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
In the expert quiz... there's a question about 1er crus within Volnay Santenots. It asks which vineyard is not entitled to premier cru within Volnay Santenots, and gives the four vineyards in Meursault that can be labelled as Volnay Santenots. Based on my reading, I think all four are premier cru. Les Santenots Dessous is definitely not premier cru for Meursault blanc, but as far as I can tell it is premier cru for Volnay Santenots Rouge (although several authors, including Jasper Morris, seem to think this is perhaps not justified)... Or am I missing something?
The last sentence under Chablis reads : Beyond Chablis, there are two other communal appellations in the Yonne département: Irancy AOP, a red wine appellation for light, Pinot Noir-based reds, and St-Bris AOP, the only Sauvignon Blanc appellation in Burgundy.
The compendium indicates that Vezelay AOP is located within the Yonne department. I was curious if the sentence needs to be changed, or is Vezelay NOT a "Communal" AOP , but instead a "Regional" AOP ? Thanks
Thanks Rich, fixed!
Under Beaujolais: "The region of Beaujolais overlaps the southern Mâconnais, but most of its territory lies further south in the Rhône département, not far from Lyon, a culinary mecca and France’s second-largest city. Beaujolais" just needs an edit to say Lyon is France's 3rd largest city to match the last "In the bouchons of Lyon, France's third-largest city..."Incredible study guide, thank you for the content Guild Somm!
thank you