Bonjour Bourgogne! Understanding Burgundy's Terroir Influences
Bonjour Bourgogne! Understanding Burgundy's Terroir Influences
– navigating the diverse sub-regions
The “B”s of Italy article started off being the “B”s of the Old World, but it quickly became apparent that I should split it into 2 parts: Italy and France.
So, on to France’s “B”s, starting northernmost again, with …
B is for Burgundy.
It didn’t take me long to realize Burgundy merits its own post! So here it is!
It is important to point out that the French name is Bourgogne, as this is what you will see on the labels.
Bourgogne also starts with B in French, of course!
Bourgogne has some of the most expensive wines in the world! Some of these are so expensive no one wants to drink them, so ironically, no one knows how they taste! These are now a commodity to be traded.
Kinda dumb if you ask me.
The good thing is that none of the grapes start with B, making it a little less confusing than Italy!
Pheuf!
The grapes of Burgundy are mainly Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, with a sprinkling of Aligoté, Gamay, and Sauvignon Blanc. They make white, red, and a little rosé for the still wines, and sparkling wines called Crémant de Bourgogne.
European wine labels can be a little baffling! Pinot Noir and Chardonnay will TYPICALLY not be on the labels… again because you know… Old-World wine labels (there are some exceptions, where there will be the grape name on the label… of course!)
Bourgogne is divided into five wine-producing regions (from North to South):
Chablis
Côte de Nuits
Côte de Beaune
Côte Chalonnaise
Mâconnais
Hey look! … B is for Beaune! I found another B. I don’t know how to pronounce it, though?
Beaune is pronounced exactly like the English word “bone”.
Within these 5 wine-producing regions there are 84 sub-regions.
The sub-regions – yes, all 84 of them - are important as the wine styles will vary widely depending on where the wine was grown in Bourgogne!
Terroir baby, terroir!
Yes, the impact of terroir is particularly true in Bourgogne, as this is its claim to fame so to speak, and why there are so many sub-regions.
Terroir is a word that covers all the elements that impact the wine. It involves climate, elevation, growing conditions (including soil), vineyard management, winemaking, and other elements impacted by humans, including the local culture.
Styles will vary whether you are in the most northern portion in Chablis, 100 km further south and east towards the city of Dijon, or 230 km to the south towards the city of Mâcon. There will be a large difference in wine style, wine quality, and of course in wine price!! Let’s also not forget that terroir is influenced by humans, in vineyard and winemaking practices, such as whether new oak is used for Chardonnay.
Hills are a key influence in Burgundy, as the terroirs vary greatly depending on whether the vines grow at the top of the slope or on the flat plain. There are many ‘terroir’ elements at play here.
Burgundy is a more northern area and Pinot Noir can struggle to ripen fully here. Vineyard sites with conditions to facilitate full ripening create better quality Pinot. For example, whether the hills or other wind protection shelters the vines influences quality.
Bourgogne has a four-tier hierarchy to categorize based on soil, aspect, and microclimates. The 84 sub-regions are ‘distributed’ within these 4 tiers.
The four tiers are:
Regional – most affordable
Village – higher quality and more expensive than the regional tier
Premier Cru – higher quality and cost than village – fewer of them made.
Grand Cru – highest quality and price – only 1% of production.
Vines mid-slope, where the premier and grand cru grow, get the most sunlight intensity and warmth due to their angle to the sun. They also have better drainage which prevents the roots from getting too cold or waterlogged (leading to root rot). The soil is thinner which reduces yields compared to the fertile soils on the plains. Less fertile soils let more complex flavors per grape develop, as the vine has fewer grapes to nourish producing more concentrated wines.
Generally, the Grand Cru are grown mid-slope on optimal sites with the smallest allowed grape yield, a little lower on the slope are Premier Cru, a little lower yet are the Village tier vines, and finally the Regional on flat terrain or sites which are more exposed to the elements and have more fertile soil.
Since Pinot Noir and Chardonnay are early budding varieties, they are vulnerable to bud damage or bud kill by spring frosts. Cold air flows down slopes making vines at the bottom of the slope more at risk of delayed growth and potentially not fully ripening. This results in less balanced wine or no wine being produced.
The name Beaune is very relevant in Burgundy. It is a town, a slope, and a wine sub-region and is also used in other wine sub-region names as well as Côte de Beaune (see recap below.)
Typical Wine Styles:
Disclaimer – as always in the wine world, even though wines are classified as well as they are, winemaking choices and vintages will impact the wine style. Here is an attempt to show the diversity.
CHARDONNAY
Chablis: Light to medium body, lively and crisp, bright citrus, and green fruit. (Grand Cru and sometimes Premier Cru will have dried fruits, vanilla, caramel, or smoke notes.)
Bourgogne Blanc (Regional): Medium body with aromas of gunflint or field mushroom. Near Côtes de Nuits & de Beaune wines will have flavors of hazelnut with a hint of honey, butter, spices, and sugared chestnuts. Further south, wines will have aromas of white flowers.
Bâtard-Montrachet (Grand Cru): Full bodied and round with flavors of butter and warm croissants, dried fruit, spices, and honey.
PINOT NOIR
Bourgogne Rouge: Medium body fresh red and black berries and cherry later evolving into cooked prune, peppery notes, forest floor, and mushroom. The wines have low to moderate tannin.
