Diploma Unit 3
Burgundy
Mollie Battenhouse DWS
Advanced Sommelier, Court of Master Sommeliers
What you need to know: Unit 3, all
regions

KEY FACTORS AFFECTING
PRODUCTION

TRADE AND LEGAL STRUCTURES

MARKETS
What you need to know: Unit 3,
all regions
KEY FACTORS AFFECTING PRODUCTION
 Regional Locations
 Microclimates
 Soils
 Grape Varieties
 Viticulture
 Vinification
 Maturation and Finishing
 Vintage Variations
What you need to know: Unit 3, all
regions
TRADE AND LEGAL STRUCTURES

Influences:
– Historical, cultural, political, outside investments and
influences on contemporary trade

Trade Structures:
– Négociants, co-operatives, groups, associations,
châteaux/domaines, influential companies, influential
individual producers

Legal Structures:
– General wine production legislation, Quality wine production
legislation, Classification systems
MARKETS
– Domestic and global
– Influences on marketing and sales decisions
What you need to know: Burgundy
Burgundy: Generic, Hautes Côtes de Nuits,
Hautes Côtes de Beaune
Côte de Nuits: Côtes de Nuits-Villages,
Marsannay, Fixin, Gevrey-Chambertin,
Morey-Saint-Denis, Chambolle-Musigny,
Vougeot, Vosne-Romanée, Nuits-SaintGeorges, Grands Crus
Côte de Beaune: Côte de Beaune, Côte de
Beaune Villages, Aloxe-Corton, PernandVergelesses, Savigny-les-Beaune, Beaune,
Pommard, Volnay, Meursault, Saint-Aubin,
What you need to know: Burgundy
Chablis: Generic, Premier Crus (Fourchaume,
Vaillons, Montée de la Tonnerre, Montmains),
Grand Crus
Côte Chalonnaise: Côte Chalonnaise,
Mercurey, Givry, Montagny, Rully
Mâconnais: Mâcon, Mâcon-Villages, Mâcon
Chardonnay, Mâcon -Lugny, Viré-Clessé,
Saint-Vèran, Pouilly-Loché, Pouilly-Vinzelles,
Pouilly-Fuissé
Burgundy - Overview
•
•
•
•
•
Fractured
Napoleanic law
Many small estates, also negociants
Role of merchant important
Co-ops important, on a smaller scale than
in the Rhône.
Climate and Soils
• Northern Continental Climate – all of
Burgundy.
• Most of the Cote d’Or is a limestone ridge, with
vineyards planted on hills and slopes along the
western ridge of the Saone River valley. The
hills to the west protect the valley from any
maritime influence.
• Jurassic limestones and marls make up most
of Burgundy’s soils, with clays and sands
making up the valley floor and lower-lying
vineyards (the Bishop’s wine, prone to soggy
roots, thin wines).
Climate and Soils
• Chardonnay tends to be planted where there
is more calcareous clay and Pinot where there
is more limey-marl.
• Rocks in the soil are granite, schist and
volcanic of various ancient origins.
• The Saone River Valley is a series of fault
lines, which makes up the contour and
geology of the region.
• Beaujolais is markedly different – a “bulge of
basement granite” (James E. Wilson, Terroir)
Burgundy - Viticulture
• Vines prone to springtime frosts
Burgundy – Grapes – Pinot Noir
Basic info: Thin skinned, paler color low in tannin. The light
bodied, delicate nature of this grape do not allow for heavy
manipulation in the winery, showing signs of excessive
extraction, over-oaking and high yields.
No fewer than 50 clones identified in France. Clones: virus free
115; 375 & 386 in Champagne; 677 & 777 & 828 widely planted;
Pommard, Wadenswil and Dijon clones prized in US.
Buds early, so prone to frost & Coulure. Ripens early.
Known as Morillon Noir in Styria, Austria; prone to mutation
(Pinots Gris, Blanc and Meunier)
Acid - high
Alcohol – moderate to high
Body – light to medium + (some say full, due to high alcohol)
Styles – light and dry rose’s, dry reds. Sparkling wines. Ranges
from inexpensive to luxury wines.
Burgundy – Grapes - Pinot Noir
Sensory Attributes:
• Moderately aromatic, subtle. Can be overtaken
by excessive oak.
• Cool-climate aromas and flavors: mint, tomato,
dill, herbaceousness, redcurrant, red cherry,
raspberry, floral
• Warm-climate aromas and flavors: floral, mix of
