Burgundy

The history of Burgundy wines

The history of Burgundy wines dates back to Roman times, when the first vines were planted. In the Middle Ages, the monks of the Abbey of Cîteaux made a major contribution to the development of Burgundy winegrowing thanks to new viticultural and winemaking techniques.

In the 17th century, trade in Burgundy wines grew considerably, thanks in particular to the development of maritime trade. The great wines of Burgundy, much appreciated by the nobility, were exported to England, Russia and other European countries.

In the 19th century, Burgundy faced an economic crisis, mainly due to the ravages of phylloxera, but also to growing competition from wines from other regions. Burgundy's winegrowers decided to change their methods (reducing yields, improving vinification techniques) in order to concentrate on producing top-quality wines. This new strategy gave rise to the classification of Burgundy's climats, more commonly known today as the pyramid of appellations for Burgundy wines.

In the 20th century, as the reputation of Burgundy wines continued to grow, the wines of the Burgundy pyramid obtained their corresponding AOCs (appellations d'origine contrôlée) a year after the system was created, in 1936.

Today, the reputation of Burgundy wines is well established: many consider them to be some of the finest wines in the world, with a wide variety of styles reflecting the diversity of climates and terroirs in this complex and exciting region.

The pyramid of Burgundy wine appellations

Burgundy's vineyards are an immense mosaic made up of thousands of plots of land (known here as climats), often small in size (La Romanée Conti is the smallest appellation in the world at 0.8 hectares), due to their highly diverse geological origin and soil composition, often within the same locality. These are essentially sedimentary soils made up of clay, marl and limestone, deposited 150 million years ago during the Jurassic period on an even older substratum.

To make these terroirs easier to understand for as many people as possible, in the 19th century the visionary Burgundy region created a hierarchical system of appellations known as the Burgundy wine pyramid. This pyramid of Burgundy appellations is made up of four levels, each representing an increasing degree of quality, complexity and specificity.

Here are the four levels of the Burgundy wine pyramid, from the most general and accessible to the most specific and grandiose:

- Regional appellations: This first level groups together wines with a regional appellation which can be produced throughout the region and which are often considered to be the most accessible and simple Burgundy wines. For example: "AOC Bourgogne" and "AOC Bourgogne Aligoté".

- Village appellations: This second level includes village appellation wines such as AOC Chablis, AOC Pommard, AOC Meursault, AOC Vosne Romanée, AOC Chambolle Musigny and the famous AOC Gevrey Chambertin. These wines are produced in the appellation zone of their respective villages, and thus offer more distinctive characteristics than regional wines.

- Burgundy Premier Cru appellations: This third tier includes wines from Burgundy Premier Cru appellations such as AOC Chablis Premier Cru, AOC Beaune Premier Cru and AOC Volnay Premier Cru. These are wines produced on specific climates in the AOC Villages vineyards, offering what is known as superior quality.

- Grand Cru de Bourgogne appellations: Finally, this last level of appellation is the most prestigious, grouping together the appellations of Grand Cru Burgundy wines such as AOC Chablis Grand Cru, AOC Corton Charlemagne, AOC Chambertin, AOC Montrachet, AOC Clos Vougeot, AOC Richebourg, AOC Clos de la Roche, AOC Clos Saint Denis, AOC Romanée Saint Vivant. These great Burgundy wines come from the most prestigious vineyards in Burgundy, and are therefore considered to be some of the greatest wines of Burgundy, thanks to their exceptional quality and complexity.

The pyramid of Burgundy appellations is a complex, hierarchical system that helps wine lovers understand the quality, specificity and origin of Burgundy wines. However, it is important to note that some winemakers also produce wines without a specific appellation, which can offer great quality and excellent value for money.

Grape varieties about Burgundy wines

The grape varieties used to make Burgundy wines are Pinot Noir for red Burgundy wines, which produces light, elegant or powerful, full-bodied wines depending on the location of the plot, and Chardonnay for white Burgundy wines, which produce great dry, aromatic, full-bodied wines. To a lesser extent, other grape varieties complete the range of Burgundy wines: Aligoté, which is fresh and lively, with lemony notes; Gamay, a red grape variety that thrives mainly on the granite soils of Beaujolais and southern Burgundy, and is used in particular in the AOC Côteaux Bourguignons appellation.

