Burgundy vines in the sun at Richbourg ( photo by Carol Fletcher )
BURGUNDY : aprimer
By Mike Muirhead , Sommelier ( ISG , CMS ), CSW
The first archaeological evidence that wine was grown in the Burgundy region dates back to the second century CE . Bendictines were the first monks to own a large Burgundy vineyard in 910 . Within a couple of centuries , Cistercian monks had amassed a large tract of vineyard land . They were the first to truly develop the potential of Burgundian vineyards . Through centuries of manual labour and fastidious record keeping , the Cistercian monks discovered that different vineyards yielded different kinds of fruit , and this translated to different levels of quality in wine . The monks built stone walls around the most exclusive vineyards to ward off the theft of their prized fruit . Over time , a hierarchy developed , and the classifications exist yet today . There are four tiers of Burgundy wines : Basic Burgundy ( Bourgogne ), Village Burgundy , Premier Cru Burgundy , and Grand Cru Burgundy .
The primary grapes grown in Burgundy are Chardonnay and Pinot Noir . Gamay makes an appearance only in the under-appreciated Beaujolais region , and you can find various small production of the white grape Aligoté ( the classic white wine used in Kir ) all over Burgundy . Burgundy has always baffled even the most studious wine lovers . Soil and topography change abruptly , resulting in different characteristics and levels of quality in wines that grow up just across the street from each other . The region is also unique in that , due to a couple of centuries of adherence to Napoleonic law , vineyards have been subdivided to the point where is not uncommon for a winery to own only a few of rows of vines .
UNDERSTANDING THE TERROIR To really illustrate the intricacies of Burgundian terroir , we should bring the context closer to home . Let ’ s start at our store . Drive south to the Perimeter , and turn west ; in just over 37 kilometers you will be in Headingley . Look both ways as you travel on the Perimeter . On a normal day , you can see at least 1km in each direction . This whole trip takes you about 30 minutes . Now , take that 30 minute drive , add a French accent , and you have just travelled past 100 Appellations and 600 different terroirs . This is the heart of Burgundy .
To fully explain the types of designations ( or Appelations ) used in Burgundy , we ’ ll have to drive back to Winnipeg .
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