At 10-Vines the Grands Crus of Burgundy go under the spotlight for Christmas. Time for a little refresher course with our oenologist, Béatrice Dominé, who will reveal all you want to know about the great wines of world-famous Burgundy, a leading light among the winegrowing regions of France.
Chambertin, Bonnes-Mares, Romanée-Conti, Corton and Montrachet are appellations that remind us just what can be achieved in the prestigious vineyards of Burgundy. With their well-established worldwide reputation, these Grands Crus are truly the stuff of dreams.
The rarity of these Grands Crus only increases their appeal. Indeed, Burgundy has 33 parcels of Grand Cru vines which spread across just 560 hectares and account for barely 2% of the region’s wine production. These parcels are split between 3 sub-regions where the prestigious Grand Cru label is carried by no more than 12 villages, mostly in the Côte de Nuits vineyard.
Breakdown of appellation levels
Varietal characteristics
One of the distinguishing features of these Grand Cru wines, of which the majority (61%) are red, is that each is made from a single grape variety.
| Chardonnay | Pinot Noir | |
|---|---|---|
| Wine types | Dry white wines exclusively | Red and rosé wines |
| Colour | Pale yellow with tints of green or gold | Ruby fading to rosé at the edges |
| Aromas | Fruit: apple, lemon, pear, white peach, stewed rhubarb, pineapple and greengage Floral: acacia, honeysuckle, lime tree, violet, bracken and privet Empyreumatic: smoked and grilled aromas, hazelnut, almond, toast, and vanilla (oak barrel) |
Berry fruit: strawberry, raspberry, red-fruit jam, cherry, Kirsch, elderberry and cranberry Roasted and spicy aromas on ageing: cinnamon, coffee, liquorice, cedar, vanilla, tobacco, chocolate and pepper |
Today, 4 of the 33 Burgundy Grands Crus are available with 10-Vins: Corton, Bonnes Mares, Chablis and finally Corton-Charlemagne.
Learn more about D-Vine’s selection.
