Burgundy
Burgundy (Bourgogne in French) is the name given to certain wines made in the Burgundy region of France. Red Burgundy wines are usually made with the Pinot Noir grape, and white Burgundy wines are usually made with Chardonnay grapes, as dictated by the AOC.
Geography
The wine region starts just south of Dijon at Marsannay-la-Côte and runs southward to just short of the city of Lyon. The area of Chablis stands on its own to the northwest of Dijon, about as close to Paris as it is to the heart of Burgundy. The main wine regions in Burgundy proper (those that are entitled to the AOC Bourgogne designation) are the Côte de Nuits, Côte de Beaune — which collectively are known as the Côte d`Or — and further south the Côte Chalonnaise. Also viticulturally part of Burgundy are Beaujolais, Chablis, and Mâcon. The Route des Grands Crus (which loosely translates as the ``road of great vineyards``) traverses the Burgundy wine region.
Wine characteristics and classification
Burgundy is in some ways the most terroir-oriented region in France; immense attention is paid to the area of origin, and in which of the region`s 400 types of soil a wine`s grapes are grown. As opposed to Bordeaux, where classifications are producer-driven and awarded to individual chateaux, Burgundy classifications are geographically-focused. A specific vineyard or region will bear a given classification, regardless of the wine`s producer. This focus is reflected on the wine`s labels where appellations are most prominent and producer`s names often appear at the bottom in much smaller text. Burgundy classifications, in descending order of quality, are: grand crus, premier crus, village, and finally generic Bourgogne. Bourgogne is where grapes other than Chardonnay and Pinot Noir begin to be introduced, allowing pinot blanc and Pinot Gris, two Pinot Noir mutations that were traditionally grown and now are in decline in the area. Other Burgundy AOCs that are not as often seen are Bourgogne Passetoutgrains (which can contain up to two thirds Gamay (the grape of Beaujolais) in addition to Pinot Noir), Bourgogne Aligoté (which is primarily made with the Aligoté grape), and Bourgogne Grand Ordinaire. The latter is the lowest AOC, and Grand definitely refers to the size of the area eligible to produce it, not its quality. There are certain regions that are allowed to put other grapes in miscellaneous AOCs, but for the most part these rules hold. These regulations are even confusing to the majority of French adults, according to research (Franson).
History
From about the year 900 up to the French Revolution, the vineyards of Burgundy were owned by the Church. After the revolution, the vineyards were broken up and sold to the workers who had tended them. The Napoleonic inheritance laws resulted in the continued subdivision of the most precious vineyard holdings, so that some growers hold only a row or two of vines. This led to the emergence of négociants who aggregate the produce of many growers to produce a single wine. It has also led to a profusion of increasingly small family-owned wineries, exemplified by the dozen plus `Gros` family domaines.
Burgundy wine has experienced much change over the past seventy-five years. Economic depression during the 1930s was followed by the devastation caused by World War II. After the War, ``the vignerons returned home to their unkempt vineyards. The soils and vines had suffered and were sorely in need of nurturing. The growers began to fertilize, bringing their vineyards back to health. Those who could afford it added potassium, a silver-white metallic chemical element that contributes to vigorous growth. By the mid-1950s, the soils were balanced, yields were reasonably low and the vineyards produced some of the most stunning wines this century.
``Understandably, the farmers had no inclination to fix what wasn`t broken. So for the next 30 years, they followed the advice of renowned viticultural experts, who advised them to keep spraying their vineyards with chemical fertilizers, including potassium. While a certain amount of potassium is natural in the soil and good for healthy growth, too much is bad because it leads to low acidity levels, which adversely affect the quality of the wine.
``As the concentration of chemicals in the soil increased, so did the yields. In the past 30 years, yields have risen by two-thirds in the appellations contrôlées vineyards of the Côte d`Or, from 29 hectoliters per hectare (yearly average from 1951 to 1960) to almost 48 hectoliters per hectare (1982-91), according to a study by the Institut National des Appellations d`Origine. And with higher yields came wines of less flavor and concentration.
``The Burgundians pushed their vineyards. They fertilized them, sprayed them and replanted them with high-yield clones to increase crop levels. Like overfishing that can leave a lake practically sterile, overworking the soil sapped it of its natural balance. Soils that had contributed to Burgundy`s reputation for a millennium became depleted by overdependence on chemicals and other modern techniques in just 30 years``
``The period between 1985 and 1995 was a turning point in Burgundy. During this time many Burgundian domaines renewed efforts in the vineyards and gradually set a new course in winemaking. All this led to deeper, more complex wines``. Today, the Burgundy wine industry is reaping the rewards of those impressive efforts.
