by Robert Bath, MS
For many of us, our seminal wine moment arrived via a bottling from the Côte d’Or. Ironically, this region represents only 15 percent of the total production of Burgundy; with 84 appellations spread over 75,000 acres, the ultimate exploration ventures far beyond the Côte de Beaune and Côte de Nuits. The current pricing of Côte d’Or wines has magnified the excellent values available from regions like the Grand Auxerrois, the Mâconnais, and the Côte Chalonnaise, particularly in recent vintages like 2015 and 2016.
A new appellation in the Grand Auxerrois, Vézelay is located 25 miles south of Chablis and totals just 150 planted acres. This area has a long history of wine production dating back to the Middle Ages, when pilgrims would climb the hill of Vézelay on their way back from Santiago de Compostela. The soils in Vézelay are older than Chablis and more akin to the clay/limestone soils of the Côte d’Or, producing Chardonnays with an ideal balance of fruit character and structure.
Representing the northern border of the Mâconnais is the town of Tournus, which also acts as a cultural boundary: The people of the Mâconnais have historically spoken a different Provençale language than that of their neighbors to the north in Burgundy. The region’s wine trade also focused southward via the Saone river until taxes on “foreign” wines forced producers to instead look north to Paris; ironically, this is what encouraged growers to plant Chardonnay, which could better withstand the long journey to the capital than the more fragile Gamay.
With its proximity to the Massif Central, the Mâconnais features a series of low-altitude mountain ranges, the result of several million years of erosion. This slow deterioration has also produced a variety of soil types most evident near the dramatic vestiges of Soultré and Vergisson, where layers of clay limestone alternate with older granitic soils.
The Mâcon AOP can be utilized by producers throughout the entire Mâconnais region. There are 27 villages permit-ted to append their name to the appellation, with Aze, Milly-Lamartine, Pierreclos, and Verze serving as the standouts. Two other villages, Vire and Clesse, have now graduated into appellation status as one combined region. The formal recognition of Premier Cru vineyards in Pouilly-Fuissé is slated for next year, with St. Veran, Pouilly Loche, and Pouilly Vinzelles to follow soon after. The culmination of a ten-year process, this acknowledgement of the top vineyards in Pouilly-Fuissé epitomizes the renewed focus on quality Chardonnay from the Mâconnais.
Despite its proximity to the Côte de Beaune, the Côte Chalonnaise is quite different in terms of geology. On the north end, the vineyards predominantly planted to Pinot Noir around Mercurey, Givry, and Rully are mostly limestone-based and east-facing. To the south, the vineyards around Montagny become more marl-dominated and west-facing, making them well-suited for Chardonnay.
The dizzying number of Premier Cru vineyards in the Côte Chalonnaise—49 in Montagny alone—can be confusing, but has an interesting historical explanation. During the German occupation of World War II, any wine designated as Premier Cru or better was off limits for the German infantry soldiers, so many vineyards were thus designated Premier Cru simply to keep them away from enemy forces. That said, the quality of the Chardonnay and Pinot Noir wines from these four villages and Premier Cru vineyards is higher than ever.
Considering Côte Chalonnaise is also the birthplace of Crémant de Bourgogne, many top producers are located here—particularly around Rully. The category is steadily growing and now represents more than 10 percent of Burgundy’s total production. Meanwhile, the new Eminent and Grand Eminent categories—which spend 24 and 36 months entirage, respectively—encompass sparkling wines that are, unsurprisingly, very Champagne-like.
From sparkling to white to red, value wines do exist in Burgundy—you just have to look around and enjoy the journey.
