Burgundy

The Burgundy wine region is one of France’s most famous, which is saying something. It sits in east-central France, creeping alongside the Saône River, wher its limestone soil can add a zesty minerality to the wine. The Romans brought winemaking to the region in the First Century ACE, however it really kicked off in the Middle Ages when people made wine for both the Church and the Burgundian aristocracy. (It’s good to be the duke!)

Burgundy has has five sub-regions — Chablis, Côte de Nuits, Côte de Beaune, Côte Chalonnaise, and Mâconnais. (Actually, it’s six since Beaujolais is a part of Burgundy, though we don’t tend to talk about it that way.) There, you can find Aligoté, Pinot Gris, Gamay, and Sauvignon Blanc. However, by far, the dominant grapes of Burgundy are Pinot Noir for red and Chardonnay for white.

This week, please join guest pourer Heather from distributor Potomac Selections as we taste through some Burgundian wine. Remember, at Market St. Wine, it’s Wine Wednesday any time between 5:00 and 6:30 PM. We’ll see you then!