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The région Bourgogne is maddening enough for an experienced student of wine; for a neophyte Burgundy promises confusion.
A simple premise—red Burgundy is generally Pinot Noir and white Burgundy is generally Chardonnay—belies a maze of appellations, fractured vineyards, scores of variable producers, and erratic vintage swings. Where Bordeaux is a model of commercial success and rigid winemaking regimes, Burgundy is a more bucolic and unpredictable affair. The capacity to both disenchant and overachieve is inherent in every bottle. Burgundy can be a sensual pleasure unlike any other, but it is frequently an expensive disappointment. Despite—or perhaps due to—this mercurial nature, the wines of Burgundy enliven the imaginations of sommeliers and connoisseurs worldwide, and show promising versatility at the table.
Winemaking in Burgundy enjoys a lengthy history, with Roman Empire records of production dating back to 200 AD. As early as the 6th century AD, vineyards at Gevrey, Vosne, Beaune, and Dijon were entrusted to early Christian monasteries. Most villages of Burgundy trace their modern origins to monastic orders—particularly the Cistercians—who steadily enlarged their vineyard holdings throughout the High Middle Ages. Today’s vineyards in the Côte d’Or were generally converted to viticulture by the 12th century, as the monks began to discover the subtle variations in terroir that would form the basis of the modern appellation system in Burgundy.
By the mid-15th century, Burgundy wines had become a powerful symbol and an expensive export. The Valois Dukes, who ruled the region before