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The Burgundy region in the eastern part of France has one of the world's longest traditions of winemaking and is considered the most exclusive wine region today. It is home to some of the most prestigious vineyards in the world, including Romanée-Conti and Montrachet.

Why is Burgundy wine so popular?

Burgundy wine is a favorite among many wine lovers and collectors worldwide, and the bottles are known to be highly sought after and difficult to acquire.

Many of the wines are produced in small quantities, and some of the most prestigious vineyards are usually only available to the most dedicated collectors. Fortunately, many collectors choose to sell their Burgundy wines on auction here at ShareWine, giving other wine enthusiasts the chance to get their hands on these rare bottles.

Burgundy wine has become popular because of the great elegance, high quality, diversity, and exclusivity associated with it. This makes them highly desirable among wine lovers and collectors worldwide.

Burgundy wine is known for its complexity and distinctive elegance, which can be attributed to various factors, including soil composition, grape varieties, and winemaking methods that make Burgundy wine truly unique:

• Soil Composition: Burgundy vineyards are known for their limestone-rich soil, which gives the wines a special minerality. This minerality contributes to the great complexity and elegance for which Burgundy wines are known.

• Grape Varieties: Burgundy wine is primarily made from two grape varieties: Pinot Noir for red wine and Chardonnay for white wine. However, a significant amount of white wine is also made from the Aligoté grape, and in the southern part of Beaujolais, red wines are made from the Gamay grape.

• Winemaking Methods: Burgundy wine is typically made using traditional winemaking methods, including natural fermentation and aging in French oak barrels known as barriques.

Burgundy Districts

Burgundy consists of a wide range of relatively small wine districts/appellations, also known as AOCs (Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée). These vary in size and often correspond to the small towns and communes in the region. Currently, there are approximately 100 appellations (AOCs) in Burgundy.

Broadly speaking, Burgundy is divided into the following main regions:

• Chablis - Located northwest of the Côte d'Or stretch and known for its very pure and mineral white wines made from the Chardonnay grape. Chablis is a relatively large appellation (and also a large communal appellation).

• Côte d’Or - 'The Golden Slope,' is the most famous part of Burgundy, where some of the world's best wines are made. It is divided into two parts: the north and the south of the main city Beaune.

  To the north, it is called 'Côte de Nuits.' The vast majority of wines from this area are red wines made from the Pinot Noir grape. This is where we find the famous communes of Gevrey-Chambertin, Chambolle-Musigny, Vosne-Romanée, and Nuits-Saint-George.

  To the south, we have the 'Côte de Beaune,' where you can often find reasonably priced red wines from Beaune, Pommard, and Volnay. However, this area is best known for producing the world's best white wines, especially from the slopes in the appellations of Meursault, Puligny-Montrachet, and Chassagne-Montrachet. This is where you can experience the magic of white Burgundy wines.

  Finally, there are the lesser-known areas of the region, Hautes Côtes de Nuits/Beaune, where you can often find good bargains.

• Côte Chalonnaise - Here, both white, Cremant, and red wines are produced from the appellations Bouzeron, Rully, Mercurey, Givry, and Montagny. Prices are often much lower compared to Côte d’Or. These areas are undergoing significant improvements in quality, making them very interesting to follow.

• Mâconnais - Primarily known for good white wines, often characterized by being fuller and more fruity, from the communes of Pouilly-Fuissé, Saint-Véran, and Macon. There are also good deals to be found here compared to Côte d’Or.

• Beaujolais - Differs significantly from the rest of Burgundy, both because the primary grape used here is Gamay and because the style of these wines is often markedly different from the rest of Burgundy. Often, they are light, fruity, and uncomplicated wines, but as in the rest of Burgundy, there is significant progress in quality, and several producers have begun making some serious wines. This region is definitely worth keeping an eye on.

White Burgundy

For many, "white Burgundy" is the pinnacle when it comes to white wine. Although "white Burgundy" is a broad term, many associate the finest white wines from Burgundy with the areas of Puligny-Montrachet and Chassagne-Montrachet. Among them, the perfectly east-facing Grand Cru vineyard Montrachet stands out as a mythical symbol of ultimate magic. These fine drops have been famous since the 1500s and are so intense that you can't help but fall in love with this heavenly elixir. If the wines from Puligny-Montrachet and Chassagne-Montrachet are not within reach due to their limited availability and high prices, fortunately, there are plenty of opportunities to taste high-quality white Burgundy from the neighboring Meursault area. With the search function on ShareWine, it's easy to find an auction with white Burgundy - try it here.

Burgundy Grand Cru

Unlike Bordeaux, where it is the producers/châteaux that are classified, in Burgundy, it is the land – or more precisely the vineyards, a specific 'terroir' – that forms the basis for the classification.

Broadly speaking, there are three categories: 'Village' wines (regional/appellation wines), Premier Cru, and Grand Cru:

• Regional appellations - They account for about half of the total wine production in Burgundy and include classifications such as Bourgogne Rouge and Bourgogne Blanc. These designations do not refer to a specific town or appellation but allow for the contents to come from various locations within the region.

