Burgundy is wine's ultimate terroir expression. The hierarchy — Regional, Village, Premier Cru, Grand Cru — reflects centuries of observation. The Côte d'Or contains 33 Grand Cru vineyards. Small production and enormous demand make top Burgundy among the world's most expensive wines.
Subregions
- Beaujolais — Beaujolais occupies the southern end of Greater Burgundy, extending from the Maconnais south to the outskirts of Lyon. Its granite and schist soils are ideally suited to the Gamay grape, which is the region's sole permitted red variety. Ten cru appellations — Morgon, Moulin-a-Vent, Fleurie, Brouilly, Cote de Brouilly, Chiroubles, Saint-Amour, Julienas, Chenas, and Regnie — produce structured, terroir-driven wines that can age for a decade or more. Beaujolais Nouveau, released each November, remains commercially significant but represents only a fraction of the region's quality spectrum. Semi-carbonic maceration (whole-cluster fermentation) is the traditional vinification method, yielding fresh, aromatic wines with soft tannins.
- Beaune — Beaune is Burgundy's historic wine trade hub. Its east-facing Côte slopes yield Pinot Noir and Chardonnay on limestone-clay soils. No Grands Crus, but 42 Premiers Crus, led by Grèves and Fèves. Home to the Hospices de Beaune annual charity auction.
- Chablis — Chablis lies in the Yonne department, roughly 100 miles northwest of the Cote d'Or, making it Burgundy's coolest and most northerly district. Its signature Kimmeridgian limestone-marl soils — packed with fossilised Exogyra virgula oyster shells — impart a distinctive flinty, mineral character to the Chardonnay grape. The appellation hierarchy runs from Petit Chablis and Chablis through seven Premiers Crus to seven Grands Crus (Blanchot, Bougros, Les Clos, Grenouilles, Les Preuses, Valmur, Vaudesir) on a single southwest-facing slope above the Serein river. A philosophical divide persists between producers who ferment in stainless steel (preserving steely purity) and those who favour oak (adding breadth and complexity). Key producers include Raveneau, Dauvissat, William Fevre, and Long-Depaquit.
- Chassagne-Montrachet — Côte de Beaune village split between white and red production. Chardonnay dominates the east-facing limestone premiers crus; Pinot Noir covers southern clay soils. Shares Le Montrachet and Bâtard-Montrachet grands crus with Puligny.
- Côte de Beaune — The Côte de Beaune produces Burgundy's greatest Chardonnay from Meursault, Puligny-Montrachet, and Chassagne-Montrachet, plus excellent Pinot Noir from Volnay and Pommard.
- Côte de Nuits — The Côte de Nuits runs from Marsannay to Nuits-Saint-Georges, containing legendary Grand Crus: Chambertin, Musigny, Romanée-Conti, Clos de Vougeot. Pinot Noir at its most profound.
- Gevrey-Chambertin — Gevrey-Chambertin anchors the northern Côte de Nuits. Nine Grands Crus, including Chambertin and Chambertin Clos de Bèze, grow on limestone-marl soils. Pinot Noir dominates; wines trend fuller and firmer than neighbouring villages.
- Pommard — Pommard produces Pinot Noir with notable structure and tannin, atypical for Côte de Beaune. Clay-heavy soils on mid-slope sites drive density. Two Premier Crus—Les Épenots and Les Rugiens—anchor the appellation's reputation for age-worthy reds.
- Pouilly-Fuissé — Pouilly-Fuissé produces Chardonnay from Jurassic limestone and clay soils in the Mâconnais. Elevated premier cru classifications were introduced in 2020. Warmer than Côte d'Or, yielding richer, rounder whites with moderate acidity.
- Volnay — Volnay produces Pinot Noir on the Côte de Beaune's limestone and clay slopes. No Grands Crus exist, but 35 Premiers Crus dominate. Wines show pale colour, red-fruit character, and fine tannins—distinct from the broader structure of neighbouring Pommard.