Burgundy wine sub-regions, from north to south

Burgundy's vineyards cover 30,000 hectares, divided as follows: 6,000 hectares in Yonne (for Chablis wines), 8,000 hectares for Maconnais wines, 6,000 hectares for Côte Chalonnaise wines and 10,000 hectares in Côte d'Or (including Côte de Nuits and Côte de Beaune).

Burgundy wines from Chablis

Chablis is Burgundy's most northerly wine-growing sub-region, renowned for its great dry, mineral white wines made from the Chardonnay grape variety. Chablis wines are fresh, mineral whites. This is due to the Kimmeridgian limestone soils and cooler climate, which give Chablis wines their distinctive character. There are Chablis Grand Cru wines and Chablis Premier Cru wines. In Chablis, there are some renowned producers, including Francois Raveneau, Vincent Dauvissat and William Fevre.

Burgundy wines from the Côte de Nuits

The Côte de Nuits is the northern part of the Côte d'Or, which also includes the Côte de Beaune. The Côte de Nuits is best known for its red Pinot Noir wines. Côte de Nuits wines are generally described as elegant, fine, complex and aromatic. The distinctive character of the wines is due to the limestone and clay-limestone soils of the region, as well as the climate. The best-known Côte de Nuits appellations from north to south are : Marsannay, Fixin, Gevrey Chambertin, Morey Saint Denis, Chambolle Musigny, Vougeot, Vosne Romanée and Nuits Saint Georges. You can find the top Côte de Nuits producers a little further down in the Best Burgundy Wines section.

Burgundy wines from the Côte de Beaune

The Côte de Beaune is the southern part of the Côte d'Or, which also includes the Côte de Nuits. The Côte de Beaune is particularly renowned for its white wines made from the Chardonnay grape (as opposed to the Côte de Nuits), due to the region's limestone soils, but also for its red wines from the more clay-limestone parts of the vineyards. White Burgundy wines from the Côte de Beaune are often rich, complex and aromatic. Red Burgundy wines from the Côte de Beaune tend to be fine, elegant and delicate.

The best-known villages include, from north to south: Pernand Vergelesses, Ladoix, Aloxe Corton, Savigny les Beaune, Beaune, Pommard, Volnay, Monthélie, Auxey Duresses, Meursault, Puligny Montrachet, Saint Aubin, Chassagne Montrachet and Santenay.  Find out more about the Côte de Beaune's top producers a little further down in the Best Burgundy Wines section.

Burgundy wines from the Côte Chalonnaise

The Côte Chalonnaise is a sub-region of Burgundy situated to the south of the Côte de Beaune and to the north of the Maconnais. The soils of the Côte Chalonnaise are composed of limestone, marl and clay, giving the region's wines their distinctive character. The Côte Chalonnaise is renowned for its elegant, fine and fruity red wines, and its white wines full of freshness, liveliness and elegance. Wines from the Côte Chalonnaise are often more affordable than those from the Côte de Beaune or Côte de Nuits, while still offering great quality and value for money.

The main Côte Chalonnaise appellations are, from north to south: Bouzeron, Rully, Mercurey, Givry and Montagny. The Côte Chalonnaise generally produces white wines with notes of citrus fruit, apple and pear, while the red wines often have notes of morello cherry, raspberry and spices. Some of the top producers in the Côte Chalonnaise include :  De Villaine, Château de Chamirey, François Raquillet, Dureuil Janthial, Joblot and François Lumpp.

Burgundy wines from the Maconnais

The Maconnais is a sub-region of Burgundy located south of the Côte Chalonnaise. The Maconnais region is known for its Chardonnay white wines, which combine freshness, fruitiness and elegance, while its Gamay and Pinot Noir red wines are generally fresh and light, with fruity notes. The Côte Mâconnaise is booming, producing a wide variety of high-quality wines at more affordable prices than its northern neighbours the Côte de Nuits and Côte de Beaune.

