Burgundy is the home of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Hang on! Chardonnay's grown all over the world. Yes, but Burgundy's where it started, and many consider that the world's best Chardonnays still come from Burgundy. So why doesn't it say 'Chardonnay' on white wines that come from Burgundy? Well, it does on a few, usually lower-priced ones, but the French like putting place-names on their wine labels. All those famous white Burgundy names - St Véran, Mâcon-Villages, Chablis, Meursault, Puligny-Montrachet, Corton-Charlemagne - are made from Chardonnay. You may see the occasional white made from Aligoté, and there are a few Pinot Blanc and Pinot Gris vines in old vineyards.
And Pinot Noir? Except for Beaujolais and almost all red Mâcon, made from the Gamay grape, all famous red Burgundy wines are made from Pinot Noir. In fact, good red Burgundy is the international standard for Pinot Noir, the holy grail for producers in Australia, New Zealand, California, South Africa, Germany, anywhere. And they don't often find it.
What's so good about Burgundy, then? It's to the east of the centre of France, well away from the cool, damp weather of the Atlantic coast, sheltered from hot weather in the south and cold weather from the east by mountains. It's cold in winter, and just warm enough in summer to ripen its two main varieties, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. They have to struggle, but that makes for excellent wine.
Most of Burgundy runs between Dijon and Lyon, except for Chablis, stuck out on its own to the north-west, half-way to Paris. The Côte d'Or, centred on Beaune, has most of the well-known villages. Continuing south, the Côte Chalonnaise and Mâconnais come next, and Beaujolais is furthest south, between Mâcon and Lyon.
Burgundy wines have a strict pecking order: basic red or white Burgundy, wines from a specific village (such as Beaune), Premier Cru (such as Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru La Mouchère, naming village and vineyard) and, top of the ladder, Grand Cru (such as Le Montrachet, naming the vineyard). The intricate pattern of vineyards that makes up this hierarchy is the ultimate test of the French AOC system, based on soil, exposure and history.
