Burgundy

The heart of the Burgundy region runs in a narrow strip from south of Dijon to Macon Burgundy also includes the two satellite regions of Chablis and Beaujolais. There is archaeological evidence of viticulture in Burgundy being established in the Second century AD. Monks and monasteries of the Roman Catholic Church have had an important influence on the history of Burgundy wine, planting and mapping out the best vineyard sites.

Burgundy is separated into 5 districts, Chablis, Côte d’Or, Côte Chalonnaise, and Mâconnais and Beaujolais. The Côte d’Or is further divided into Côte de Nuits and Côte de Beaune. The heart of Burgundy is just 40 kilometres long, and in most places is less than 2 kilometres wide. The area is made up of tiny villages surrounded by a combination of flat and sloped vineyards. This provides some rain and weather protection from the prevailing westerly winds. Most Grand Cru vineyards are planted on the middle and higher part of the slopes, providing maximum exposure to the sun and the best drainage. Premier Cru's come from a little less favourably sites. The Village wines are produced from the flat territory nearer the villages.

Burgundy experiences a continental climate characterized by very cold winters and warm summers. Weather varies widely throughout Burgundy's Côte d’Or, with many micro and meso climates. The weather is very unpredictable with rains, hail, and frost all possible around harvest time. Because of this climate, there is a lot of variation between vintages from Burgundy. Most vineyards have a base soil of limestone overlaid with limestone and marl (a mixture of clay and limestone), sometimes mixed with sand or gravel. White wines grow tend to be planted on limestone dominate soil while, red is on higher marl content soils.

The region is famous for its Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, but also produces Aligote and Gamay. Production consists of 59.5% white varieties, 33.8% of red varieties and 6.7% of crémant.

Burgundy Classification