Burgundy - terroir and why it is so expensive
Burgundy is one of those regions that can delight and intimidate at the same time. On one hand it is the model of terroir-based wine, the place where the idea that a wine’s flavour comes from a specific patch of earth reached its fullest expression. On the other it is a region notorious for astronomical prices, where a single bottle can cost more than a car. These two things are closely linked. Burgundy is so expensive precisely because it worships terroir so fanatically. This guide explains the magic of this region, what climats and the quality pyramid are and where these dizzying prices come from.
Two grapes, one region
The first thing that surprises about Burgundy is its simplicity when it comes to grapes. Unlike Bordeaux, where wines are blends of several grapes, classic Burgundy rests almost entirely on two grapes, most often in pure form, without blending. Red Burgundy is Pinot Noir, and white Burgundy is Chardonnay.
This deliberate limitation has a deep sense. Since only one grape is used, all attention shifts to where the wine comes from. Pinot Noir and Chardonnay are relatively transparent grapes, almost like a pane of glass through which you can see the soil, climate and the winemaker’s hand. This made Burgundy the ideal laboratory of terroir: when the grape is one, every difference in flavour must come from the place. I cover the grapes themselves in Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.
What terroir actually is
Terroir is a French word hard to translate in a single term. It means the whole set of conditions in which a vine grows: the type of soil, its mineral composition, the slope and exposure, the microclimate, the amount of sun and rain, and even the human hand and local tradition. All these factors together give a wine a character that cannot be reproduced elsewhere.
Burgundy is the archetype of cool-climate viticulture, and its wines are famous for finesse, tension and a clean fruit profile. The key is that this region is a geological mosaic: the soils change here literally every few dozen metres, sometimes more limestone, sometimes more clay, at different altitudes and exposures. That is why the same Pinot Noir, planted on two neighbouring parcels a stone’s throw apart, can give two clearly different wines. Burgundy proves that in wine, place can mean more than grape.
Climat, the heart of Burgundy
The most important concept in Burgundy is the climat. It is not the weather but the name of a specific, precisely delimited plot of vineyard, with its own name, boundaries and character, established over centuries of observation. Burgundy is divided into more than a hundred appellations and hundreds of such climats, each treated as a distinct source of wine with a unique profile.
This approach is unique in the world. While in the New World wine is usually described by grape, and often by brand, in Burgundy the name of the plot matters most. The climats are a heritage so precious that they have been inscribed on the world heritage list. They are a record of centuries-old knowledge of exactly which patch of earth gives an exceptional wine. Understanding the concept of climat means understanding the whole philosophy of Burgundy.
The quality pyramid: from regional to grand cru
Burgundy wines arrange themselves into a four-level quality pyramid worth knowing, because it largely decides the price and prestige. The higher up, the smaller and more selected the plot, and the more expensive the wine.
- Regional wines, that is Bourgogne, are the base of the pyramid: wines from a broadly drawn area, the simplest and cheapest, good for starting to know the region.
- Village wines come from around a specific village and already have a clearer, local character.
- Premier cru are wines from distinguished climats within a village, recognised as especially successful. There are several hundred such first-rank plots.
- Grand cru is the absolute summit: just a few dozen of the most famous plots of historic renown, giving the most outstanding and expensive wines. They make up a fraction of the region’s total production.
This pyramid is not marketing but a record of centuries of observation of which plots consistently give better wines. For a beginner it is a practical map: the higher the level on the label, the greater the emotion and the greater the expense to expect.
Why Burgundy is so expensive
Where do these dizzying prices come from? The answer comes down to one word: scarcity. The most famous grand crus are tiny plots, sometimes just a few hectares, and the smallest of them produce barely a few thousand bottles a year. When demand around the world is huge and supply is physically limited to a handful of bottles, prices soar.
To this are added the prestige and centuries-old reputation of the best climats and the fact that land in Burgundy is among the most expensive in the world per hectare. The most famous parcels are priceless and almost never change hands. All this has made great Burgundy a luxury good and an object of collector’s desire. But, importantly, Burgundy is not only inaccessible grand crus. At the base of the pyramid are affordable regional and village wines on which you can comfortably get to know the character of the region without ruining your wallet.
Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from Burgundy
It is worth knowing what to expect in the glass. Red Burgundy from Pinot Noir is usually a wine pale in colour, elegant, with notes of red fruit such as cherry and raspberry, over time developing earthy, mushroomy and forest-floor notes. It is a wine of finesse and delicacy, not power, famous for high acidity and silky tannins. I cover acidity in acidity in wine.
White Burgundy from Chardonnay, in turn, is the model of this grape: from lean, mineral, almost salty Chablis, through richer, oaked wines from the Côte de Beaune, to elegant, buttery whites with notes of butter, toast and hazelnut. It is Chardonnay in its noblest form, far from the lush, tropical versions from warm countries. I cover the body and style of white wines in wine body.
Burgundy versus Bordeaux
For a beginner it is instructive to set Burgundy against the other great French region, Bordeaux, because they represent two opposite philosophies of wine. Bordeaux is a world of blends, large estates and wines built on the power, structure and tannins of Cabernet Sauvignon and the softness of Merlot. Burgundy is a world of single grapes, tiny plots and wines built on finesse, acidity and a transparent expression of place.
You could put it vividly: Bordeaux is architecture, and Burgundy is painting. One impresses with construction and power, the other with subtlety and nuance. Bordeaux is easier to understand through the division into left and right banks, Burgundy through the pyramid of climats. Neither region is better, they are simply different, and getting to know both gives a fuller picture of what French wine can be. For many tasters Burgundy is harder but also more addictive, because it rewards attentiveness and learning like few other regions. It is a wine that forces you to think about place, not just grape.
How to explore it
The best way to understand Burgundy is to start from the bottom of the pyramid, not from inaccessible grand crus. Set two affordable village wines from different villages side by side, made from the same grape, and try to sense how their place of origin differs them. It is the cheapest and best lesson in terroir you can give yourself. In GustoNote you record the appellation, the level in the pyramid, the acidity, the fruitiness and your impressions of each wine, and after a few entries you will start to notice how much even neighbouring plots can differ in flavour. It turns an intimidating, expensive region into a fascinating, personal map. You will find a full overview of wine types in types of wine.