Located inland in the east of France, Burgundy or 'Bourgogne' in French, is renowned for its varietal red and white wines and home of the Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes. It also encompasses the separate regions of Chablis to the north and Beaujolais to the south, the latter famous for its lighter style of red wines from the Gamay grape.Unlike Bordeaux, the vineyards of Burgundy consist of a plethora of small holdings dating back to the Napoleonic laws which saw the division and subdivision of land amongst family members. The climate is continental with hot summers and very cold winters. Frost is a problem, particularly in the northerly Chablis region. The soils vary from chalk in the hills of Chablis, through limestone and clay down to granite in the Beaujolais.
Winter scene in Chablis
The wines are primarily varietal with Pinot Noir and Chardonnay the dominant varieties. The lesser white grape Aligote has somewhat of a cult following and is perhaps best identified as the recommended base wine for the famous aperitif, Kir*. Red Burgundy can vary from a rather thin light style of wine at its most basic level to the wonderful complex masterpieces of the renowned Domaines*.
The demand for top quality red Burgundy regularly outstrips the supply hence the hefty price tag. The white wines based on the Chardonnay grape vary from the steely, flinty crisp style of Chablis to the rich, honeyed, luscious style of the Cote de Beaune. Quality in Burgundy can often disappoint and the name of the producer or negociant* is of paramount importance. Once sourced, good Burgundy is rarely surpassed.
Home of the world's most expensive wine
The wines of Beaujolais are a different style entirely. Based on the Gamay grape and 98% red, they present a lighter style of wine mainly for early drinking. They are vinified using a process known as 'maceration carbonique'*. Everybody has heard of the annual scramble to get the first bottle of the Beaujolais Nouveau when released every November but this is more to do with marketing hype than intrinsic quality.
On a more serious level there are the Beaujolais Crus. These are 10 individual communes producing a more concentrated style of Beaujolais with greater depth and ageing potential. 'Fleurie' is one of the best known but if you want to impress your friends the rest are: 'St.Amour', 'Julienas', 'Chenas', 'Moulin a Vent', 'Chiroubles', 'Morgon', 'Regnie', 'Brouilly' and 'Cote de Brouilly.' Beaujolais is one of the few red wines that can be served lightly chilled.