red and black fruits, ripe red cherry, raspberry
and strawberry jam.
• Bottle aged: vegetation, well-hung game,
farmyard, mushroom, wet leaves
Pinot Noir - Winemaking
Stainless Steel: used for less expensive versions, also
large, inert vessels.
Barrel Maturation – softness, oak aromas and flavors.
Malolactic Fermentation–often in barrel to soften
acidity.
Methode Champenoise/Sparkling Winemaking
Rarely used in blends, although some notable
exceptions: Champagne, Dôle, Chatillon en Diois and
Bourgogne Passetoutgrains are blends of Gamay and
Pinot Noir. Also blended with Nebbiolo in Emilia
Romagna and Piedmont.
‘Accad’ method: extended cold pre-fermentation
maceration practiced by some in the Côte d’Or.
Burgundy – Grapes - Gamay
• Large, thin skinned berries give wines with
bright purple color and moderate to low
tannins. Cru Beaujolais, expecially Morgon
and Moulin-a-Vent, can have more
aggressive, moderate tannins.
• High in acidity. These wines are most often
described as ‘juicy’.
• Special yeasts can be chosen to enhance
fruity aromas, often in conjunction with
carbonic or semi-carbonic maceration.
Gamay - Winemaking
Stainless Steel: used for less expensive versions,
also large, inert vessels - cement.
Barrel Maturation – softness and oak aromas and
flavors – used for Cru Beaujolais.
Malolactic Fermentation: encouraged to soften
acidity.
Carbonic Maceration or semi-carbonic: gives good
color and fruit, little tannins.
Used in blends with Pinot Noir: Bourgogne Grand
Ordinaire, Dôle, Chatillon en Diois and Bourgogne
Passetoutgrains. It is also blended with myriad
grapes in the Loire (Côt, Cabernet Franc, Grolleau,
Cab. Sauv, etc.)
Chardonnay
Adaptable grape variety – grown all over the world. Vigorous vine,
generally gives high yields (vigor curbed by rootstocks, canopy
management and dense planting).
Yields go up to 80 hl/ha for commercial quality, < 30 for very high
quality wines. Approx 175,000 ha planted worldwide.
Buds early, susceptible to coulure and millerandage, rot.
Chardonay = Pinot Noir x Gouais Blanc from NE France. Many clones,
including Mendoza clone (blowsy, hens and chickens) and quality
clones 76, 95 and 96.
Medium to high in acidity based on climate.
Light to full-body, based on style and climate.
Moderate to high alcohol – tendency to high.
Made in all styles: sparkling, still, oaked, unoaked, blended, unblended,
botrytised and ice wines.
Made in all price ranges: jug wine to Grand Cru Burgundy.
Can be drunk young or aged.
Chardonnay
Sensory Attributes:
• Neutral character – soaks up winemaking attributes – lees
stirring, oak aging and fermentation, ML.
• Cool-climate aromas and flavors: apple, melon, lime, white
peach, nectarine, stones, minerals, steel, chalk, floral.
• Warm-climate aromas and flavors: tangerine, peach,
passion-fruit, fruit salad, pineapple, mango.
• Bottle aged-unoaked: honeyed, vegetal, wet wool
• Bottle aged-oaked: honey, butter, nuts, caramel, toast, earth
and minerals.
Chardonnay - soils
Performs best on chalk, clay or limestone soils. Chalk and
limestone soils produce lighter, more elegant Chardonnays,
clay produces heavier, deeper wines. Shallower topsoils give
more elegant wines (ex: Meursault Perrieres – 30 cm topsoil,
Meursault Charmes, 2m topsoil – Perrieres is leaner and
more minerally than Charmes).
In South Africa, Hamilton Russell grows his minerally,
restrained Chardonnays on stony, low vigour shale-derived
soils. Here, sandstone gives heavier wine. In the Hunter
Valley – where it is rainy, it is planted on sand to give
drainage.
Other white grapes
•Aligoté: light bodied, crisp and very high in acidity.
Can be thin and tart, but can be really, really
amazing. Roulot!
•Pinot Gris (Pinot Beurot):
•Melon de Bourgogne: Bourgogne Grand Ordinaire,
mainly
•Sacy: found in the Yonne Valley
•Sauvignon Blanc: Found in the Yonne – Sauvignon
de St. Bris AC.
