Burgundy 101
When some people hear “burgundy wine,” they immediately think of red wine. “Burgundy” does not refer to the color of the wine, however, but to the region of France in which the wine is made. That region is called “La Bourgogne” in French. We translate it “Burgundy” in English.
Burgundy
Some of the world’s finest red and white wines are produced in this storied region. These sought-after red wines are made entirely from the Pinot Noir grape, and the world-famous white wines are made entirely from the Chardonnay grape.
While these wines are known throughout the world, few people realize that Burgundy is by far the smallest major wine-growing region in the world. In fact, the heart of Burgundy is only about 30 miles long by one mile wide – tiny by wine standards. Obviously, the villages are tiny, too, and are a mere kilometer or two apart.
Herein lies one of the most complicated aspects of Burgundy – namely, the terrain presents a compact arrangement of microclimates. These microclimates present a complex assortment of altitudes, slopes, exposures and soil types. Literally, two vineyards separated by a stone wall or a dirt road will produce grapes that make wines which can be very different in flavor as well as quality. It’s no wonder that Burgundy produces a greater variety of single-grape wines than any other region in the world… and it’s also no wonder that Burgundy can be a minefield for the wine lover in the United States.
Wines made in Burgundy receive their quality classifications, called appellations, based on the region, village or individual vineyard in which the grapes are grown. In most cases, the more defined the growing area of the grapes, the more consistent the quality of the wine produced by those grapes. Oftentimes, the finest wines are produced by vineyards that are no more than a few football fields in size.
The 5 Regions of Burgundy
Burgundy consists of five main wine-producing regions. It starts with Chablis in the north and ends at Mâcon in the south. Each of these regions has its own characteristics and produces wines with distinct profiles.
Chablis
The northernmost section is Chablis. No, Chablis is not a grape variety; it is a town where the Chardonnay grape produces quality wines with steely and mineral characteristics. The world-famous reputation of these wines prompted manufacturers to label their jug wine as “Chablis,” but those wines do a disservice to the dry and crisp wines produced in this region. In fact, some of the most elegant white wines in the world are proudly produced in Chablis.
Côte de Nuits
Côte de Nuits is the northern part of the Côte d’Or. This is the home of such famous towns as Gevrey-Chambertin, Morey-Saint Denis, Chambolle-Musigny, Vougeot, Vosne-Romanee and Nuits-Saint-Georges. Here, the Pinot Noir grape finds its greatest expression. In fact, the Côte de Nuits produces all but one of the most exclusive red Grand Cru wines in Burgundy. Without a doubt, these are some of the finest red wines in the world.
Côte de Beaune
Côte de Beaune is the southern part of the Côte d’Or. This is often referred to as Burgundy’s wine capital because the town of Beaune is located here along with the headquarters of many of Burgundy’s largest producers. The internationally known wine auction at the famous Hospices de Beaune takes place here every November. In addition to Beaune, some of the more famous towns are Pommard, Volnay, Meursault, Puligny-Montrachet and Chassagne-Montrachet. The Côte de Beaune produces some of the best red wines from the Pinot Noir grape. The area is also recognized for producing the absolute best white wines made from the Chardonnay grape.
Côte Chalonnaise
Côte Chalonnaise is probably the least well-known of the five regions in Burgundy. It produces some crisp Chardonnays as well as some fruity Pinot Noirs. Great values can be found in this “sleeper” region of Burgundy. The Côte Chalonnaise is also the home of Bouzeron, which makes some very special Aligote (the other white grape in Burgundy) wines as well as Rully, which makes some excellent Cremant (sparkling) wines.
Mâconnais
Mâconnais is Burgundy’s largest wine-growing district. The Chardonnay grape in the Mâconnaise region yields fresh and fruity white wines. The most famous of these are the Pouilly-Fuissé wines. This region offers the bargain hunter some worthy wines.
The 4 Classifications of Burgundy
In France, strict wine laws regulate all aspects of winemaking to protect consumers and control quality. This framework is known as the AOC (Appellations d’Origine Contrôlée) system, which recognizes over 100 distinct growing areas within Burgundy. These areas are grouped into four general classifications:
Regional
This is the entry-level classification for Burgundy. These wines are made from grapes grown anywhere within the entire region, and the label typically features the word “Bourgogne” as its largest word. A Bourgogne Chardonnay is made entirely from Chardonnay grapes, while a Bourgogne Pinot Noir is made entirely from Pinot Noir grapes. Wines made exclusively from grapes grown in the Côte de Nuits or Côte de Beaune are labeled “Bourgogne Côte d’Or”, which usually signifies higher quality for these entry-level wines.
Village
AOC laws recognize approximately 50 specific villages with a long history of producing fine wines. If the grapes are grown entirely within one of these villages, the village name will be the largest word on the label. Because these areas are more defined, village-level wines are often higher in quality than regional wines. Additionally, if all the grapes come from a specific vineyard, the name of that single vineyard may also be featured on the label.
Premier CRU
These are single-vineyard village wines from vineyards recognized for producing consistently higher-quality grapes. The label will include the village name, the specific vineyard name, and the designation “Premier Cru” (sometimes abbreviated as “1er Cru”). These are some of the best wines in the world.
Grand CRU
This designation is reserved for only the finest 1% or 2% of Burgundy’s wines. These are recognized the world over as being the finest Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs. These vineyards are planted differently, the vines are pruned differently, and the yields are strictly limited. Everything is done to ensure the maximum expression of the grape and the terroir in this highest quality level of Burgundies. The words “Grand Cru” are usually stated on the wine label.