of specific styles or other grape varieties include white ''
Bourgogne Aligoté Burgundy (; french: link=no, Bourgogne ) is a historical territory and former administrative region and province of east-central France. The province was once home to the Dukes of Burgundy from the early 11th until the late 15th century. The c ...
'' (which is primarily made with the
Aligoté Aligoté is a white grape used to make dry white wines, especially in the Burgundy region of France where it was first recorded in the 18th century.winepros.com.au. Since it is tolerant to cold, this variety is also cultivated in Eastern Euro ...
grape), red '' Bourgogne Passe-Tout-Grains'' (which can contain up to two-thirds Gamay) and sparkling '' Crémant de Bourgogne''.
Chablis Chablis () is a town and commune in the Yonne department in Bourgogne-Franche-Comté in north-central France. It lies in the valley of the River Serein. Wine The village of Chablis gives its name to one of the most famous French white wines ...
wines are labeled using a similar hierarchy of ''Grand Cru, Premier Cru'', and Village wines, plus ''Petit'' Chablis as a level below Village Chablis. Wines from Beaujolais are treated still differently. In general, producers are always allowed to declassify their wine in steps to a lower-ranked AOC if they wish to do so. Thus, a wine from a ''Grand Cru'' vineyard may be sold as a ''Premier Cru'' from that vineyard's village, a ''Premier Cru'' wine may be sold as a Village wine, and so on. This practice will almost invariably mean the declassified wine will have to be sold at a lower price, so this is only practiced when something is to be gained overall in the process. One motive may be to only include vines of a certain age in a ''Grand'' Cru wine, to improve its quality and raise its prestige and price, in which case the wine coming from younger vines may be sold as a ''Premier Cru'' at a lower price. Overall, such a practice may allow a producer to keep a higher average price for the wine sold. In total, around 150 separate AOCs are used in Burgundy, including those of Chablis and Beaujolais. While an impressive number, it does not include the several hundred named vineyards ('' lieux-dits'') at the Village and ''Premier Cru'' level, which may be displayed on the label, since at these levels, only one set of appellation rules is available per village. The total number of vineyard-differentiated AOCs that may be displayed is well in excess of 500.


Production

In 2003, the Burgundy vineyards (including Chablis but excluding Beaujolais) covered a total of . Côte d'Or as a whole, including Hautes Côtes de Beaune and Hautes Côtes de Nuits, covered , of which the heartland of Côte de Nuits covered and Côte de Beaune . In 2000, Burgundy had a total of 3,200 wine ''domaines'' (compared to 50 in the early 19th century), of which 520 were in the department of Yonne, 1,100 in Côte-d'Or and 1,570 in Saône-et-Loir. Generally, the small growers sell their grapes to larger producers, merchants called ''
négociant A winemaker or vintner is a person engaged in winemaking. They are generally employed by wineries or wine companies, where their work includes: *Cooperating with viticulturist Viticulture (from the Latin word for '' vine'') or winegrowing (wi ...
s'', who blend and bottle the wine. The roughly 115 ''négociants'' who produce the majority of the wine only control around 8% of the area. Individual growers have around 67% of the area, but produce and market only around 25% of the wine. Some small wineries produce only 100–200 cases/year, while many producers make a few thousand cases/year. Grower/producer-made wines can be identified by the terms ''Mis en bouteille au domaine'', ''Mis au domaine'', or ''Mis en bouteille à la propriété''. The largest producer is Maison Louis Latour in Beaune with 350,000 cases/year. The ''négociants'' may use the term ''Mis en bouteille dans nos caves'' (bottled in our cellars), but are not entitled to use the estate-bottled designation of the grower/producers. Most ''négociants'' tend to use the term ''Mis en bouteille par...'' (bottled by...).


Grape varieties

Of the white grapes, Chardonnay is the most common. Another grape found in the region,
Aligoté Aligoté is a white grape used to make dry white wines, especially in the Burgundy region of France where it was first recorded in the 18th century.winepros.com.au. Since it is tolerant to cold, this variety is also cultivated in Eastern Euro ...
, tends to produce cheaper wines which are higher in acidity. Aligoté from Burgundy is the wine traditionally used for the Kir drink, where it is mixed with
black currant The blackcurrant (''Ribes nigrum''), also known as black currant or cassis, is a deciduous shrub in the family Grossulariaceae grown for its edible berry, berries. It is native species, native to temperate climate, temperate parts of central ...
liqueur. Sauvignon blanc is also grown in the Saint Bris appellation. Chablis, Mâcon wines and the Côte d'Or whites are mostly produced from 100% Chardonnay grapes. Of the red grapes, the majority of production in the Côte d'Or is focused on the Pinot noir grape, while the Gamay grape is grown in Beaujolais. In the Côte de Nuits region, 90% of the production is red grapes. Rules for the red Burgundy appellations, from regional to ''Grand Cru'' level, generally allow up to 15% of the white grape varieties Chardonnay,
Pinot blanc Pinot blanc is a white wine grape. It is a point genetic mutation of Pinot noir. Pinot noir is genetically unstable and will occasionally experience a point mutation in which a vine bears all black fruit except for one cane which produces white ...
and
Pinot gris Pinot Gris, Pinot Grigio (, ) or Grauburgunder is a white wine grape variety of the species ''Vitis vinifera''. Thought to be a mutant clone of the Pinot Noir variety, it normally has a grayish-blue fruit, accounting for its name, but the gra ...
to be blended in, but this is not widely practiced today.


