The distribution of quality levels in all Burgundy wines by volume.Burgundy has four quality levels: Bourgogne Blanc: White wines allowed to blend grapes from all over the region. Village: a wine from a specific village that is labeled with the village name. (e.g. Santenay) Premier Cru: from a specific, Premier Cru (1er) designated vineyard Grand Cru: from a specific Grand Cru designated vineyard NOTE: As you move up in specificity, you move up in price, and generally in oak usage. Famous white wine villages in the Côte de Beaune include, but are not limited to: Chassagne-Montrachet, Puligny-Montrachet, Meursault, St. Aubin, Beaune, and the hill of Corton.White Burgundy Vintage NotesVintage variation in cool climate regions like Burgundy is very common, so if you’re trying to find a great wine, definitely be picky when it comes to the vintage, especially if you’re looking for values. Of course, it’s good to know that high quality producers tend to be consistent year in and year out. 2011-2013: These were pretty even-keeled vintages, not sensational and with their fair share of difficulties during the season, but generally, quality across the board has been good, if not stellar.2010: In a word: epic. The best wines from the Côte de Beaune will be drinkable on our deathbeds, but best thing about this vintage is it gave much more stuffing and power to wines that are usually a little more lack-luster.2009: Very warm growing season led to ripe and rich wines. Definitely a “bridge” vintage for those accustomed to new world Chardonnay, but probably not one for the ages.2008 and older: 2008 was a cold, hard vintage that gave wines with a lot of tart and fresh flavors. In general, I find that tarter, fresher vintages tend to age slightly better that big, fat, ripe ones, but there will always be exceptional producers who buck the trends.