• Communal appellations - Here, we find named village wines (village vineyards), which together make up about one-third of the production in Burgundy. In special cases, communal wines may have a 'Lieu dit' or 'Climat' mentioned on their label. This can be a designation for the vineyard, such as 'Les Narvaux' in Meursault or 'La Colombiere' in Vosne-Romanée. These are not to be confused with 'Cru,' but they indicate the wine's place of origin and specific terroir. In other words, these designations indicate that the wine comes from a specific vineyard or parcel within a vineyard, and the wine is not a blend of different vineyards across towns.

• Premier Cru - This is the second-highest level in the hierarchy and accounts for about 10 percent of Burgundy's total production. There are more than 600 registered Premier Cru vineyards in Burgundy, making them difficult to memorize. Both Premier Cru and Grand Cru designations are awarded at the vineyard level. An entire town or a specific producer cannot be designated as "Premier Cru," but a town may have several Premier Cru vineyards, and a producer may own land on some or all of these.

• Grand Cru - At the top of the Burgundy classification, we find the Grand Cru vineyards. There are only about 30 classified Grand Cru vineyards, representing just 1.5% of the total production of Burgundy wine. This category includes wines of the highest caliber and demand, both in terms of quality and desirability. These vineyards represent the finest landholdings in the region, often passed down through generations and nearly impossible for newcomers to acquire. The limited supply and high demand for these top Burgundy wines make them both challenging and expensive to obtain, especially when it comes to wines from the best producers. Some of the most famous Grand Cru vineyards in Burgundy are also referred to as monopoly vineyards – meaning only one producer owns and produces wine from them. The most prestigious of these vineyards is the Grand Cru Romanée-Conti.

Often, you'll come across bottles labeled 'Clos,' which refers to the many beautiful walled vineyards found throughout Burgundy. These 'Clos' can be found in all classifications, from Grand Cru to village vineyards, and they can encircle an entire vineyard or parts thereof.

Finally, there are several bottles labeled 'Vieilles Vignes' (or V.V.), which indicates that the wine comes from old vines that generally produce better wine than young vines. This is because the grape material is better due to the lower yield of the vines, resulting in greater intensity and aroma complexity. However, one cannot rely solely on the quality increasing because of the Vieilles Vignes designation, as there are many factors involved in making good wine, and there is no consistent practice regarding the age of the vines required to bear the Vieilles Vignes label. Typically, vine age of at least 35 years is mentioned, but there is considerable variation.

Great wine from Burgundy

Wine from Burgundy has a long and rich history and is known for producing some of the world's best wines. Here are some of the most popular wines from Burgundy:

• Romanée-Conti: Romanée-Conti is the name of one of Burgundy's most famous and legendary "red" Grand Crus. This vineyard is owned by the domain of the same name, which undoubtedly belongs to the highest elite of prestigious Burgundy producers and wines. The wine is produced in very small quantities and is both difficult to find in the market and expensive. However, we have had the honor of selling this wine on the marketplace several times.

• Montrachet: Montrachet is the name of the most famous "white" Grand Cru vineyard, made from 100% Chardonnay. An exceptional wine with astronomical complexity, but unfortunately, only a few have the opportunity to taste it due to its rarity and cost. If you are looking for wines from this sublime vineyard, you may be lucky enough to get your hands on rare bottles from top producers such as Domaine Comtes-Lafon, Domaine Ramonet, and Domaine de la Romanée Conti.

• Chablis: Chablis is a wine from Burgundy, produced from 100% Chardonnay. Chablis wines are characterized by great purity in balance with high acidity and minerality, resulting from the high content of limestone and fossils in the soil, originating from ancient seabeds. Chablis is located in the northernmost and coolest part of Burgundy.

9 Burgundy wine producers you should know

The list of exciting quality-conscious wine producers in Burgundy is long and ever-changing. However, here we have gathered 8 coveted producers of Burgundy wine, both from the new and extremely old school, whom we believe any Burgundy enthusiast should know and, of course, taste. Fortunately, there is often ample opportunity to find these famous domaines for sale on ShareWine:

• Domaine Leflaive

• Domaine Ramonet

• Domaine Dujac

• Domaine Henri Boillot

• Domaine Louis Jadot

• Domaine Philippe Pacalet

• Kei Shiogai

• Domaine Lou Dumont

• Domaine de la Romanée-Conti

A review of the 2024 vintage in Burgundy

After a season that, in many ways, has been one long Les Misérables theater performance, with numerous challenges such as spring frost, hail (worst in Chablis), a very wet start to the summer that never really let up, and despite some sunshine here and there, hasn’t allowed the good producers and growers much of a summer break. Read more about what to expect from the 2024 vintage in Burgundy, in our 2024 Burgundy harvest report.

Sell your wine from Burgundy

If you have wine from Burgundy in your cellar, it may be sought after by other collectors and thus be valuable to you. If you are considering selling your Burgundy wine, you can create a fixed-price listing or auction on the ShareWine marketplace, allowing buyers from all over Europe to bid on your wine.

Sell your wine from Burgundy - create an auction