Burgundy Appellations

Burgundy is a diverse region with 113 appellations. They are classified by the French AOC regulations (Appellations d'Origine Contrôlées), and this

system aims to provide a guarantee of the origin and quality of the wine. Before an appellation is granted every wine is tasted and analysed before

bottling. Burgundy has four classifications from the Regional Wines to the Grand Cru's with each classification representing a step-up in quality and

price.

Regional Wines

Regional wines are produced from grapes grown anywhere in Burgundy. They are labelled Bourgogne Rouge / Red Burgundy followed by the grape

variety Pinot Noir or Bourgogne Blanc / White Burgundy followed by the grape variety Chardonnay. Crémant de Bourgogne, a sparkling wine is also

a regional appellation.

Village Wines

Village wines are named after the village or commune where the grapes are grown. The label may read as Marsannay and could include the name

of the vineyard, eg: Marsannay "Clos du Roy". 

Premier Cru

Vineyards or "climats" classified as Premier Cru are capable of consistently producing high quality wines. The label will have the name of the village

with "Premier Cru / 1er Cru" added, eg: Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru or the name of the village and the name of the vineyard, eg: Gevrey-Chambertin

1er Cru "Les Cazetiers".

Grand Cru

Grand cru status is only awarded to the finest vineyards in Burgundy. There are 33 Grand Cru vineyards representing just 1% of Burgundy's annual

production. The label will only have the name of the vineyard and the Grand Cru classification with the independent AOC (Appellation Contrôlée).

eg: Chevalier-Montrachet Grand Cru  Appellation Contrôlée.

Wine Labels 

Regional Wines                                       Village Wines                                          Premier Cru                                             Grand Cru