Burgundy

Burgundy region begins a hundred kilometers south from Paris and spreads itself down to Lyon. It stretches on 360 kilometers (225 miles).

Burgundy is a region with various soils, divided in numerous districts: Chablis, Côte d'Or (divided in Côte de Nuits and Côte de Beaune), Côte Chalonnaise, Mâconnais and Wines of Beaujolais:.

Burgundy wines are of a velvety and subtle red or of a sensual and characteristic white.

In Burgundy, between Gevrey and Vougeot, the plot called Romanée-Conti has at first glance nothing extraordinary. Did not Stendhal use to say " Whithout those magnificent wines, I would think nowhere in the world is uglier".

Romanée-Conti covers about 1,8 hectares. It is exposed south at the limit of the Richebourg. Its ground contain a very fine clay which does not exist in the neighbouring plots. The natural draining is perfect.

The plot Romanée-Conti was traced during the XVth century, and maybe earliest in the XIIth century by the monks of Saint-Viviant. You must imagine the Pinot Noir the monks collected in Burgundy forests and very carefully selected; any how it does not give satisfactory results any where, except there.

The result his a subtile equation between grape, soil, climate, orientation and watering. The legend pretends that, until 1945, a good vine-plant was sacrificed and buried, just living two shoots out, developing itself it gave two new vine-plants. When the vineyard was reconstituted, intricate roots more than a meter deep where discovered. It was from that mulch that the new vine-plants had drawn the specific feature of Romanée-Conti.

"We are the keeper of a certain philosophy of wine and, mainly, we are concern by the perfection in details" assures Aubert de Vilaine, one of the owners of the place with the Leroys.

Those two families also look after 25 hectares of some of the most famous Burgundy crus. Thus, the client must aqcuire the wines of the domains by boxes of twelve, which means one bottle of Romanée-Conti among 11 bottles of other domains. A box of twelve bottles is worth about 3,000 Euros.

Wines from Burgundy:

Bourgogne aoc

Bourgogne Aligoté

Chablis

Côte de Nuits

Gevrey Chambertin

Clos Vougeot

Vosne Romanée

Nuits Saint Georges

Côte de Beaune

Corton - Pommard

Volnay

Meursault

Chassagne

Montrachet

Mercurey

Macon

Givry

Pouilly Fuissé

Rully

Wines of Beaujolais:

Beaujolais is the last district of Burgundy. It produces one of the most famous red wine in the world. Beaujolais takes it, generally, light and fruity flavour from the Gamay grape variety. It should be tasted slightly fresh and young.

There are four categories of wines in Beaujolais :

Cru Beaujolais, in Brouilly, Côte de Brouilly, Morgon, Chénas, Chiroubles, Fleurie, Juliénas, Moulin à Vent, Régnié and Saint Amour, where the granitic soil gives one of the best Gamay.

Beaujolais in the northern part of the district where the soil is limestone.

Beaujolais Supérieur in the same part of the district but with one degree more of alcohol.

Beaujolais-Village in one of the 39 listed villages.

Burgundy Wine Making

Burgundy wines are of a velvety and subtle red or of a sensual and characteristic white. The region produces two of the most popular wines in France: Beaujolais and Chablis.

Burgundy is a region with various soils, divided in numerous districts: Chablis, Côte d'Or (divided in Côte de Nuits and Côte de Beaune), Côte Chalonnaise, Mâconnais and Beaujolais.

List of Grands Crus in Burgundy

Only 33 vineyards have the privilege of being agreed as "Grand Cru". They used to be called "Tête de Cuvée". Only the name of the vineyard figures on the label of Bourgogne "Grand Cru". They are the best among the best:

Bâtard-Montrachet Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet Bonnes-Mares Chablis Grand Cru Chambertin Chambertin-Clos de Bèze Chapelle-Chambertin Charlemagne Charmes-Chambertin Chevalier-Montrachet Clos de la Roche Clos de Tart Clos de Vougeot Clos des Lambrays Clos Saint Denis Corton Corton-Charlemagne Criots-Bâtard-Montrachet Échezeaux Grands Échezeaux Griotte-Chambertin La Grande Rue La Romanée La Tâche Latricières-Chambertin Mazis-Chambertin Mazoyères-Chambertin Montrachet Musigny Richebourg Romanée-Conti Romanée-Saint-Vivant Ruchottes-Chambertin

Chablis

Côtes de Nuit

Côte de Beaune

Hautes-Côtes de Beaune is an appellation of its own, west of Côte de Beaune, producing a firm red wine and a mellow white wine.

Côte Châlonnaise et Mâcon