Reputation and appreciation

Burgundy is home to some of the most expensive wines in the world, including those of
Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, often abbreviated to DRC, is an estate in Burgundy, France that produces white and red wine. It is widely considered among the world's greatest wine producers, and DRC bottles are among the world's most expensive. ...
,
Domaine Leroy Domaine Leroy is a vineyard estate which produces red Burgundy. The domaine has always produced biodynamic wine, and is certified by ECOCERT.Henri Jayer, Domaine Leflaive and
Domaine Armand Rousseau Domaine Armand Rousseau is a French wine grower and producer. It is based in Gevrey-Chambertin, in the Côte de Nuits wine-growing region of Burgundy, France. History Armand Rousseau was born in 1884 to a family heavily involved in the wine indu ...
. Its renown goes back many centuries; in 1522
Erasmus Desiderius Erasmus Roterodamus (; ; English: Erasmus of Rotterdam or Erasmus;''Erasmus'' was his baptismal name, given after St. Erasmus of Formiae. ''Desiderius'' was an adopted additional name, which he used from 1496. The ''Roterodamus'' w ...
wrote: "O happy Burgundy which merits being called the mother of men since she furnishes from her mammaries such a good milk"Les Grand Vins de France bypaul Ramain, 1931, Laffitte reprints, p. 65. This was echoed by
Shakespeare William Shakespeare ( 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's natio ...
, who refers in ''
King Lear ''King Lear'' is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare. It is based on the mythological Leir of Britain. King Lear, in preparation for his old age, divides his power and land between two of his daughters. He becomes destitute and insane ...
'' to "the vines of France and milk of Burgundy". British wine critic Jancis Robinson has stated that "price is an extremely unreliable guide" and "what a wine sells for often has more to do with advertising hype and marketing decisions than the quality contained in the bottle." While ''Grand Crus'' often command steep prices, village level wines from top producers can be found at lower price points. In 2010, the Burgundy region experienced a notable increase in internet coverage thanks to official efforts like the online broadcast of the famous ''
Hospices de Beaune The Hospices de Beaune or Hôtel-Dieu de Beaune is a former charitable almshouse in Beaune, France. It was founded in 1443 by Nicolas Rolin, chancellor of Burgundy, as a hospital for the poor. The original hospital building, the Hôtel-Dieu, one o ...
'',Le Bien Publique "Luchini fait le show et explose le record des ventes aux enchères de Beaune"
, accessed on 14 December 2010.
as well as the efforts of independent wine aficionados, such as '' Bourgogne Live''.Le Bien Public "Le Chardonnay très net"
, accessed on 14 December 2010.

, accessed on 14 December 2010.
Some burgundies are also increasingly valued as
investment wine Investment wine, like gold bullion, rare coins, fine art, and Tulip mania, tulip bulbs, is seen by some as an alternative investment other than the more Traditional investments, traditional investment holdings of stocks, Bond (finance), bonds, cas ...
s. Fans of Burgundy wine have been organizing events celebrating its virtues for decades. The most famous of these is ''
La Paulée de Meursault La Paulée de Meursault is a lunch celebrating the end of the grape harvest in Burgundy, France.Steinberger, Mike, ''Slate.com'' (December 15, 2006)Days of Wine...and More Wine/ref> Originally, the celebration included only winemakers, cellar work ...
''.


See also

*
Bordeaux wine Bordeaux wine ( oc, vin de Bordèu, french: vin de Bordeaux) is produced in the Bordeaux region of southwest France, around the city of Bordeaux, on the Garonne River. To the north of the city the Dordogne River joins the Garonne forming the ...
*
Confrérie des Chevaliers du Tastevin The Confrérie des Chevaliers du Tastevin (English: ''Fraternity of Knights of the Wine-Tasters' Cup'') is an exclusive bacchanalian fraternity of Burgundy wine connoisseurs. Originally formed under the Ancien Régime and re-established in 19 ...
*
French wine French wine is produced all throughout France, in quantities between 50 and 60 million hectolitres per year, or 7–8 billion bottles. France is one of the largest wine producers in the world, along with Italian, Spanish, and Amer ...
*
List of Burgundy Grand Crus Grand Cru (great growth) is the highest level in the vineyard classification of Burgundy. There are a total of of Grand Cru vineyards—approximately 2% of Burgundy's of vineyards (excluding Beaujolais)—of which produce red wine and produce ...
* List of Chablis crus * Premature oxidation


References


Further reading

* Doesn't cover all of Burgundy, but is a very useful guide with tasting notes covering many vintages. * Updated version of previous with coverage of more areas. * Franson, P. Labels Gone Wild. ''The Wine Enthusiast'', March, 2006, pp. 28–33. * * An inexpensive introduction to the region and currently the most up to date. * With Charles Taylor, MW. Foreword by
Michael Broadbent John Michael Broadbent, MW (2 May 1927 – 17 March 2020) was a British wine critic, writer and auctioneer in a capacity as a Master of Wine. He was an authority on wine tasting and old wines. Career Broadbent was born in Yorkshire. He was edu ...
. Good coverage of the top domaines. * Good inexpensive introduction to the region, and updated from time to time. * Robinson, Jancis. Cheap at half the price? ''Wine'', 2006 (February–March), ''6(3)'', pp. 30–31.


External links


Official Burgundy wines website

The wines of Burgundy
- The official website of France (in English)
Burgundy Report

Wine Doctor: The wine geography of the Côte d'Or.
(Côte de Nuits and Côte de Beaune).
Wine Doctor: The wine geography of Chablis, the Côte Chalonnaise, the Mâconais and the Beaujolais.
{{Portal bar, Wine, France Wine regions of France World Heritage Sites in France