The narrow region of central eastern France known as Burgundy is the home of the revered chardonnay and pinot noir grape varieties. <br><br>Arguably the most famous wine region in the world, Burgundy’s wines can fetch some of the highest prices, and there is much to be said about them. For this column, we will narrow our focus to the great white wines of Burgundy.<br><br>In the far north of Burgundy lies the district of Chablis. The wines of Chablis are almost always chardonnay and typically have little to no oak. <br><br>Because Chablis is dominated by kimmeridgian soil composed of marine fossils, its wines are very unique, with notes of crushed seashells and green apples. <br><br>Often referred to as “nervous” or “tense” wines, they reflect the cool, northern climate with racy acidity and a strong mineral taste imparted by the soil.<br><br>The majority of Burgundy’s famous vineyards are in the Côte d’Or or Golden Slope region, which is 100 miles long and as narrow as a quarter mile in places. <br><br>This unique hillside runs from north to south with slopes that face east and southeast. The northern part of Côte d’Or, Côte de Nuits, is famous for its pinot noirs, but the southern part, Côte de Beaune, is known for producing some of the world’s finest white wines (as well as a few of Burgundy’s top reds).<br><br>Côte de Beaune’s dominant soil type is marl, a combination of calcium and magnesium carbonates and fossilized seashells.<br><br>Within Côte de Beaune lie the great villages of Corton, Meursault, Puligny-Montrachet and Chassange-Montrachet. These villages produce amazing chardonnays, with the wines of each village distinguished by its unique terroir, particularly its aspect. <br><br>Corton uniquely faces south-southwest and offers wines of intense acidity and minerality. <br><br>Meursault faces east, and as a result, the early morning sun warms the grapes earlier, resulting in lusher, fuller wines.<br><br>Puligny-Montrachet lies just south of Meursault and has a slightly east-southeast exposure, which lends itself to wines of higher acidity and high minerality.<br><br>To the south of Puligny-Montrachet is Chassagne-Montrachet, and straddling the border between these two villages are some of the world’s greatest vineyards, known as the Grand Crus. This is where the most regal, elegant, rich and structured chardonnays are found. <br><br>Further south of the Grand Crus are the vineyards of Chassagne-Montrachet, which produce wines similar to those of Puligny. These wines are ripe, dry, nutty, honeyed, subtly oaky, mineraly, elegant and persistent. Because of their structure, these white wines have the potential to age almost as well as reds. <br><br>If you haven’t yet experienced the great white Burgundies, perhaps it’s something to add to your bucket list. There are amazing values to be found in the $20 to $50 range, but if only the Grand Crus of Montrachet will do, be prepared – they are extremely limited in production and can sell for $300 to $1,000 a bottle, depending on the producer and vintage. <br><br>Alan Cuenca is an accredited oenophile and owner of Put a Cork in It, a Durango wine store. Reach him at info@putacorkinit.org.
