Big, bad Burgundy. Today, we're all about wines from this region that are undoubtedly superstars in the world of both red and white wine worlds. Chances are you've seen, touched or drunk a bottle of this, even if you weren't aware of it.

When compared to the old-world elegance of wines from Bordeaux, or perhaps the sparkling legacies of Champagne's offerings, Burgundy presents wines that are have been described as characterful, to outright mysterious. In particular, Burgundy's wines are renowned for their elegance, complexity, and aging potential.

But Burgundy can be a confusing region to wrap one's head around. It's a tetris of different vineyards and appellations, each with their unique terroirs that can create vast variations in the flavors of the wines produced. Add to that, Burgundy's unique forms of classifications, which can make reading Burgundian wine labels a little tricky for newcomers to wine. 

Well, what's the mystery? Put on your sleuthing caps, and let's get right on it!

There are five main wine-producing regions in Burgundy you need to know:

The appelations of Burgundy (Image Source: Wikipedia)

Burgundy isn't one singular area, but can actually be divided into five main wine-producing areas: Chablis, Côte de Nuits, Côte de Beaune, Côte Chalonnaise and Mâconnais. Each of these regions have their own unique terroir, characterized by diverse soil types and microclimates, which can produce quite vast variations in the style of wines that are produced. 

The Côte de Nuits, Côte de Beaune, and Mâconnais are among the most famous appellations, each offering distinct styles and flavors.  Specifically, Côte de Beaune and Côte de Nuits together are often called Côte d’Or, meaning Golden Slope.

We have the monks to thank for some of the gorgeous vinos coming out of the Burgundy region today!

When talking about old wine-producing regions, Burgundy certainly comes to mind. Archaeological evidence proposes that grape-growing and wine-making are said to have begun in the region as early as the second century AD.

Burgundy's wine culture has the monks and monasteries of the Roman Catholic Church to thank. In the budding years of the region's vineyards, many were owned by denominational groups, as were the wines produced. 

It was these monks that tended to these vineyards that made great strides in the cultivation of the Pinot Noir grape, and who meticulously documented their innovations in viticulture that have endured into modern day. In fact, the concept of "terroir" that's so often talked about today by winemakers all over the world was originated by these monks! 

The big boys of Burgundy: Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.

For those who have read our wine guides on the different red and white wines, you might have already known about their association with Burgundy.

Burgundy is the birthplace of Pinot Noir, the "heartbreak grape".

Burgundy is often regarded as the birthplace of Pinot Noir, which stands to reason why wines made from this grape are particularly sought after. Historical records even suggest that the native Pinot Noir was seen (or perhaps even cultivated) as early as the 1st century CE.

The Pinot Noir grape is a bit of a captivating paradox. To winemakers, it is both alluring and challenging. Thin skin and susceptibility to elements makes successfully nurturing a crop notoriously difficult, earning it the nickname the "heartbreak grape".

Vines of this grape variety cover up to a third of the region, and also a third of the wines produced. The grape thrives in limestone and clay soil, which Burgundy has no shortage of. 

Another famous wine style from Burgundy is undoubtedly the Chardonnay.

Alternatively, Chardonnay is one of the world’s most popular white grape varieties, and you'll be hard-pressed to not see its wines on a single wine menu, regardless of where you are.

Some call it the king of white grapes, reigning supreme for its remarkable versatility. Taking it a step further, Burgundy is taken as a benchmark for a good Chardonnay.

A relatively neutral-tasting grape on its own, it showcases a regions terroir beautifully. In a region like Burgundy with its differing terroirs (More on this later), it was little wonder why wines from the region thrived. 

Ranging from the steely minerality of Chablis to the rich, buttery notes of Meursault, Chardonnay has been known to grow particularly well in the Burgundy reason, and wine drinkers worldwide can certainly attest to this.

But it's not just Pinot Noir and Chardonnay!

That said, beyond the two iconic grapes of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, Burgundy also produces Aligoté, Gamay, and Pinot Gris, showcasing the region's diversity.

Burgundy uniquely classifies its wines by vineyards, not producers.

Vineyards are often declared more prominently than producers on Burgundy wine labels.