Côte de Beaune-Villages: Medium body. In the north, wines have flavors of small red and black fruits, with violet aroma. Those from the south resemble the north but with the addition of notes of damp earth, forest floor, and mushroom.
Pommard: Full body with flavors of blackberry, cherry, and ripe plum, with the addition of leather, chocolate, and pepper with bottle age.
Gevrey-Chambertin: Full body, rich and meaty, with violet and strawberry aromas. With bottle age flavors of liquorice, leather and forest floor develop.
ALIGOTÉ (white)
Bouzereau: Medium body with aromas of acacia, hazel, and flint and flavors of lemon, apple, honey, and croissant. (Aligoté is a lesser-known white grape.)
RED BLEND (Pinot Noir & Gamay)
Bourgogne Passe-Tout-Grain (red: both grapes fermented together): Lighter body, fresh, fruit driven wine with red fruit, with age it develops aromas of forest floor, game, and brandied cherries.
Although, it is hard to find inexpensive Burgundy, I must emphasize you do not need to only buy the higher tier sub-regions to get very good wine. I was hooked on an excellent and affordable regional Bourgogne Rouge last year. I could not get enough, and eventually the store sold out.
Bummer!
I know that was a lot, so let us recap so you have it as a reference.
Or skip the recap and let’s talk delicious Burgundy below!
Recap:
Burgundy (English) & Bourgogne (French): Wine Region.
Pinot Noir and Chardonnay (some Aligoté, Gamay, and Sauvignon Blanc.): Grapes.
Beaune: Town.
Blanc: White (in French)
Regional Tier Sub-regions
Bourgogne Blanc (Chardonnay)
Bourgogne Rouge (Pinot Noir)
Bourgogne Hautes Côtes de Beaune & Bourgogne Hautes Côtes de Nuits: (white : Chardonnay, red: Pinot Noir)
Coteaux Bourguignons (reds: Gamay & Pinot Noir, white: Chardonnay, Aligoté, Melon de Bourgogne, Pinot Blanc & Pinot Gris)
Bourgogne Aligoté (white: Aligoté)
Bourgogne Passe-tout-grains (red : Pinot Noir & Gamay – fermented together)
Crémant de Bourgogne, sparkling : (whites & rosés : Main : Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, secondary : Gamay, Aligoté, Melon de Bourgogne)
Village Tier Sub-regions
Beaune & Côte de Beaune (red : Pinot Noir, white : Chardonnay)
Côte de Beaune-Village (Pinot noir only)
Bouzeron (white : Aligoté only)
Grand Cru Sub-regions
Bâtard-Montrachet & Bienvenue Bâtard-Montrachet : white only Chardonnay
In the fall of October 2022, I visited Burgundy before going to attend my second course session and next set of exams. I visited Domaine Faiveley after having their Gevrey-Chambertin Vieilles Vignes 2018 at a restaurant. (This would be a village level wine.) I was aware that Faiveley wines were sold in Calgary, and we had been thoroughly impressed at lunch! We proceeded to bring some home with us on the plane. So, when Cork Fine Wine store (where I work on Wednesdays) got an allocation of some Faiveley last month, I jumped on the opportunity to add to my personal stash.
None of my dinner guests were disappointed in the one we opened. It is another Vieilles Vignes wine, which means old vines.
Domaine Faiveley Mercurey Vieilles Vignes 2021 from Côtes Chalonnaise, Burgundy, France
Style: Old World Medium Body Red
Varieties: 100% Pinot Noir
This fresh fruited complex wine with moderate silky tannins has flavors of strawberry, red cherry, with the complexity of cinnamon, cedar, balsamic vinegar, smoke, graphite, wet earth, and forest floor. It has moderately high aroma and flavor intensity and a long finish. This wine is of outstanding quality. This wine can be enjoyed with or without food.
Best pairings: Grilled or Baked Salmon with Savory Flavoring (not sweet), Mushroom Risotto, Roasted Chicken, Herb-Crusted Pork Tenderloin, Brie, Camembert, and Gruyère, Olives, Almonds, and Cashews.
Serving Temperature: 14 degrees Celsius
Price: $59 (incl. Shades of Grape 15% discount & 5% gst)
Serving Tips: No need to decant, but would benefit from transferring the bottle to a decanter, ready to consume immediately.
I have compiled all my wine recommendations in one place. I will do my best to keep this up to date. I also include the link(s) to the article in which the wine was featured.
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SOURCES:
Bivb. (2022, November 14). Bourgogne wines, crafted in an exceptional winegrowing region - Bourgogne wines. Bourgogne Wines. Retrieved March 31, 2024, from https://www.bourgogne-wines.com/
Wine & Spirit Education Trust (2021) D3: Wines of the World - An accompaniment to the WSET Level 4 Diploma in Wines. Version 1.2. London: Wine & Spirit Education Trust.
Robinson, J. (2015) The oxford companion to wine. 4th rev. ed. Corby: Oxford University Press.
It would be typical that in reading this it would be the Grand Cru chardonnay that I’m sure I’d love 🙃
‘Some of these are so expensive no one wants to drink them’ - this line made me laugh! Nice to see Faiveley getting a shoutout - it’s true, their wines across the board are superb