Burgundy

Burgundy

(France)

Burgundy

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Undisputed reign of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, Burgundy is certainly a production area remembered for the class and the elegance of its wines. Thanks to the characteristics of the soil and the favorable clima, we produce white and red wines, respectively, with the grapes mentioned above. Located in the central eastern part of France, it is one of the northernmost places where red wines are produced, because the climate is basically fresh. This is why production is not always up to par: quality is very much subject to climatic and meteorological trends. If the grapes do not reach full maturation, the outcomes are less complex and structured. On the other hand, favorable vintages produce memorable wines.
The producers are divided into domaine, groups of vineyards, also located in areas distant from each other (unlike the Bordeaux château): the grapes are vinified separately according to the zones of origin. In Burgundy, the territoriality of the grapes is fundamental, more than in any other part of the world: even the smallest quantities of production are diversified anyway, keeping their peculiar characteristics fully. The area and the vineyard characterize the result even more than the type of grapes used. The concept of the diversity of the various places is rooted in time, thanks to the action of the first producers: the Cistercian and Benedictine monks.
Typical Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are the Aligoté grapes (white, used for consumer goods) and Gamay (red, with which the famous Beaujolais wines are produced).
The classification system is also linked to the individual vineyards, divided into Premier Cru and Grand Cru: a few dozen the vineyards included in the latter, prestigious category! The name of the vineyard, in this case, is even included in the label, while among the Premier Cru is inserted after the name of the village.
The main regions have, each one, very different characteristics.
Chablis is the most famous for whites, only produced with Chardonnay grapes. Côte d'Or produces only Grand Cru and Premier Cru. The Côte de Nuits is a land of excellent red wines. Côte de Beaune and Côte Chalonnaise both produce them, in the Mâconnaise the whites predominate, but it is more oriented to the wide consumption.

Information about Burgundy

Region	Burgundy
Country	France
Climate and soil	The area has a continental climate with cold winters and hot summers, with sporadic influences of the Mediterranean, with winds that bring rain and hail, which can cause large losses for the winemakers.
History	Burgundy extends along the Saône river in the east of France - from the Beaujolais in the south, up to Dijon in the north - and also includes Chablis. Here the vine was cultivated since Roman times and the testimonies on the culture of Pinot Noir are very old. Until the French Revolution, in Burgundy the church and the monasteries played a very important role in the production of wine. After the revolution, all the land of nobility and of the church was confiscated to be divided into small lots to be shared among the peasants. Subsequently, the lots further fragmented with hereditary divisions. Here there are no large Château as in Bordeaux, but the vineyards are called climat or clos. Some vineyards can be divided into lots (parcelles), and it is very prestigious to own a parcel of one of the famous vineyards.
Typical products	Bourgogne Rosso must be produced with 100% Pinot Noir. The only exception is the Bourgogne passe-tout-grains, which is normally produced with two thirds of Gamay and a third of Pinot Noir. Pinot Noir is known as 'enfant terrible in the world of wines. It behaves very capriciously with frequent mutations. The character and style of the wines varies with the soil conditions: the siliceous lands give light wines, in the clay soils the wines become structured and alcoholic, while the soils rich in calcium favor the bouquet. Gamay is a vine of the Beaujolais area, where large quantities of light and fruity wines need to be drunk young. The wines have a very typical aroma (pear, banana and ethyl acetate) that depends on the particular vinification: carbonic maceration. Chardonnay is the great white vine for white Bourgogone. It can also be considered one of the most appreciated vines in the world. Aligoté is the second white vine of Burgundy, which with its thin skin, high acidity and reputation for mediocre quality, is often misjudged and forgotten. But, if properly vinified, in the best years, it can give rich and powerful wines.
Typical dishes	Burgundy is characterized by having top quality products, think of the Bresse Pollame which is among the best in the world, and the chalonnaise beef that is highly appreciated by the chefs. The Morvan area is rich in rivers and gives the best freshwater fish from all over France; moreover, forests abound with game, delicate mushrooms, and the famous snails or escargots, as well as fruit and vegetables, are much appreciated.
IGT	Vin de France
AOC	Aloxe-corton , Auxey-duresses , Bâtard-Montrachet , Beaune , Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet , Bonnes Mares , Bourgogne , Bouzeron , Chablis , Chambertin , Chambolle-Musigny , Chapelle-Chambertin , Charmes-Chambertin , Chassagne-Montrachet , Chevalier-Montrachet , Chorey Les Beaune , Clos de la Roche , Clos de Vougeot , Clos des Lambrays , Clos Saint-Denis , Corton , Cote de Beaune , Cote de nuits villages , Coteaux Bourguignons , Cremant de Bourgogne , Criots-Bâtard-Montrachet , Échezeaux , Fixin , Fixin-Hervelets , Gevrey-Chambertin , Givry , Grands Échezeaux , Griotte-Chambertin , Hautes-Cotes de Beaune , Hautes-Cotes de Nuits , Irancy , La Tâche , Ladoix , Latricières-Chambertin , Macon , Macon-Bussières , Macon-Chaintré , Macon-Prissé , Macon-Verzè , Macon-Villages , Macon-Vinzelles , Maranges , Marsannay , Mazis-Chambertin , Mazy Chambertin , Mercurey , Meursault , Monopole , Montagny , Monthelie , Montrachet , Morey Saint-Denis , Musigny , Nuits Saint Georges , Pernand-Vergelesses , Petit-Chablis , Pommard , Pouilly-Fuissé , Pouilly-Vinzelles , Puligny-Montrachet , Richebourg , Romanée-Conti , Romanée-Saint-Vivant , Ruchottes-Chambertin , Rully , Saint Romain , Saint Véran , Saint-Aubin , Saint-Bris , Saint-Véran , Santenay , Savigny , Savigny les Beaune , Vin mousseux de France , Viré-Clessé , Volnay , Vosne-Romanèe , Vougeot