While other regions might classify their producers, Burgundy instead classifies its vineyards. Yep, the vineyards themselves determine what goes on a label of a bottle of wine. Burgundy is home to over 400 soil types, and historically, has been a very geographically-focused wine region. The concept of terroir is so intrinsic to winemaking philosophies in Burgundy that historically, the region has often been very geographically-focused in their classifications. This is why you often see that on Burgundy wine's labels, the appellations (or vineyards) are often printed most prominently, while the producers' names often appear at the bottom in much smaller text.

You see, a single vineyard can be owned by more than one producer. So a vineyard such as Le Chambertin, for example, is owned by up to 21 wine producers. This has resulted in a peculiar naming method for wines. In order to prevent confusion, bottles are usually named for both the vineyard and the producer. For example, a wine produced by Armand Rousseau using grapes from their portion of the vineyard will be known as Le Chambertin Domaine Armand Rousseau. (Quite a mouthful, we know)

Of course, a few vineyards can be owned entirely by one great producer, such as the Clos de Tart vineyard, owned by the Mommessin family. In such cases, bottles might only have the vineyard or producer's name.

It has also become common for certain producers to change their names to reflect their best vineyard. Thus, producer Gevrey became Gevrey-Chambertin, while producer Chambolle added Le Musigny to become Chambolle-Musigny.

An example of a Burgundy label, with vineyard ("Chambertin"), producer ("Domaine Dujac") and quality classification ("Grand Cru").

The vineyards are classified in four levels, reflecting the quality of the plot of land. 

At the risk of being a tad too confusing, vineyard are divided with labels that determine how desirable or 'premium' wines produced from its grapes can get. In ascending order, these labels are: 

• Bourgogne (or Regional Wines): These wines are created from a blend of different vineyards from a range of villages in Burgundy, rather than from a single village, and represent about 50% of all Burgundy produced wines.
• Village Wines: Considered to be a step up from Bourgogne, village wines are burgundies produced from grapes from several vineyards located within the same village - this could be any one of the 42 villages in Burgundy. Village wines acount for around one-third of all Burgundian wines. 
• Premier Cru: We move up the quality curve here with Premier Cru wines, which are produced from vineyards considered to be of high-quality. Premier Cru wines account for around 12% of all Burgundy wines.
• Grand Cru: At the top end of the scale is the Grand Cru classification, which signifies wine made from only the vineyards considered to be of top quality. Only about 2% of Burgundy wines receive this classification.

That said, this is not to say that you can't drink a damn good Burgundy even in the categories of Bourgogne and Village wines. You can still get some pretty good bang for buck when you buy Burgundies at all levels - it is, after all, one of the world's most revered wine destinations. 

The terroir of Burgundy is a little scrambled, and there is no one representative terroir.

Remember when we said that the vineyards of Burgundy produce grapes that are labelled differently in terms of quality? Well, these different vineyards are right next to each other, much closer than you might think.

But how is quality determined? One big thing that is considered is terroir. A French term used to describe the environmental factors that determine how a wine tastes, Burgundy sure has vastly differing terroirs within a small amount of land.

Think of a quickly changing color palette across the land. From vineyard to vineyard, terroir changes quickly and greatly, so that grapes for an everyday dinner wine could be grown just down the road from those that might produce a million-dollar collectible.

An example of how terroir can evolve from vineyard to vineyard.

Burgundy has been known to be quite simply a scrambled melting-pot of various soil types.

With differing deposits, depths and even mineral compositions, the subtly varying mixtures of clay, marl and limestone affect the grapes that grow atop it. For example, limestone heavy soils contribute to light, aromatic red wines, while iron-rich clay with marl makes wines with more body and acidity. 

Burgundy also boasts a continental climate.

The lack of any maritime influence causes large temperature swings between both day and night, and even between season. For context, high temperatures speends up the ripening of grapes while a cooler temperature preserves acidity and freshness. Of course, one must also consider other aspects such as altitude or water supply, which vary greatly from subregion to subregion.  

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Lok Bing Hong A budding journalist that loves experiencing new things and telling people's stories. I have 30 seconds of coherence a day. I do not decide when they come. They are not consecutive.

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