Burgundy’s system of classifying its wine can seem
daunting…that’s because it is. The
entire scheme is based on the specific plots of land where the grapes are
grown. Here’s a stripped down version
that will help you digest the many layers:
Grand
Cru:
ü Apex
of quality
ü only
2% of the vineyards
ü There
can be several different wineries that own a part of the vineyard, each making
their own “Grand Cru”
ü Grand
Cru is shown on the label
Premier
Cru:
ü 2nd
tier of highest quality wines
ü 15%
of the vineyards
ü There
can be several different wineries that own a part of the vineyard, each making
their own “Premier Cru”
ü The
name of the village in which the vineyard is located appears first on the label
and is followed by “Premier Cru”
Village
Wine:
ü 3rd
tier in the quality system
ü 30%
of Burgundy’s wine
ü The
village’s name is the only prominent thing on the label
ü Only
grapes from this village may be used
Regional
Wine:
ü Lowest
level of quality
ü 53%
of Burgundy’s wine
ü One
of Burgundy’s 3 regions must appear on the label which denote the area from
which the grapes came (Macon, Beaujolais or Bourgogne)
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