Hierarchy of Burgundy Appellations
Regional Appellations
Regional Appellations
Reds are Pinot Noir (+ Cesar + Tressot in the Yonne, + Gamay in the Rhône)
Whites are Chardonnay
Yonne Département
Bourgogne Vézelay (whites only)
Bourgogne Chitry
Bourgogne Côtes d’Auxerre
Bourgogne Coulanges-la-Vineuse
Bourgogne Epineuil
Bourgogne Irancy AC: a red wine from St. Bris – Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris and
César
Saone-Et-Loire Département
Bourgogne Côtes de Couchois (reds, from Pinot Noir, Chalonnaise)
Cote d’Or
Bourgogne-Hautes-Côtes-de-Nuits
Bourgogne-Hautes-Côtes-de-Beaune, Bourgogne Le Chapitre (vineyard),
Bourgogne La Chapelle Notre Dame (v), Bourgogne Montrecul(v)
Bourgogne Rosé de Marsannay AC
District appellations – no
‘Bourgogne’
Chablis (Yonne)
Côtes de Nuits (Côte d’Or), Côtes de Nuits-Villages
(wines from Fixin, Comblanchien, Brochon, Borgoloin,
Prémeaux – usually red)
Hautes Côtes de Nuits (Côte d’Or)
Côtes de Beaune (Côte d’Or), Côtes de BeauneVillages
Hautes Côtes de Beaune (Côte d’Or)
Côte Chalonnaise or Région de Mercurey (Saône-etLoire)
Côte Mâconnaise (Saône-et-Loire)
Beaujolais (Rhône)
Côtes de Auxerre
Commune Appellations: just under ¼
of total production of Burgundy.
Chablis
Chablis Premier Cru: 40 vineyards (Montée de
Tonnerre, Fourchaume)
Chablis Grand Cru: 7 vineyards (Blanchots,
Bougros, Les Clos, Les Preuses, Grenouille,
Valmur, Vaudésir)
Chablis classification was made in 1938, and
has 4 levels: Chablis Grand Cru, Chablis
Premier Cru, Chablis and Petit Chablis
Sauvignon de St. Bris: Sauvignon Blanc
Chablis
Climate: Northern Continental
Separated from the rest of Burgundy by the Morvan
hills. Best vineyard sites located on the slopes of the
hills to the NE of Chablis, facing south and southwest.
The premier crus fan out from there and on
surrounding hills around the town of Chablis. (see
picture) Grand Cru vineyards and best Premier Crus
are mid-slope.
The best soils are of Kimmeridgian or Portlandian
limestone clay, mixed with some marl. Grand Cru
sites are limestone clay rocks, some with ancient
fossils.
Commune Appellations Cote d’Or
Côtes de Nuits
Marsannay
Marsannay-la-Côte AC (rose)
Fixin
Gevrey-Chambertin
Morey-St.-Denis
Chambolle Musigny
Vougeot
Flagey Echezeaux
Vosne Romanee
Nuits St. George
Côtes de Beaune
Pernand-Vergelesses
Ladoix-Serrigny
Aloxe-Corton
Savigny-les-Beaune
Chorey-les-Beaune
Beaune
Pommard
Volnay
Monthelie
Auxey-Duresses
Meursault
Puligny-Montrachet
Chassagne-Montrachet
Santenay
Maranges
Commune Premier Cru Appellations
Premier Crus account for 11% of production: Commune + vineyard PC
Côtes de Nuits *
Gevrey-Chambertin
Morey-St.-Denis
Chambolle Musigny
Vougeot
Flagey Echezeaux
Vosne Romanee
Nuits St. George
Côtes de Beaune
Pernand-Vergelesses (red
and white)
Ladoix-Serrigny (red and
white)
Aloxe-Corton (red and white)
Côtes de Beaune – cont’d
Savigny-les-Beaune (red and
some white)
Beaune (red and white)
Pommard (red)
Meursault (white and some
red)
Puligny-Montrachet (white
and some red)
Chassagne-Montrachet (red
and white)
Village Premier Crus
Volnay (red), Blagny (red),
Monthelie (red and white), SaintAubin (red and white), Santenay
(red and some white)
Premier Cru Appellations: a few top
ones
Côtes de Nuits
Gevrey-Chambertin: Clos St.
Jacques, Champeaux
Morey-St.-Denis: Clos de la
Bussiere
Chambolle Musigny
Vougeot
Flagey Echezeaux
Vosne Romanee: les
Malconsorts
Nuits St. George
Côtes de Beaune
Pernand-Vergelesses: ‘les
Combettes’
Aloxe-Corton
Beaune: Teurons
Pommard
Volnay
Meursault
Monthelie: ‘les Duresses’
Puligny-Montrachet: ‘les
Ensengnieres’
Chassagne-Montrachet
Single Vineyards
Grand Crus account for 1% of total
production.
Chambertin
The Grand Crus – Côtes de Nuits
23 of the 24 Grand Crus for red wines are in the Côtes de Nuits
Gevrey Chambertin: Chambertin, Chambertin Closde-Beze, Chapelle-Chambertin, Charmes-Chambertin,
