- Burgundy wine
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Introductionany of numerous wines of the region of Burgundy in east-central France. Beginning with the Chablis district, the region's vineyards include those of the Côtes de Nuits just south of Dijon, the area around Beaune and Mâcon, and end in Beaujolais just north of Lyons. Burgundy is a region of varied wines, rather than of a type. Its white wines are usually dry, its reds velvety and full-bodied. Burgundy-type wines made in other countries such as Italy, Spain, Chile, or in California imitate, with varying success, some wine of the region of Burgundy.The best Burgundy wines are codified under the Appellations d'Origine. The use of the names of the districts, as Côtes de Beaune, is controlled, as well as the names of communes, villages, and individual vineyards. The last produce the finest wines; wines bottled on their properties are known as estate-bottled, the counterpart of château-bottled in Bordeaux. Wine properties in Burgundy are small, and until the 20th century the tendency had been for growers to turn over their production for shippers to bottle.Yonne.This district produces mainly white wines. The famous Chablis is a very dry wine, light and with subtle bouquet; only wines from delimited areas in Yonne are allowed the name Chablis.Côtes-d'Or.This district is divided in two parts, the Côte de Nuits just south of Dijon and the Côte de Beaune farther south. In the Côte de Nuits red wines are produced almost exclusively. In Côte de Beaune both red and white wines, including most of the best white Burgundies, are produced.Saône-et-Loire.In this district are prolific but less-distinguished vineyards. Mercurey and Givry are esteemed red wines. Around Mâcon are whites of good quality, notably Rully, Montagny, and also Pouilly-Fuissé, a dry, heady wine with much bouquet.RhôneBeaujolais (q.v.), a tasty and fruity wine, is notable. It is made from the Gamay grape, which in other areas produces a large but low-quality yield. It is drunk young.
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Universalium. 2010.
