Burgundy by Jill!

The Lovely Region of Burgundy

 

Where is Burgundy located?

Burgundy is located in the central eastern portion of France. It is in the valleys and slopes west of the Saone, a tributary of the Rhone.

Soil and Terroir

Terroir is a paramount factor in the character of a Burgundy wine. It can vary from vineyard to vineyard, even vineyards as close as five miles apart (crazy right?!)

Burgundy’s Terroir is an ancient sealife graveyard, so it has a lot of limestone and fossil! Also Burgundy experiences a continental climate characterized by cold winters and hot summers. The weather is very unpredictable, with rains, hail, and frost all possible around harvest time.

The Heart of Burgundy is called Cote d’Or, a narrow band of gently sloping hillside of encompassing some 60 small appelations.

Grapes

The two main grapes from burgundy are Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. They also produce a few others including Aligote, Gamay, and Cremant de Bourgogne (that would be tiny little bubbles!) They also produce a very small amount of rose. So Chablis has a few levels of quality….. Ready, Set, Go…..

• Petit Chablis
• Chablis premier Cru
• Chablis Grand Cru

Fun Facts about Burgundy/French WInes

• French wines are part American, in the 19^th Century European vineyards were hit by several different plights, pestilences and diseases. It wiped out the vineyards and the growers were forced to start growing healthy new plants, but the only way was to splice plants with american ones!
• In 2014 Burgundy outsold Bordeaux to the tune of 9% (41% to 32%)
• The capital of Burgundy is Dijon. Jean Naigeon originated Dijon mustard in the 1750’s by using the juice of not quite ripe grapes in place of vinegar.
• Burgundy looks like a patch work of vineyards, there are over 100 different types of appelations.
• Monks! The Benedictines’ work enabled them to conserve heat from the sun and protect their vines from the wind. Planted in regular rows, the vines structured the landscape as well as making it productive.
  
  

There is Burgundy in a nut shell! Hope you enjoyed!!