Burgundy (Bourgogne) is a holy grail for wine geeks: a region impossible to master, impenetrable to the casual observer, and endlessly fascinating.
A simple premise—red Burgundy is generally Pinot Noir and white Burgundy is generally Chardonnay—belies a maze of appellations, fractured vineyards, scores of variable producers, and erratic vintage swings. Just getting the right information can be a chore: the vignerons (winegrowers) of Burgundy are an insular lot who will not readily impart their wisdom and experience to outsiders, and even they are rarely experts beyond the walls of their own domaines or the confines of their own communes. For all students of Burgundy, it’s important to keep in mind that understanding this region is a lifelong pursuit. Burgundy’s modern vineyards and wines are products of 2,000 years of winemaking history. Yet while Burgundy can be a sensual pleasure unlike any other, it can also be an expensive disappointment. Despite, or perhaps because of, the region's mercurial nature, the wines of Burgundy enliven the imaginations of sommeliers and connoisseurs worldwide, and show great versatility at the table.
Winemaking in Burgundy is not a new phenomenon. Archaeological evidence of production dates back to the late first century CE, following the Roman conquest of Gaul. The first Burgundians—Germanic barbarian tribesmen—arrived in the fifth century as the Western Roman Empire was crumbling, and they embraced viticulture. But Europe plunged into dark ages after the fall of Rome, and the Catholic Church rose as a powerful political force, becoming a shepherd of culture, and viticulture, in such difficult times. The Benedictine
I'm studying for my certified and both the beginner and intermediate quizzes won't load. So far I haven't had that problem with any other regions, just Burgundy. I get the 404 error.
The section on Beaujolais includes the following text: ‘Unfortunately, the overall image of Beaujolais has been tarnished by the popularity of Beaujolais noveau wines’. Minor typo: ‘noveau’ should read ‘nouveau’.
The section on the Côte Chalonnaise includes the following text: ‘As the only village appellation in Burgundy that produces wines from the Aligoté grape, Bouzeron is an anomaly.’ Well, not exactly–this being Burgundy, there are anomalies and then there are anomalies. Though only permitted in the climat of Monts Luisants, the Morey-Saint-Denis AOP is another village appellation in Burgundy that produces wines from the Aligoté grape (though admittedly only one of which I am aware).
The section on appellations within Burgundy includes the following text: ‘In addition to the Bourgogne Hautes-Côtes geographic designations, the Cote d’Or produces Côte de Beaune-Villages AOP and Côte de Nuits-Villages AOP.’ Minor typo: ‘Cote d’Or’ should read ‘Côte d’Or’.
The study guide makes multiple references to ‘Région Bourgogne’. While I would interpret the English ‘region of Burgundy’ as informal, the use of a formal term in French makes me think that this is a reference to the French governmental administrative region within which the wine region is located. If so, it’s an anachronism, as the French administrative region took on the name ‘Région Bourgogne-Franche-Comté’ in 2016 after a merger with a neighboring region.