I just want to thank you guys again for the ongoing support of my wine blog! <3 I've had a blast so far and am looking forward to sharing even more with you. If there is anything any of you would like me to cover, please don't hesitate to ask me! The whole point of this is not only to share my experiences but to educate as well.
When I first got into this industry, I thought I would read a textbook or two and have a decent understanding of the wine world. After one chapter I knew I was wrong. Instead of this scaring me off, it just got me excited for the journey I was about to partake in. I also may have felt a little nauseous and terrified. :/
One of the regions that got me excited was definitely Burgundy. There are a lot of great regions out there that produce great Pinot Noirs, but for me, Burgundy is king (or queen!).
Source: Wine Folly
Considering the reputation that these wines have, the region is actually really small, but it's why I love it so much. It kind of falls into that 'great things come in small packages' category. And because of this (but not only this), these wines can sometimes carry a hefty price tag. Don't panic though, there are some really great affordable ones too - you just need to know what you're looking for! Here is the breakdown of the the quality levels in Burgundy starting with the most prestigious:
- Grand Cru (1% of production)
- Premier Cru (10% of production)
- Village Wines (37% of production)
- Regional Wines (52% of production)
Grand Cru wines are the cream of the crop and therefore carry the biggest price tag - we're talking sometimes in the thousands! Production is small and these vineyards have locked down the best real estate in the area so these wines are packing a serious punch.
As good as the Grand Cru wines are, you can find some incredible value in Premier Crus! The vineyard holdings in Burgundy are small and usually owned by multiple growers, so a lot of the time a Premier plot is just feet away from a Grand Cru plot.
Village wine and Regional wine vineyards have a broader range of where they can be planted and are going to be your simpler and most affordable ones, BUT there is always the exception to the rule and there are definitely some great value wines coming out these tiers as well.
When we went to Burgundy, I had my husband pull over in almost every village! I could've spent the entire time there without a drop of wine and I still would have left feeling intoxicated. It's just that kind of place. <3
Here are some shots from our visit...
There was no wrong answer!
Grand Cru vineyard in the background.
Tastevin - a traditional, shallow Burgundian tasting cup
One place I didn't talk about in this post was Chablis. It is a northern off-shoot of Burgundy that is famous for Chardonnays. No worries, I'll be chatting about it in my next post! Stay tuned!
Thanks for reading <3
Jen