Bourgogne Blanc
Côte d'Or, Burgundy, France
Bourgogne Blanc is a large appellation d’origine controlee covering a broad swathe of ‘regional’ Burgundy white wines from the appellation’s northerly limit of Chablis to its southerly one of the Mâconnais. By far the dominant grape variety of the appellation is Chardonnay, however Pinot Blanc and, to a lesser extent, Pinot Gris, also come under its rubric (Aligoté, incidentally, has its own dedicated appellation).
The sites of Bourgogne Blanc AOC’s 1,000-odd hectares of vineyards are concentrated on the lower slopes of the Côte d'Or escarpment. Here, a combination of more clay-dominant soils, higher yields and less stringent viticultural regulations than in Burgundy’s cru appellations generally produces lighter styles of Chardonnay. These are often unoaked and suited to early drinking, although those from the more prestigious domaines can be complex, ageworthy and even collectible.
