These three regions beginning with the letter ‘B’ are certainly the most important B’s in the world of wine. Without a doubt.
Beaujolais
The southern region of Beaujolais is known for light red wines made from Gamay grapes. Beaujolais may sound familiar as the popular Beaujolais Nouveau Day every November is a big to-do in France.
Bordeaux
Bordeaux, in the south-west of France, needs little introduction to anyone with an interest in wine. One of the world’s most prolific wine regions, it also manages to rank among the most famous and prestigious. The secrets of Bordeaux’s wine success (other than magical Bordeaux Blend) are its three trump cards: diversity, quality and quantity.
Next to Burgundy, Bordeaux is probably the most well-known French wine region. One of the most noted historical events in Bordeaux was the Bordeaux Wine Official Classification of 1855, which was a result of the 1855 Exposition Universelle de Paris. Emperor Napoleon III wanted a classification system to display the best wines to visitors. Wines were ranked from first to fifth growths, or crus. The First Growths, or Premiers Crus, are
• Château Lafite, Pauillac
• Château Latour, Pauillac
• Château Margaux, Margaux
• Château Haut-Brion, Pessac, Graves
• Château Mouton Rothschild, Pauillac (*elevated and added to the list in 1973)
Bordeaux is located in the southwest of France, and you may hear people refer to “Left Bank” or “Right Bank,” indicating which side of the river the wines are from. Grapes grown in Bordeaux include Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet France, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, and Muscadelle. A Red Bordeaux means the wine is always blended with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, with Left Bank wines typically containing more Cabernet Sauvignon, while Right Bank wines have more Merlot.
Burgundy
Burgundy (Bourgogne in French) is an historic and highly respected wine region in eastern France. Burgundy wines have long had devout followers throughout the world and continue to do so today. Although Bordeaux produces about four times as much wine every year, Burgundy’s estimated 74,000 acres (30,000ha) of vineyards are considered to be of equal importance, producing some of the most exclusive wines on Earth.
Burgundy, or Bourgogne, is one of France’s most famous wine regions. Located southeast of Paris, Bourgogne consists of districts like Chablis, Côte d’Or, Côte Chalonnaise, Mâconnais, and the disjoined region of Beaujolais, which is further south. A few of these districts are the reason Burgundy is so renowned, and produce some of the world’s most expensive wines like DRC, or Domaine de la Romanée Conti. If you’re looking for some more affordable options, Wine Enthusiast has a guide to buying Burgundy wines. A few of the important, or more well-known, regions in Burgundy include:
Chablis
Chablis wines are made from only Chardonnay grapes and are divided into four appellations: Chablis, Petit Chablis, Chablis Premier Cru, and Chablis Grand Cru.
Côte d’Or
Côte d’Or is southeast of Chablis and is home to both red and white wines. The northern end of Côte d’Or is Côte de Nuits, known for its luscious, full-bodied reds like Pinot Noir, while the southern end of Côte de Beaune produces both beautiful dry whites and elegant reds. Some of France’s best Chardonnay grapes are grown here, given that seven of the eight grand crus are found here. Appellations like Pommard, Volnay, Mersault, and Puligny-Montrachet are recognizable names.
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