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In Burgundy, France, elite expensive drinks are produced, which true connoisseurs aspire to try. It is curious that the French territory became famous not only in this capacity: in addition to wines, delicious Dijon mustard, famous gingerbread and liquor are produced here.
But the fact remains: the first thing that comes to mind after pronouncing the name of the territory is Burgundy wines. Why are they so famous?
wine cocktails
The first vineyards in Burgundy
Appeared in the VI century BC. And even then, local drinks, in the production of which the Romans and Catholic monks subsequently contributed, began to gain popularity.
Later, it only strengthened, experiencing a temporary decline during the Great Depression and the World War.
Today, Burgundy includes red and white wines made from Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, as well as Aligote, Pinot Blanc, Gamay and Sauvignon.
The popularity of varieties that are used to make a wide variety of products (and not always of outstanding quality) does not at all diminish the excellent characteristics of real French wines.
Features of Burgundy winemaking
The very first thing that determines the sophistication of famous drinks is the area (or terroir) where the vine is grown.
In Burgundy, great attention is paid to the preparation and cultivation of the soil.
Local winemakers put a lot of effort to get the best quality raw materials, combining ancient methods with modern technologies (for example, heating the vineyards with generators).
The semi-continental climate only complements the efforts of hardworking owners, and sometimes interferes, creating obstacles on the way to the goal.
Vineyards in this area are small and occupy no more than 5-6 hectares.
This feature, together with the high manufacturability of production, distinguishes Burgundy from the equally famous Bordeaux wine region, where wine production volumes are calculated in completely different numbers.
The intimacy of local vineyards also determines a wide variety of tastes. Drinks made from the fruits of nearby vines can vary significantly from each other.
The best for cultivation are the eastern and southern slopes with chalky soils.
Classification of Burgundy wines
The wine-making center of the region is the city of Beaune, where most of the famous drinks are produced. And their category directly depends on the geographical location of the vineyards.
The classification looks like this:
Grand Cru
The marking distinguishes the most valuable specimens of wines, which are highly valued and appreciated by collectors.
They are produced in the best wineries in the region: they make up only 2% of all farms.
The taste of drinks can be briefly described as “divine”.
Cru premiere
Wines of excellent quality, which have slightly lower characteristics compared to the previous category, but also belong to the elite.
Village Wines
The literal translation sounds like “village wines”, but this does not mean at all that the products are similar to home-made drinks.
These wines are made in the villages of Burgundy in compliance with all technologies. In which of them specifically – the manufacturer indicates on the label.
Despite the absence of the “highest quality” mark, there is no doubt that it will be excellent in this case too.
Among the “village” drinks, there are often truly unique finds.
Regional Wines
Approximately half of Burgundy wines are labeled this way. They are produced in different parts of the region from raw materials collected from any vineyards of Burgundy.
Their characteristics differ significantly: you can find products with a delicious taste and simpler wines with a calm bouquet.
However, if we consider that each of them is produced on the territory of the best wine-growing region in the world, then the word “simple” can hardly mean poor quality.
In addition to the above categories, on the labels of Burgundy wines you can find the inscription “domaine” or “propriate”. It means that the drink was poured by the owner of the vineyard.
wine regions
The taste properties of Burgundy wines directly depend on the territory of their production. Each region is famous for its category of drinks, namely:
Chablis makes the best white wine with a fresh mineral taste. For its preparation, mainly the Chardonnay variety is used.
Côte d’Or is considered the “heart” of Burgundy: it is known for the most expensive drinks from the Grand Cru category.
To the south of Dijon, almost all the red wines of the “highest” class (elegant and strong) are produced, and not far from Beaune, some reds and most whites. Drinks from these areas tend to have a rich, “oily” taste.
Côte Chalonaise is famous for bright, tart drinks of both types.
Macone produces light light wines.
Beaujolais specializes in Gamay fruit drinks.
Coteaux du Lyon supplies red, white and rosé wines.
Reds are characterized by intense fruity tones, whites have a strict classic taste.
Manufacturing technology
Each winemaker in Burgundy uses his own, individual, methods of processing raw materials in the production, which determines a diverse palette of tastes, shades and aromas of finished drinks.
There are manufacturing features in different wine-growing areas. Therefore, it is not possible to describe the complete process of production of all wines.
We can only briefly dwell on the most significant points.
In the manufacture of Burgundy drinks, manual and machine technologies are used.
The former are more expensive, but are also less productive: in this way small batches of the most valuable wines are produced.
The traditional manufacturing process includes:
Collection of raw materials, their sorting and cleaning (for drinks from the Grand Cru category, all operations of this stage are performed manually).
Pressing: the berries are carefully crushed and gradually, in small parts, pressed in a wooden container, monitoring the temperature and sugar content (it is very important that the mass does not overheat).
Settling and fermentation (the best wines are aged in oak barrels for two years, ordinary wines for about a year).
Aging and storage (approximate period is 3-15 years, for top-class wines – from 8 or more).
Filtration and bottling.
The manufacturing process seems simple, but only at first glance. Local winemaking skillfully combines ancient traditions and modern technologies, which allows you to create real masterpieces of taste.
Relevance: 27.08.2018
Tags: Wine and vermouth, Wine brands