From Chablis to the Mâconnais, the extremely complex and fragmented Burgundy vineyard offers an incredible variety of high quality white and red wines. The climates of this French region are the precious witnesses of the incredible diversity of the terroirs that it offers to the amateur of great wines. Here are the essential things to know about Burgundy wines.
The Strong Points of Burgundy Wines
Burgundy is now teeming with very talented young winegrowers. For a decade, a tremendous emulation has been created within the region. The major trading houses have also come up to speed and now have very high-level infrastructures. Burgundy is certainly one of the two or three regions of France that has progressed the most in recent years.
It should be noted that apart from the prestigious appellations, whose wines have unfortunately become rare and expensive, Burgundy is also a wonderful land of discovery. Maranges, Rully, Givry or Saint-Romain offer a multitude of remarkable wines at very reasonable prices. You can get Burgundy Wines on millesima-usa.com and appreciate its richness.
Burgundy Wine Varieties
Pinot Noir
Burgundy has a few quality grape varieties that make it famous throughout the world. First, Pinot Noir is arguably one of the best grape varieties in wine production, but it is also one of the most difficult to grow. What makes it so attractive is its ability to offer very variable aromas and structure in the mouth depending on the terroir on which it matures. Thanks to Pinot Noir, the winegrowers were able to surgically define this mosaic of terroirs so characteristic of Burgundy.
Chardonnay
If Pinot Noir is the king of red Burgundy wines, chardonnay is its equivalent for whites. The terroirs of Montrachet, Meursault and Chablis form a perfect alliance with Chardonnay. They produce some of the greatest white wines in the whole world. Nowhere else does Chardonnay express itself with such finesse and precision.
Aligoté
Aligoté does not have the same characteristics as Chardonnay. It is used in the production of wines that do not bear the name of the village where it is grown (only one exception is Bouzeron). It is legally called Bourgogne Aligoté and can also be used in the composition of crémant de Bourgogne.
Gamay
The very expressive Gamay is omnipresent in the Mâconnais, in the south of Burgundy. It also makes the reputation of Beaujolais wines. Cultivated further north, it gives wines lightness and freshness.