Griottes-Chambertin, Latrictieres-Chambertin,
Mazoyeres-Chambertin, Mazis-Chambertin, RuchottesChambertin
Morey-St-Denis: Clos. St. Denis, Clos de Tart,
Bonnes-Mares (part), Clos des Lambrays, Clos de la
Roche
Chambolle-Musigny: le Musigny, Bonnes-Mares (part)
Vougeot: Clos de Vougeot
Vosne-Romanee: La Romanee, La Tache, RomaneeConti, La Grand Rue, Romanee-St. Vivant, Richebourg
Flagey-Échézeaux: Échézeaux, Grands Échézeaux
Grand Crus – Côtes de Beaune
All white wine Grand Crus, except le Musigny, are in the
Cotes de Beaune
Aloxe-Corton: le Corton (part, also for RED),
Corton-Charlemagne
Ladoix-Serrigny: le Corton (part)
Pernand-Vergelesses: le Corton (part)
Puligny-Montrachet: le Montrachet (part),
Chevalier-Montrachet, Bienvenue-BatardMontrachet, Batard-Monrachet (part)
Chassagne-Montrachet: le Montrachet (part),
Batard-Montrachet, Criots-Batard-Montrachet
Côte Chalonnaise/Région de
Mercurey
Slightly warmer, but the terrain gets hillier as you
travel south through the region. Altitude moderates
the extra warmth.
Lots of Crémant de Bourgogne produced here.
Rully – reds and whites (premier cru ‘Vauvry’
‘Rabourcé’)
Mercurey – top reds of the region. Has premier cru
sites.
Givry – notable mostly for reds. Light and fruity.
Montagny – only white wines from Chardonnay
Bouzeron AC – dry whites from Aligoté with up to
15% Chardonnay.
Mâconnais
Many co-ops. Some high elevation, graduating into
Beaujolais. Limestone rich soils. Poly-culture farming.
Hierarchy of AC:
Macon AC
Macon Villages AC (41 villages allowed to use this)
Macon + Village name AC (Macon-Lugny AC, Macon-Viré AC,
Macon-Clessé AC, Macon-Chaintré)
Vire-Clesse AC
Pouilly-Fuisse AC (communes of Pouilly, Vergison, Chaintré,
Fuissé and Solutré)
Saint-Veran AC
Pouilly-Vinzelles AC, Pouilly-Loché AC – satellites AC’s of
Pouilly-Fuissé
Pouilly-sur-Loire – lower AC
Beaujolais
Accounts for nearly half of the vineyard land of the
Bourgogne AC.
Granite and Schist hills, soils are completely different.
The extreme north of Beaujolais is in the Macon, 2 of
the crus are geographically in the Macon.
Beaujolais AC – red and rosés made from Gamay plus
some Pinot Noir. Beaujolais Blanc (often sold under
Saint-Veran AC) is Chardonnay + small amounts of
Aligoté. (min 9% abv reds, 9.5 whites)
Beaujolais Supérieur AC (min 10 % abv, whites 10.5)
Beaujolais Villages AC (min 10.5% abv reds, 11%
whites)
Beaujolais Cru
Saint-Amour
Julienas
Chenas
Moulin-a-Vent
Fleurie
Chiroubles
Morgon
Brouilly
Cote de Brouilly
Regnie
BURGUNDY
DISTRICTS
48N
48N
CHABLIS
Auxerre
Dijon
Côte
de Nuits
Côte
de Beaune
47N
Beaune
CÔTE
CHALONNAISE
47N
Chalon-sur-Sâone
MACONNAIS
Mâcon
BEAUJOLAIS
46N
Villefranchesur-Sâone
46N
N
0
0
20
40 Km
20 Miles
LYON
©WSET®2003
BURGUNDY
DIJON
Côte d’Or &
Côte Chalonnaise
Marsannay
CÔTE
DE NUITS
Fixin
Gevrey-Chambertin
Morey St. Denis
Chambolle-Musigny
Vougeot
Vosne-Romanée
Hautes-Côtes
de Nuits
Hautes-Côtes
Nuits St. Georges
de Beaune
Pernand-Vergelesses
CÔTE D‘OR
Savigny-lèsBeaune
CÔTE
DE BEAUNE
Ladoix
Aloxe-Corton
Chorey-lès-Beaune
Pommard
BEAUNE
St. Romain
Volnay
Monthélie Meursault
Auxey-Duresses
St. Aubin
Chassagne-Montrachet Puligny-Montrachet
Santenay
Maranges
Bouzeron
Rully
Mercurey
CÔTE
CHALONNAISE
Givry
CHALON-SUR-SÂONE
Buxy
Montagny
©WSET®2003
BURGUNDY
Mâconnais
& Beaujolais
MACONNAIS
TOURNUS
MACON
©WSET®2003
Cluny
MACON
VILLAGES MACON BEAUJOLAIS “CRU”
Pouilly Fuissé
St. Amour
St. Véran
Juliénas
BEAUJOLAIS
Chénas
VILLAGES
Moulin-à-Vent
Chiroubles
Fleurie
Morgon
Regnié
VILLEFRANCHESUR-SAONE
Côte de Brouilly
Brouilly
BEAUJOLAIS BEAUJOLAIS
LYON
Burgundy wines are the
highest quality Pinot Noir and
Chardonnay wines in the
world. Discuss.
Issues key to Burgundy
Small, fairly simple—yet complex
 The AOC structure & its hierarchy
 The promise, the disappointment
 Taking the lead re the PLC
 The human factor in wine quality
 Burgundy’s image in the world

