Burgundy - The Region

Norman abbeys, châteaux with their glazed rooftops, ducal towns and charming villages make Burgundy a historic region with a glorious heritage.

It is a land of rolling hills, waterways and of course vineyards.

Renowned for centuries, not just for its wine, but for the quality of its cuisine, Burgundy has much to delight the visitor and the image of the vines crammed onto every square foot of land around the villages on the Côte de Nuit will stay with you for years to come.

Dijon, once the prestigious seat of the Dukes of Burgundy, is now a delightful city full of historic buildings and excellent restaurants. It has no less than 8 museums including a nationally renowned art museum, an architectural history museum and a museum of life in Burgundy. It is also known around the world for its mustard.

Beaune is the undisputed capital of Burgundy wines and the red and gold colours of the wines are reflected in the flamboyant rooftops stretching across the town. The Hotel-Dieu in particular is spectacular. The former mansion of the Dukes of Burgundy is now home to the Burgundy Wine Museum which traces the history of vine and wine from antiquity to the present day, relates the traditional way of life of Burgundy’s wine-growers and presents the crafts and symbolism associated with wine.

The countryside of Burgundy offers extensive opportunities to get out in the fresh air. Whether you choose to walk, cycle or ride a horse, the views from the hill tops will reward the adventurous.

Burgundy - The Wines

Home to both the finest Pinot Noir in the world and the finest Chardonnay, the wines of Burgundy can be incomparable.

Nestling between Dijon and Beaune, the Côte de Nuits is home to 22 of Burgundy’s 23 red Grand Crus. With such names as Gevrey-Chambertin, Chambolle-Musigny, Vosne-Romanée and Nuits-St-George, the red wines here can be majestic, intense and firm.

Around Beaune and extending to the south, the Côte de Beaune is where 7 of Burgundy’s 8 white Grand Crus can be found. The delightful villages of Puligny-Montrachet, Chasagne-Montrachet and Meursault are the places of origin of some of the world’s longest lived, most complex and stylish white wines, while the reds from this area tend to be softer and more approachable than those from the Côte de Nuits.

Further south, the Côte Chalonnaise contains several of the larger appellations including Rully, Mercurey and Montagny. Although these appellations are less well known, the quality here is very good and they can be excellent value for money.