Wines of France

Burgundy has a long history of striving for excellence. The Bourbons, who dominated an area that extended all the way to the North Sea, built its cities and its vineyards with much splendor, and the Cistercian monks lent a hand in the Middle Ages. It is also a huge agricultural region with sweeping views that encompass regions ranging from the Morvan, which is one of France’s coolest, most rainy areas, to the Côte Chalonnaise, a peaceful wine country with sunny, warm weather. In fact, based on the methods used in the Côte Chalonnaise, all vineyards in Burgundy are now located on hillsides in order to obtain the best sun exposure. In Burgundy’s continental climate, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay are used to produce its world-renowned wines.

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Located far from the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean, Burgundy has a continental climate with cold winters. However, winegrowers have discovered how to take advantage of the warmest lands, even in Chablis, its northernmost area. In the southern part of the region, on a narrow, 150-km-long strip of land with the best eastern and southern exposure, the most hearty and adaptable varieties have been cultivated since the Middle Ages. Despite their northern climate, the Burgundian hills are protected from the dry, cold northerly winds, known as the Bise, and Pinot Noir and Chardonnay thrive on the warm summer and autumn sun to produce world-famous results.

Burgundy’s wine country provides an excellent illustration of the stereotype of the French winemaker: a secretive artisan who is passionate about wine and operates in harmony with the land and nature. This is due to the fact that there are many wine estates in Burgundy and their average size is very small. There are a significant number of small producers that are motivated by their love for their craft and the art of winemaking. The secretive ambiance can be found in many of the numerous winemaking villages that are scattered across the region and in the quiet vineyards and wineries themselves. However, this age-old rural culture does emerge to host festive wine celebrations, such as Saint Vincent Day, when the doors of the winery are thrown open and the secrets of winemaking are shared with all.

Due to the large size of Burgundy’s wine country, there is not one terroir to consider, but many. However, they can be divided into three main categories. The first, located in the north, is that of Chablis. It consists of mostly limestone hills with some sedimentary fossils, and is located in the Parisian Basin. The second includes Côte de Nuits and Côte de Beaune and consists of a narrow 50 km strip of steep, limestone soils overlooking the Saone River, a tributary of the Rhone. There is a different hydrologic system here that is warmer than that of Chablis. The third category, including Côte Chalonnaise and Mâconnais, consists of deeper clay-limestone soils stretched over larger hills that are affected by Mediterranean influences.