Burgundy

Burgundy wine is wine made in the Burgundy region in eastern France. The most famous wines produced here – those commonly referred to as Burgundies – are red wines made from Pinot Noir grapes or white wines made from Chardonnay grapes. Red and white wines are also made from other grape varieties, such as Gamay and Aligot respectively.

Small amounts of rosé and sparkling wine are also produced in the region. Burgundy is in some ways the most terroir-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. Burgundies are also classified in order of quality: Grand Crus, Premier Crus, village appellations, and finally regional appellations.

Grand Cru wines are produced from the small number of the best vineyard sites in the Côte d’Or, as strictly defined by the AOC laws. These wines are generally produced in a style meant for cellaring, and typically need to be aged a minimum of 5-7 years. The best examples can be kept for more than 15 years.