Burgundy Part 2

Map of Burgundy

The Cote de Or consists of the Cote de Nuits and the Cote de Beaune. As you can see from this map and especially the detailed maps (see below), the Cote de Or makes up only a small part of Burgundy. The finest and most famous wines come from here. Most of Burgundy's Grand Cru vineyards (Click here to see how wines and vineyards are rated in Burgundy) are located in the Cote de Or with some in Chablis. The Cotes de Nuits products almost all red wines (from Pinot Noir) and the Cote de Beaune mostly white (from Chardonnay) and also some great red wines. The Cote Chalonnais, Chablis, Maconnais, and Beaujolais also produce many very good wines, but for now we will stay focused on the Cote de Or.

Map by Fredrick L. of France. This map and many more can be found on www.stratsplace.com

To see detailed map of the Cote de Nuits Click! Here!!

To see detailed map of the Cote de Beaune Click! Here!!

From examining the detailed maps one can see that the finest wines come from a thin strip of land running southwest to northeast. When tasting the wines of Burgundy it's amazing that the wines from this narrow strip of land have more fruit, complexity, and depth then the surrounding vineyards. As we said in part one, the French believe the terroir; or the combination of the weather, the vine's age, the soil, and the vineyard's exposure to the sun are importance factors in making a great wine. Most growers and winemakers in Burgundy believe the most important factor of this terroir is the soil.

Different types of soil give the wine different flavors. The age of the vine is also importance because the older the vine the deeper the roots have grown into the earth. As the roots grow deeper they pass through different layers of soil, and in so doing the vine extracts more minerals and flavors from each soil-type, which in turn gives the wine more complexity and depth. Also, an older vine will bare less fruit, but better fruit with more concentration.

. I feel the wines of Burgundy are proof that the terroir and especially the soil, have a great effect on the quality and taste of a wine. Let us not forget that Burgundy also employs some of the greatest winemakers in the world. Another very important factor in the making of a great Burgundy (or any wine) is the winemaker's skills; after the grapes are picked it's up to him or her to make the best wine possible from those grapes.

To "Wines of the World" (Burgundy Part 1)

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