The main appellations of the Côte Mâconnaise are : Viré Clessé (between Tournus and Macon), Macon, Pouilly Fuissé which lies next to the famous Roche de Solutré and Saint Véran. Among the greatest producers of the Côte Maconnaise, we recommend :  Daniel Barraud, Guffens Heynen, Guillot Broux, Jean Marie Chaland, Merlin, Saumaize, Thevenet, Jules Desjourneys, and La Soufrandière des Bret Brothers.

The best wines of Burgundy

Burgundy is a wine region famous for the quality of its wines, and some of its wines are considered to be the most prestigious in the world. Here are some of the most prestigious Burgundy Grand Cru appellations:

- Romanée Conti: produced in Vosne Romanée, Romanée Conti is an extremely rare and expensive red wine, considered by many to be the most prestigious wine in Burgundy and perhaps the world.

- Chambertin & Cie: produced in Gevrey Chambertin, Chambertin is a highly prestigious red wine, considered to be one of the best in Burgundy, with great aromatic richness and structure. Other great neighbours include Mazis Chambertin, Mazoyère Chambertin, Charmes Chambertin, Ruchottes Chambertin, Chambertin Clos de Bèze, Chapelle Chambertin, Griotte Chambertin and Latricières Chambertin.

- Musigny: produced in Chambolle Musigny, Musigny is a red wine much sought after by wine lovers, and is characterised by its superb elegance and great finesse, with aromas of red fruit and spices.

- Clos Vougeot: this Burgundy grand cru is located in Vougeot. Clos Vougeot is famous for its rich, complex red wines, with aromas of black fruit, spices and undergrowth. Clos Vougeot wines are often very full-bodied and tannic, needing time in the cellar to soften and express themselves fully.

- Echezeaux: Echezeaux is a Burgundy Grand Cru located in Flagey Echezeaux. It is renowned for its elegant, complex red wines with floral, red fruit and spicy notes. Echezeaux wines are often more accessible when young than the other Grand Crus of the Côte de Nuits, but still have excellent ageing potential. See also its famous neighbour Grands Echezeaux

- Montrachet & Cie: produced in a climate straddling the communes of Puligny Montrachet and Chassagne Montrachet, Montrachet is a world-renowned white wine, renowned for its richness and complexity. Other great neighbours include : Batard Montrachet, Bienvenues Batard Montrachet, Criots Batard Montrachet, and Chevalier Montrachet.

- Corton Charlemagne: Produced in Aloxe Corton, Corton Charlemagne is a prestigious white wine, considered to be one of the finest white wines in Burgundy, with great richness and a fine minerality.

- Corton: Corton is a red grand cru from Burgundy located in Aloxe-Corton. It is known for its powerful, complex red wines, with notes of black fruit, spices and undergrowth. Corton wines are often tannic when young, but you'll need to wait for them to develop the fine structure and great complexity that are their hallmark with age.

These wines are highly sought-after, and their prices generally reflect the strong demand from wine-lovers, but there are also many other top-quality Burgundy wines worth discovering and tasting.

A number of Burgundy wine producers have also established their reputation and winemaking expertise thanks to their history, talent and the indisputable quality of their wines. Here is a list of these producers, classified by appellation:

- In Chablis, we recommend the following producers: Francois Raveneau, Vincent Dauvissat , William Fevre.

- In the famous Gevrey Chambertin appellation, try the wines of Domaine Armand Rousseau, Domaine Dujac, Dugat Py and Domaine Trapet.

- In Chambolle Musigny, discover the elegant wines of Domaine Georges Roumier, Domaine Comte de Vogue, Domaine Jacques Frederic Mugnier and Domaine Bart's Bonnes Mares.

- In Vosne Romanée, don't miss the huge Domaine de la Romanée Conti, Domaine Leroy or Domaine Méo Camuzet.

- In Volnay, sample the wines of Domaine de la Pousse d'Or, Domaine Marquis d'Angerville and Domaine Michel Lafarge.

- In Nuits Saint Georges, discover the Domaines d'Henri Gouges, Jean Grivot and Domaine de l'Arlot.

- In Corton, we recommend the wines of Bonneau du Martray and Faiveley.

- In Pommard, try the wines of Domaine Comte Armand or Domaine de Montille.

- In Meursault, don't miss out on wines from Coche Dury, Domaine des Comtes Lafon, Domaine Roulot, Arnaud Ente and Domaine d'Auvenay.