Eric de Suremain - Château de MonthelieRatafia de Bourgogne

The wine region of Burgundy

Bourgogne is the catch-all regional appellation title of the Burgundy wine region in eastern France ("Bourgogne" is the French name for Burgundy). Burgundy has a Complex and comprehensive appellation system; counting Premier Cru and Grand Cru titles, the region has over 700 appellation titles for its wines. Thus, Burgundy wines often come from one Vineyard (or several separate vineyards) without an appellation title specific to the region, Village or even vineyard. A standard Burgundy wine may be made from grapes grown in one or more of Burgundy's 300 communes.

The wine region of Mâconnais

The Mâconnais wine region in Southern Burgundy is centred on the provincial town of Mâcon, from which it takes its name. The region produces a considerable amount of wine, specializing in white wines made from Chardonnay and a smaller number of red wines made from Pinot Noir and Gamay. Unlike the Côte d'Or to the North, where a band of densely planted vines runs roughly north-south across the countryside, the vineyards of the Mâconnais are more sparsely planted and interspersed with land devoted to other forms of agriculture. The landscape here is made up of rolling limestone hills, bordered to the east by the Saône River, which flows south to join the Rhône just outside Lyon.