BOURGOGNE or Burgundy is a historic region of France, which has been inhabited by the Celts, Gauls, Romans, and various Germanic peoples, the most important of which were the Burgundians; an East Germanic tribe from mainland Scandinavia who immigrated to an island called Bornholm, in Old Norse Burgundarholmr, the island of the Burgundians.
In time, the region was divided between the Duchy of Burgundy (west of Burgundy) and the County of Burgundy (east of Burgundy.) The Duchy of Burgundy became the more famous of the two being the one that achieved historical fame.
Later the Duchy of Burgundy became the French province of Burgundy, while the County of Burgundy became the French province of Franche-Comté (free county.)
THE present day region of Burgundy comprises of four departments, l’Yonne (main administrative town Auxerre,) la Cote d’Or (main administrative town Dijon,) la Nièvre (main administrative town Nevers) and la Saône et Loire (main administrative town Maçon) apart from being the main administrative town of la Cote d’Or, Dijon is also the capital of Burgundy.
From the vineyard to the cellars
VISITING the vineyards of Burgundy can prove one of the most enriching and enjoyable experiences of a sejour in the region.
The Cote d’Or is named for the colour of the vineyards in autumn when they turn a beautiful shade of gold which spreads for hectares.
The most well known areas for wine is des Hautes-Cotes de Nuits and des Hautes-Cotes de Beaune. It is here some of the most prestigious names in wine growing can be found and the very sound of them can send a tingle down your back.
Meursault, Pommard, Gevrey-Chambertin, Savigny-lès-Beaune, Nuits-Saint-Georges and Vosne-Romanée to name but a few.
120 estates, accounting for 74 appellations, have joined together in a shared passion of wine. The winegrowers of des Hautes-Cotes have the use of some the most modern equipment and leading edge technology available all with the sole purpose of giving priority to quality, traceability, security, strict monitoring, careful choice of grapes, maturing in oak barrels, consideration for the environment and natural rhythms, therby putting modern expertise into traditional practice.
Des Grands Crus
Following la route de Grands Crus takes you through the wine villages giving you the perfect opportunity to stop and taste the great wine and great red vintages.
Des Hautes-Cotes cover 500 hectares of vineyards offering an exceptional variety of crus, each having their own bouquets at affordable prices.
The great white wines are grown on gently sloping hillsides which, with an ideal balance of sunshine together with the subtle mixture of clay and silts, produces the subtle flavours that give Chardonnay its intensity.
The great reds, however, require a clayey limestone soil with the best possible amount of sunshine with the excelling richness of Pinot Noir make the universally celebrated red wines whose character and aromas are unmatched.
The richness of wine is in its diversity and each appellation is carefully perfected to produce the subtle or intense aromas to enhance your meals however simple or sumptuous.
There are four grape varieties of not that are of particular quality is Burgundy’s wine production. The Pinot Noir, a grape of superior quality with a small sized grape. It has a colourless juice and it is only in the vats that the black/violet sin of the grape is released, thus producing the red colour.
The Chardonnay which produces high quality wines has a small grape with a golden blush and has an abundance of sweet juice.
The Gamay is a black grape which yields a white juice. When combined with the Burgundy Pinot it produces the Passe-Tout-Grains.
The Aligoté is a white grape variety with a sharp taste much appreciated by the producers of Crément. L’Aligoté à AOC Bouzeron (Cote Chalonnaise) is the only Aligoté which enjoys a village appellation.
WINE TASTING gives you not just the chance to sample the wines themselves but also allows you the chance to discover hidden villages and treasures of the region. Forage into an area full of heritage, tradition and a rich quality of life, characteristic of des Hautes-Cotes de Bourgogne.
Tasting cellars
Beaune: Route de Pommard 00 33 380 25 01 03
Geverey-Chambertin: Le Caveau de Chapitre, 1 -3 rue de Paris 00 33 380 51 82 82
Growers’ organisation, Route de Pommard, 21200 Beaune 00 33 380 25 01 00