Wines of the world

Wines of the World

Welcome! in "Wines of the World" we will be exploring; one by one, the different wine growing regions of the world.

We will start with one of the more complex wine growing regions; Burgundy. But don't be nervous, we will present it in a very palatable way. Once we understand Burgundy everywhere else will seen like a walk in the park.

If you have already read this page; please Click! Here for part 2

Burgundy

Most wine lovers and experts will agree with the WinePhilosopher that some of the best dry red and white wines in the world come from Burgundy. It is a beautiful area of rolling hills, largely covered by well keep vineyards and spotted with picturesque towns and villages.

The reds are made from the Pinot Noir grape, except in Beaujolais and Macon in the southern part of Burgundy, where the Gamay grape is grown and used. The noble Pinot Noir produces the great red wines of Burgundy. The Gamay grape produces a lighter, fruitier wine.

The whites are made from the great Chardonnay grape, and the best wines are an example of the highest highs the Chardonnay grape can reach. The Pinot Blanc (a close relative of Chardonnay), the Aligote grape and several others are used to make local everyday white wines.

How wines are rated. In Burgundy it’s the land that gets the rating and the wine is named after the vineyard or area where the grapes are grown. A vineyard or area that over the years has produced a better wine will be given a higher rating. The ratings are as follows. In descending order of quality, and usually price.

· Grand Crus: the vineyards that produce the best wines. All grapes used must be from this vineyard. Example: “Bonnes-Mares”, “Clos de Vougeot”, “Montrachet”. These are names of the vineyards, and will be the largest name on the label with the rating Grand Crus.

· Premiers Crus: vineyards that give very good wines. Again all grapes must be from the vineyard stated on the label. Example: Chambolle-Musingy ‘Les Amoureuses’, or Volnay ‘Ronceret’. On the label you will see the name of the commune (Volnay) followed by the name of the vineyard (Ronceret), and the words Premiers Crus, or 1er cru.

· Commune or village “appellation controlee”: These wines are made from grapes grown in a larger area, with many vineyards within it. The wines are named after the town or village that these vineyards are in. Example: Meursault, Volnay, Puligny-Montrachet. These are the names of the villages and will appear on the label with the words “appellation controlee” which guarantees that the grapes are grown in this area and the reds will be made from Pinot Noir and the whites from Chardonnay

· Regional “appellation controlee”: These wines are made from grapes grown in an even larger area that will have several villages within it. Example: Cote du Beaune, Beaujolais, Cote de Nuits. These names will appear on the label with “appellation controlee”.

· Bourgogne appellation: the grapes in these wines can come from all parts of Burgundy. Example: Bourgogne Blanc, Bourgogne Rouge. These names will be on the label with the “appellation controlee”. The whites are made from Chardonnay, and the reds from the Pinot Noir grape.

To view burgundy wine labels, and learn more: (click here)

The wine and the land

The wines of Burgundy exhibit a wide range of tastes and styles. At first this seems surprising because all the reds are made from the Pinot Noir grape and all the whites are made from Chardonnay (at least the wines we care about). So why the large range of tastes? To many Burgundian winegrowers, the soil is the most important factor. But the location of the vines, the local weather, and the style of the winemaker all affect the taste. In France, this all-important combination of influences is called terroir. As you travel from area to area in Burgundy you can experience the same grape variety (Pinot Noir or Chardonnay) grown in different soils and microclimates, and see how these variables affect the taste and style of the wine. Now that’s my idea of fun!

Some of the top wine producers now use organic methods in their vineyards to preserve the environment and produce a better wine. Organic growing gives a more complex and richer wine in the end. This is good news for us all.

The main growing region in Burgundy is called the Cote de Or, which means "hills of gold". Running 30 miles long, north to south and measuring one and a half miles to only a few hundred yards wide at some points. This is where the best wines are produced, and it will be our focus in the next issue.

Until Then

WinePhilosopher

Click! Here to read about the Cote de Or and view maps in "Burgundy Part 2"

E-mail us at: wp@winephilosopher.com

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