Recent vintages
2006 - Difficult growing season saved by September. Good vintage, less
so than 2005; fairly large production and probably rather forward wines
2005 - Very good, rich, ripe, better for reds than whites. Slightly less good
than Bordeaux 2005, but will sell well because of the “Bordeaux effect.”
Flashy whites, can appeal to New World consumers
2004 - A sleeper vintage, good for whites. Reds are relatively lean
compared to 2005
2003 - Hot year, but some red wines did well. Will not be long-lived
2002 - Long-lived red wines, excellent whites
2001 - A sleeper vintage. Quite good reds, decent whites
2000 - Very average reds and better whites, but a hyped year because of
the Bordeaux effect
1999 - Good vintage for red wines; ready to drink
The Taste of White Burgundy

Full-bodied to very full-bodied
 Dry
 High alcohol
 Acidity medium+ to high
 Medium+ to intense aromas/flavors
 Aromatics: apple, citrus; mineral; oak-related; earthy
 Range of aromatic intensity:
Bourgogne - Chalonnaise -Macon/Chablis - Côte d’Or
The Taste of Red Burgundy

Generally full-bodied
 Dry
 High alcohol
 Medium to high tannin, depending on vinification
 Medium+ to intense aromas/flavors
 Aromatics: black fruits/ red fruits; oak-related; earthy;
animal; occasionally vegetal
 Loosely-knit to concentrated texture