The wines are produced from Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, respectively. While these wines sit at the base of Burgundy’s classification system, their quality can vary enormously. Some bottles offer simple, everyday drinking; others, especially those crafted by top-tier producers or sourced from well-situated parcels, can rival far more prestigious labels in complexity and finesse. This diversity is part of their charm and the thrill for drinkers seeking value in Burgundy. Unlike the more geographically defined village-level, Premier Cru, and Grand Cru appellations, “Bourgogne” wines are labelled under a regional designation that can, in theory, span the entire Burgundy vineyard area. As such, they serve as a broad but revealing introduction to the region’s signature grapes and winemaking styles.
Pinot Noir is probably the most frustrating, and at times infuriating, wine grape in the world. However when it is successful, it can produce some of the most sublime wines known to man. This thin-skinned grape which grows in small, tight bunches performs well on well-drained, deepish limestone based subsoils as are found on Burgundy's Côte d'Or. Pinot Noir is more susceptible than other varieties to over cropping - concentration and varietal character disappear rapidly if yields are excessive and yields as little as 25hl/ha are the norm for some climats of the Côte d`Or. Because of the thinness of the skins, Pinot Noir wines are lighter in colour, body and tannins. However the best wines have grip, complexity and an intensity of fruit seldom found in wine from other grapes. Young Pinot Noir can smell almost sweet, redolent with freshly crushed raspberries, cherries and redcurrants. When mature, the best wines develop a sensuous, silky mouth feel with the fruit flavours deepening and gamey "sous-bois" nuances emerging. The best examples are still found in Burgundy, although Pinot Noir`s key role in Champagne should not be forgotten. It is grown throughout the world with notable success in the Carneros and Russian River Valley districts of California, and the Martinborough and Central Otago regions of New Zealand.
