Burgundy

General information:

Viticultural Burgundy covers five regions:

Chablis
Côte de Nuits
Côte de Beaune
Côte Chalonnaise
Maconnais

Total production from 26,500 hectares of vines, which equates to 200 million bottles of wine.

Production is two thirds white wine to one third red wine.

Some answers to your questions about burgundy:

a) th...

General information:

Viticultural Burgundy covers five regions:

Chablis
Côte de Nuits
Côte de Beaune
Côte Chalonnaise
Maconnais

Total production from 26,500 hectares of vines, which equates to 200 million bottles of wine.

Production is two thirds white wine to one third red wine.

Some answers to your questions about burgundy:

a) the attributes of a great red burgundy ?

- the soil and exposition of the vineyard;

- low yields;

- a hospitable growing season;

- winemaking;

b) Why are the best burgundies prohibitively expensive ?

The pricing of burgundy can be explained entirely by the rules of supply and demand. Truly microscopic quantities of wine offereed by the best producers and a worldwide demand.

c) What are the significant differences in the wines of the Côte de Beaune and Côte de Nuits ?

The red wines of the Côte de Nuits tend to be fuller, slightly more tannic and are characterized by a more earthy, black fruit and exotic character than those from the Côte de Beaune. Indeed, the wines from Côte de Beaune tend to offer slighlty less body, less tannin and seem to filled with aromas and flavors of red fruits.

While the Côte de Nuits produces only a handful of white wines, of which a few are superlative, the Côte de Beaune produces the world's greatest wines from the Chardonnay grape.

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Subcategories

Chablis
AOC Chablis: The Pure, Mineral White Wines of Burgundy

The Chablis wine district, located in the northernmost part of Burgundy, is renowned for producing 100% Chardonnay white wines that are known for their purity, crispness, and mineral qualities. With high acidity and distinctive flinty characteristics, Chablis wines are celebrated for their elegance and complexity. The Kimmeridgian soil, rich in fossilized oyster shells, imparts a unique saline and chalky minerality to the wine, making it one of the most distinctive expressions of Chardonnay in the world.

Chablis Appellation System

Chablis is structured into four main classifications:
- Petit Chablis
- Chablis
- Chablis Premier Cru
- Chablis Grand Cru
Each of these categories represents varying levels of quality, with Premier Cru and Grand Cru wines offering the highest caliber expressions of Chablis.

Chablis Grand Cru

There are only seven Grand Cru vineyards in Chablis, each producing wines with incredible depth and aging potential. Among the most prestigious, these vineyards are located on the filet mignon of Chablis' terrain.
- Les Clos (61.1 acres): The most famous Grand Cru, Les Clos is known for its superb acidity, depth, and richness, yet it stands out for its mineral-like precision and complex flavors. Often capable of aging for 15-20 years, Les Clos offers apple, honey, and spice notes as it matures.
- Blanchot (30.1 acres): Located southeast of the other Grands Crus, Blanchot is recognized for producing some of the most delicate, perfumed, and stylish wines among the Grand Crus. The wines from Blanchot have a fine balance of floral aromas and mineral complexity.
Chablis Premier Cru

Chablis also features 40 Premier Cru vineyards that produce wines with vibrant fruit flavors, fresh acidity, and subtle minerality. These wines offer an excellent introduction to Chablis' unique characteristics at a more accessible price point.

Vintage Considerations

Chablis is a region where vintage variations play a crucial role in the quality of the wines. In good vintages, Chablis can be magical: pale straw in color with hints of green, transforming into light gold with age. These wines are typically bone dry, medium-bodied, with lively acidity and concentrated aromas of apple and minerality that linger long after you swallow. In less favorable years, the wines may lack the concentration and freshness that Chablis is known for, so it's essential to pay attention to vintage reports.

Food Pairing

Chablis wines are incredibly versatile and pair beautifully with a range of dishes, particularly seafood and shellfish. Their crisp acidity makes them a perfect match for oysters, crab, lobster, and goat cheese, enhancing the delicate flavors of these dishes.
Côte de nuits
The Cote de Nuits is the northern half of the Cote d'Or wine region in Burgundy . It specializes in red wines made predominantly from Pinot Noir, the most famous and expensive.

Sub-regions of Cote de Nuits :
- Gevrey-Chambertin;
- Vougeot,
- Morey-Saint-Denis,
- Chambolle-Musigny,
- Vosne-Romanée,
- Fixin,
- Nuits-Saint-Georges.
Côte de beaune

With its vinous pillars of Chassagne-Montrachet, Puligny-Montrachet and Meursault, the Côte de Beaune’s Chardonnays are considered the finest in the world.

The Côte de Beaune is also responsible for a handful of Burgundy's top red wines, particularly those from the premier cru vineyards of Pommard, Volnay and the grand cru Corton.

Its finest Chardonnays are known for their incomparable intensity and complexity, while its Pinot Noirs convey softness and finesse.
Côte Chalonnaise

The villages and appellations of the Côte Chalonnaise:

- Bouzeron;

- Rully;

- Mercurey;

- Givry;

- Montagny.
Vignoble du Mâconnais

The Maconnais wine region in the south of Burgundy is centered around – and named after – the provincial town of Macon.