This article is based entirely or in part on the
Burgundy wikipedia article
and is licenced under the terms of the
GNU Free Documentation Licence.
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In this categoryBeaujolais Cuvee Eden 2009
It is not often that we list a simple Beaujolais rather than the superior 'Villages' appellation but this wine screamed 'great value' when we first tasted it in the cellars of M. Brondel. Named after their grandson living in New Zealand, it is youthful, fresh, quaffable wine with a lovely deep red robed colour. The nose is bursting with red fruit aromas and in the mouth, it is full and silky fulfilling the promise on the nose. Easy to drink without food, delicious with barbecues, pizza and sausage. [read on...]
A B V: 12% Vintage: 2008 Color: red Country: France Code: 73789
Bourgogne Aligote 2008
Aligote is the secondary grape of Burgundy. Although not as elegant as Chardonnay, in good vintages some excellent wines are made which are very crisp, fresh and thirst quenching. Invariably it is drunk younbg, goes well with oysters and is famous as a perfect wine base for making 'kir'. The aroma of this wine has notes of green apples and limes, with citrus, melon, strawberries on the palate adding to its appeal. [read on...]
A B V: 12.5% Vintage: 2008 Color: white Country: France Code: 72042
Beaujolais Cuvée Antoine V.V. 07
The 50 year old vines from which this special cuvee is produced are grown some 15 kilometres away in the Chevenne region with its unique character. The nose has nuances of fruit jam, black cherries and peach leaf. A very pleasant wine that is big enough to accompany red meat, especially entrecote steak. [read on...]
A B V: 12.5% Vintage: 2007 Color: red Country: France Code: 76490
Mâcon Villages Blanc 2007
A classic white Macon with a superior Villages Appellation. It incorperates everything classical and fine expected of a wine of this great stucture. Unoaked both bouquet and palate have nuauces of mango, butterscotch and dried peach, full in the mouth, powerful yet elegant. A very fine bottle on any dinner table. [read on...]
A B V: 13% Vintage: 2007 Color: white Country: France Code: 72050
Beaujolais Rouge V.V. Cuvee des Varennes 10
Produced from 2 hectares of 70 year old Gamay vines this is no lightweight Beaujolais. It has a good red colour with a purple robe, a ripe fruit 'sweetness' to it with nuances of cherries and blackcurrants. An unusual fullness and richness with soft silky ripe tannins makes for a balanced wine with class and character. [read on...]
A B V: 12.5% Vintage: 2009 Color: red Country: France Code: 76482
Beaujolais-Villages 2009
The 45 year old Gamay vines from which this easy drinking Beaujolais has been produced are surrounded by Morgon, Fleurie and Moulin-a-Vent. The colour is a typical dark ruby robe of Gamay. The bouquet full of fine red and dark fruit aromas with an ample round harmonious flavour with velvety tannins and just a whisper of minerality. [read on...]
A B V: 13% Vintage: 2009 Color: red Country: France Code: 76603
Mâcon Village Blanc 2009
An easy drinking well priced burgundy with a grapy bouquet and a fine honeyed flavour with a suggestion of the exotic lychees and apricots. [read on...]
A B V: 13.5% Vintage: 2009 Color: white Country: France Code: 73840
Regnie Grand Crû 2008
This is the 10th and most recently created Beaujolais Grand Crû and as such is relatively unknown. Relatively light yet supple with good structure, cherry-red in colour with aromas of redcurrant, blackberries and fresh raspberries. There is much sappy youthfullness to be enjoyed when drunk early and very lightly chilled. [read on...]
A B V: 12.5% Vintage: 2008 Color: red Country: France Code: 72286
Libertine des Nugues Rosé 2010
Libertine was first produced in 2006. Made from the Gamay grape the juice is partially fermented at a cold temperature and then arrested by freezing the wine. It is filtered, bottled and rested in bottle for a short while. The resulting nectar is amazing - a rose full of strawberry and English 'bon-bon' fruit and just a touch of sweetness perfectly complimented by a touch of crisp acidity with the added bonus of only 10% alcohol. Once tasted always 'hooked'. [read on...]
A B V: 10% Vintage: 2010 Color: rose Country: France Code: 76647
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