Burgundy wine
A wine region defined by terroir and monastic heritage.
Burgundy wine, known in French as Bourgogne or vin de Bourgogne, comes from the Burgundy region in east-central France, specifically the valleys and slopes west of the Saône River, which feeds into the Rhône. The region's most celebrated wines are dry reds from pinot noir and dry whites from chardonnay. Other grape varieties like gamay and aligoté also produce red and white wines here, and small amounts of rosé and sparkling wine are made as well. While Chablis (chardonnay-based) and Beaujolais (gamay-based) are officially part of Burgundy, their wines are usually called by their own names rather than "Burgundy wines."
Burgundy boasts more appellations d'origine contrôlée (AOCs) than any other French wine region and is widely regarded as the most terroir-focused. Its AOCs range from precisely defined grand cru vineyards to broader regional appellations. This attention to vineyard plots based on terroir dates back to medieval times, when monasteries were central to the wine industry's development. The region's historical significance and its unique climats system earned it a spot on the UNESCO World Heritage List as part of the "Climats, terroirs of Burgundy" site.
Geographically, Burgundy stretches from Auxerre in the north to Mâcon in the south, or to Lyon if Beaujolais is included. Chablis, a white wine from chardonnay, comes from the Auxerre area, with nearby appellations like Irancy (red wines) and Saint-Bris (white wines from sauvignon blanc). There are 84 appellations in Burgundy, sorted into four quality tiers: Bourgogne, village, premier cru, and grand cru. About 85 miles southeast of Chablis lies the Côte d'Or, home to Burgundy's most famous and expensive wines and all grand cru vineyards except for Chablis grand cru. The Côte d'Or splits into the Côte de Nuits (from south of Dijon to Corgoloin) and the Côte de Beaune (from Ladoix to Dezize-les-Maranges). This core wine-growing area is just 25 miles long and rarely more than 1.2 miles wide, consisting of tiny villages with vineyards on flat and sloped land on the eastern side of hills, which shelter them from westerly winds. The best grand cru wines grow on the middle and upper slopes with maximum sun exposure and drainage; premier cru wines come from slightly less favorable slopes, while ordinary village wines come from flatter land near villages.
Quick Facts
- Official Name
- Bourgogne
- Year
- AOC in 1936
- Country
- France
- Sub Regions
- Côte d'Auxerre (Chablis) / Côte de Nuits / Côte de Beaune / Côte Chalonnaise / Mâconnais / Beaujolais
- Climate Region
- Zone C I
- Soil
- Argilo-limestone
- Planted
- hectares / classified as AOC vineyards
- Vineyards
- 100 AOCs
- Grapes
- 59.5% of white varieties, 33.8% of red varieties and 6.7% of fr · crémant
- Varietals
- Pinot noir, Gamay, / Chardonnay, Aligoté
- Designation
- Regional, village, fr · 1 / er / cru and fr · Grand cru
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Archaeological evidence establishes viticulture in Burgundy as early as the second century AD, although the Celts may have been growing vines in the region previous to the Roman conquest of Gaul in 51 BC. The earliest recorded praise of the wines of Burgundy was written in 591 by Gregory of Tours, who compared it to the Roman wine Falernian. Monks and monasteries of the Roman Catholic Church have had an important influence on the history of Burgundy wine. The first known donation of a vineyard to the Church was by King Guntram in 587, but the influence of the Church became important in Charlemagne's era. The Benedictines, through their Abbey of Cluny founded in 910, became the first truly big Burgundy vineyard owners, and the Cistercians later established the walled Clos de Vougeot in the early 12th century, around 1110–1115.
Reader's Guide
Burgundy wine is significant for its deep historical roots, its pioneering role in terroir-based classification, and its influence on global wine culture. The region's practice of delineating vineyards by terroir goes back to medieval times, when Cistercian monks first observed that different plots produced consistently different wines. This led to the modern system of AOCs, with Burgundy having more than any other French region. The climats system, which classifies vineyards from grand cru down to regional appellations, was recognized by UNESCO in the Climats, terroirs of Burgundy site. Burgundy's wines—especially reds from pinot noir and whites from chardonnay—are among the most famous and expensive in the world. The region's continental climate, with cold winters and hot summers, makes vintages vary considerably. Key subregions include Chablis, Côte d'Or (split into Côte de Nuits and Côte de Beaune), Côte Chalonnaise, Mâconnais, and Beaujolais. The historical importance of the Church, the Dukes of Burgundy, and early négociant houses shaped the industry. Burgundy's legacy endures as a benchmark for quality and place-driven winemaking.
Did You Know?
- Burgundy has 100 appellations d'origine contrôlée (AOCs), more than any other French region.
- The Cistercians created Burgundy's largest wall-surrounded vineyard, the Clos de Vougeot, in 1336.
- Pinot noir was first mentioned in 1370 under the name Noirien.
- The earliest recorded praise of Burgundy wines was written in 591 by Gregory of Tours.
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