Bourgogne has applied some new math to count its AOCs. They have shed their claim to 100 AOCs and reorganized their appellations to fit within a count of 84.

Sadly, time has marched on, since the fantastic Bourgogne Immersion Trip I took with the Wine Scholar Guild lead by Andrew Jefford, October 23 – 28, 2016. Everyone on the trip was definitely a “wine nerd” but the group was composed of a mix of wine industry professionals, wine students of all levels that had “day jobs” and just wine appreciators. I had been on a few wine trips previously that were organized by friends or non-winegroups like Backroads (biking and wine). However, I had never gone on such a blockbuster, action-packed wine trip as this one. So for future participants here are 5 items to keep in mind so you have an incredible trip.

Summary:  Barolo and Burgundy share many similarities. Their highest quality red grapes - Nebbiolo and Pinot Noir - are thin-skinned, late-ripening grapes that prefer mid-level altitudes. They produce wines pale in color yet high in perfume and acidity. These two regions also focus on terroir and talk with great reverence about their crus. They also like to dispute their crus. Barolo's

Summary:  Once thriving and celebrated around the world the Beaujolais wines are sometimes today looked down upon. Laying in between Burgundy and Côtes du Rhone this region still produces some amazing white, rosé and red wines and benefits from the culinary influences of the French Capital of Gastronomy: Lyon. Starting with Beaujolais Nouveau and travelling thru the different crus you

One of the most significant trends happening in Bourgogne today, is a movement towards sustainable, organic and biodynamic viticulture. Due to the warming of temperatures, increase in sunlight and shift in rainy season, there has been less vineyard mildew pressure, drier soil and earlier harvests. This change in climate, combined with the desire for a more ecologically sustainable growing model by Bourgogne producers, has led to the recent trend towards Green Farming.

I am pleased to share my Burgundy wine tour experience with the Wine Scholar Guild, as it was the trip of a lifetime.  My wife and I arrived a couple of days early and enjoyed fine wine and dining in Paris before our quick train trip over to Beaune (via Dijon).  We spent Sunday on our own, touring the Hospices de Beaune, wandering the city streets and having a lovely dinner.

Summary:  Join Jay Youmans MW as he discusses the wines of Chablis. He will describe the characteristic aromas and flavors of the different levels of Chablis, ranging from Petit Chablis to Grand Cru. He will explain how terroir and winemaking impact this unique style of Chardonnay. Presenter: Jay Youmans, MW Jay has been involved in the wine

Summary:  Chablis is very much its own place, part of Burgundy but in some ways quite different. Once frost protection methods were developed, previously precarious viticulture finally became viable. Chablis is now in the capable hands of a bright younger generation, inspiring a gentle evolution in their vineyard and cellars. Let us hope that climate change will not affect the unique style of the world’s most famous Chardonnay. Presenter:

Summary:  Bourgogne is a region full of contrast. Many villages produce wines completely different neighbouring villages due to differences in geology, exposition and microclimate. There are many examples to be found – Puligny-Montrachet/Meursault & Volnay/Pommard are great examples. In the Côte de Nuits, the great communes of Chambolle-Musigny & Morey-St-Denis are another example of this fascinating contrast.

Summary:  Puligny-Montrachet is home to some of the greatest expressions of Chardonnay in the world. Subtle variations in soil and aspect give rise to numerous differences in style and quality. The apogee of quality here is undoubtedly the 1er and Grand Crus. Join Thimothy Magnus for an in-depth look at the

Presenter: Born and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Practised law in Washington DC following graduation from university and law school. Taught law at Georgetown University and then both at Moscow State University and the Institute of State and Law (Tbilisi, Georgie) as a Fulbright Scholar. Additional time served at Yale Law School, Moscow and St Petersburg resulted in a doctorate in law, after which I decided life was too short to be consigned to a life of vodka,

Summary:  Over the years I’ve had many discussions with people who insist that there’s little good value to be found in Burgundy. While I’d be the first to admit that the big names like Roumier & Rousseau are wildly overpriced, largely due to the speculation on the secondary market, I’ll never admit there’s not great value to be found if time and energy are invested searching for it.

Summary:  Before phylloxera, Chablis and the wine-producing villages that surround it (Saint-Bris-le-Vineux, Irancy, Coulanges-la-Vineuse, Chitry-le-Fort, Joigny, Tonnerre, Epineuil and Vézelay) was the largest wine producing area in France. In three short years, from 1877 to 1880, production dropped from 2,802,853 hectolitres of wine to 194,755 hectoliters – a 93 percent drop!

Summary:  It has been called Burgundy’s “lost” region; others have referred to it as Burgundy’s “forgotten” area. But, how can this be when it appears to be the southern extension of the acclaimed Cote d’Or?  This session will investigate the reasons for the muddled reputation of Chalonnaise wines.  Don will also unveil the progressive steps being taken to move the wines of the Chalonnaise to their proper, elevated position

Summary:  The Mâconnais is the most southerly area of Bourgogne before one reaches Beaujolais and the Rhône Valley. The area produces some of the greatest value Chardonnay wines in the world but has long been overlooked with much more attention being lavished on its more prestigious northern neighbours in the Côte d’Or. With increasing prices and demand for the best white wines of the Côte d’Or and the elevation of 22

Summary:  Delicious, elegant, subtle and tasty... here are a few adjectives you'll remember after this session because our objective is to make all your senses virtually experience the amazing Burgundian lifestyle for a short but appetizing 60 minutes. How could we introduce Red Bourgogne food pairings without talking about the 100 wine appellations in Burgundy? Well, it's not easy so

Summary: The 1,247 climats of Bourgogne were recognized as UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 2015, a well-deserved honor! In fact, there is no better illustration of the concept of terroir than its pure expression through the climats of Bourgogne. But wait... what is a climat? How is a climat different from a lieu-dit? This lecture will define the concept, evolution, and name origins of the climats, and explore the 2,000-year-old creative collaboration between nature and

Summary: Marsannay begins the Côte d'Or of Burgundy on its northern end. Known for many, many years for its rosé, it has been largely overlooked otherwise. It missed out on the 1936 Burgundy classification, but it finally received recognition in 1987 for all three colors of wine. Today, despite the sharp rise in quality production and the further delineation of vineyards, there are still

Summary: Chardonnay is a blank canvas, yet consumers and professionals like tend to think of it in one form: a still-dry, oaked wine. From bubbles to still wines to blended wines to late harvest and even ice wines, Chardonnay is incredibly malleable. Winemakers can make dozens of choices along the road in order to determine the final style of the wine.

As a wine region, Burgundy embodies both the past and the future. On the one hand, Grands Crus that have been celebrated for centuries remain in the hands of multi-generational family domaines. On the other hand, outside investment, adjustments to the appellation system, and the realities of climate change (which have necessitated adaptations in viticulture and winemaking) have all combined to bring about change in recent years. This duality lies at the heart of modern Burgundy, and here to sort much of it out for us is acclaimed wine writer and Wine Scholar Guild’s Academic Advisor Andrew Jefford. Below, he takes a look at the numbers that have shaped Burgundy’s recent history, and what that means for its future.