Bourgogne wine region

Bourgogne is one of the best-known wine-growing regions in France and competes with Bordeaux for supremacy in French wine-growing. The multifaceted geography with Mediterranean, continental and oceanic influences from the south, north and west creates the best conditions for the growth of the vines. The characteristic combination gives Bourgogne wines from the Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grape varieties their unmistakable identity. Wines from Burgundy are very complex and impress wine connoisseurs with their expressiveness.

An overview of the Bourgogne wine region

In Bourgogne, it is common for wines to be made from only one grape variety. Cuvées from Bourgogne are more of a rarity. There are six individual regions in Bourgogne:

• Chablis and the Grand Auxerrois
• Côte de Nuits and Hautes Côtes de Nuit
• Cotes de Beaune and Hautes Cotes de Beaune
• Cote Chalonnaise
• Mâconnais
• Pouilly

A total of around 4,000 wineries can be counted in the region, which share around 30,000 hectares of cultivated land. The area under vines accounts for around 6% of the French AOC wine-growing region. Around 200 million bottles of wine are bottled each year in the Bourgogne wine region, accounting for around 0.4% of world wine production.

The climatic conditions in the wine region

The Bourgogne wine-growing region is located south-east of Paris and stretches like a ribbon between the cities of Dijon and Lyon. The vines grow in a temperate continental climate. The winters are usually very cold and dry and last a long time, especially in Chablis. The winegrowers even have to reckon with late frosts here. Heavy rainfall can be expected in spring and autumn and high temperatures with many hours of sunshine occur in summer.

Due to the extensive solar radiation and the high temperatures, optimal grape ripening and aroma concentration are made possible in the summer months. Added to this is the location of the plots and the positioning of the vineyards on the slopes at an altitude of 200 to 500 meters, which brings many advantages. Above all, the natural protection against westerly winds, the optimized frost resistance and the optimal use of solar radiation should be mentioned.

There are many different soil types in Bourgogne

A characteristic feature of Bourgogne is the variety of different soil types, which amounts to over 60. The Bourgogne subsoil was formed between 150 and 180 million years ago. It consists mainly of marl and limestone from the Jurassic period. The limestone is responsible for the refined taste nuances, the variety and the mineral character of Bourgogne wines. In addition, the soil also contains loam and clay.

These are the most important grape varieties in Burgundy

Winemakers in Bourgogne strive to fully exploit the potential of a grape variety. As a result, cuvées are also a rarity. In the region, the two varieties Chardonnay and Pinot Noir dominate by far. The product range consists of:

• 61.1% white wines (Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc, Aligoté, Sauvignon, Pinot Beurot)
• 27.5% red wines (Gamay, Pinot Noir, César, Melon de Bourgogne)
• 10.9% Cremant de Bourgogne
• 0.5% rosé wines

The wines are the result of a very traditional cultivation culture, which, on the other hand, also understands constant change as an essential part of its identity. Top performances are achieved above all through respectful treatment of the soil, the vine and the terroir, the renunciation of intervening methods, exemplary cultivation and vinification practices and constant quality improvement while maintaining the existing savoir-faire.

The classification of Bourgogne wines

As in Bordeaux, Bourgogne also has a specific classification system in which all vineyards and sites in Chablis and on the Côte d'Or are precisely recorded and evaluated.

1. Grand Cru: The best locations (e.g. Montrachet, Corton)
2. Premier Cru: Top level of the two best sites (e.g. Pommard 1er Cru Les Arvelets)
3. Climat: Wines from simpler locations (e.g. Gevrey, Chambertin)
4. Appellation Villages with the name of the municipality (e.g. Gevrey, Chambertin)
5. Appellation Regionales with indication of the area (e.g. Bourgogne Rouge, Crément de Bourgogne)

This is characteristic of Bourgogne wines

Regardless of the variety, Bourgogne wines stand out for their extraordinarily refined notes and the elegant interplay of their notes, which emphasize their subtle delicacy rather than their power. Added to this is their incomparable balance, their freshness and their distinctive finish, which make Bourgogne wines recommendations to be shared with friends.

The Côte d'Or - the heart of the region

The core of the wine-growing region is the Côte d'Or (Golden Slopes) around the city of Beaune. The area begins a few kilometers south of Dijon and extends from there to the southwest of Chagny. A total of 27 places have the right to sell their wines under the label. These include Pommard, Santenay, Chambolle-Musigny and Fixin. If a location is also specified, it is always a Premier Cru location.

In the production of Burgundy wines from the Côte d'Or, two grape varieties are used almost exclusively: the red from the Pinot noir and the white from the Chardonnay. The wines mostly come from the south-east slope towards the Saône valley, whose soils contain a lot of calcareous marl.