The bottles that define Burgundy: what they are, who makes them and what they cost.
The iconic bottles that define Burgundy: what they are, who makes them and what they cost.
The monopole that defines Burgundy. Around 450 cases a year of profound, perfumed Pinot Noir from a single 1.8-hectare Vosne-Romanee climat.
Tasting notes: The Vosne monopole at its most ethereal: rose, spice and dark berry layered over a silken, near-weightless palate of extraordinary persistence. Source: producer and critic notes (Burghound, Vinous, Decanter).
DRC's 6-hectare monopole, a darker and brawnier counterpoint to Romanee-Conti, with violet, game and spice over a long savoury frame. Drinks well 12-40 from vintage.
Tasting notes: DRC's other monopole: darker and more muscular than Romanee-Conti, with violet, black fruit and a spiced, savoury core. Source: producer and critic notes (Burghound, Vinous, Decanter).
Rousseau's Chambertin: the reference grand cru of Gevrey, powerful and structured with a long, age-worthy mineral frame. Drinks well 15-40 from vintage.
Tasting notes: The grand vin of Gevrey: powerful and structured, with dark fruit, spice and a long, mineral, age-worthy frame. Source: producer and critic notes (Burghound, Vinous, Decanter).
Roumier's Musigny: from a sliver of a parcel, ethereal perfume over a deep mineral core, among the rarest reds on earth. Drinks well 15-40 from vintage.
Tasting notes: From a tiny parcel, one of the most sought-after wines in the world: ethereal perfume over a deep, mineral core. Source: producer and critic notes (Burghound, Vinous, Decanter).
Roumier's Les Amoureuses: a Chambolle-Musigny premier cru bordering Le Musigny, silky and floral with a sensual mineral finish. Drinks well 10-30 from vintage.
Tasting notes: The most coveted premier cru in Burgundy: silky and floral, with rose, red fruit and a mineral, sensual finish. Source: producer and critic notes (Burghound, Vinous, Decanter).
Leflaive's Montrachet: the white-Burgundy reference at its summit, profound and saline with an endless finish. Drinks well 10-30 from vintage.
Tasting notes: The white-Burgundy reference at its summit: profound, saline and tightly wound, with citrus, honey and an endless finish. Source: producer and critic notes (Burghound, Vinous, Decanter).
Coche-Dury's Corton-Charlemagne: a cult grand cru white, flinty and reductive with gunflint and an endless finish. Drinks well 10-30 from vintage.
Tasting notes: A cult grand cru white: flinty and reductive, with citrus, hazelnut, gunflint and a saline, endless finish. Source: producer and critic notes (Burghound, Vinous, Decanter).
Lafon's Meursault Les Perrieres: Meursault's grand cru in waiting, mineral and intense with citrus and saline depth. Drinks well 8-25 from vintage.
Tasting notes: Often called Meursault's grand cru in waiting: mineral and intense, with citrus, hazelnut and a saline depth. Source: producer and critic notes (Burghound, Vinous, Decanter).
Fevre's Chablis Les Clos: the benchmark grand cru, powerful and saline with citrus, oyster shell and a long mineral finish. Drinks well 8-25 from vintage.
Tasting notes: The benchmark Chablis grand cru: powerful and saline, with citrus, oyster shell and a long mineral finish. Source: producer and critic notes (Burghound, Vinous, Decanter).
Raveneau's Chablis Les Clos: the most collected grand cru, intensely mineral and saline with an endless finish. Drinks well 10-30 from vintage.
Tasting notes: The most collected Chablis grand cru: intensely mineral and saline, with citrus, oyster shell and an endless finish. Source: producer and critic notes (Burghound, Vinous, Decanter).
Comte Armand's Pommard Clos des Epeneaux monopole: dense and age-worthy, with dark fruit, iron and a firm frame. Drinks well 10-30 from vintage.
Tasting notes: A dense, age-worthy Pommard monopole, with dark fruit, iron, spice and a firm, savoury frame. Source: producer and critic notes (Burghound, Vinous, Decanter).
De Vogue's Musigny Vieilles Vignes: from vines aged at least 25 years across the estate's Musigny holding, aristocratic perfume over a profound mineral core. Drinks well 15-40 from vintage.
Tasting notes: Bottled from Musigny vines aged at least 25 years on the de Vogue holding: aristocratic perfume over a profound, mineral core. Source: producer and critic notes (Burghound, Vinous, Decanter).
Tasting of the estate's wines: 4 wines (including 2 Premiers Crus)
Travel along the famous Champs-Élysées of Burgundy from Montrachet to Chambertin, discovering the Grands Crus Road, its vines, terroir, villages and wine makers.
Try up to 10 prestige wines of the “Routes des Grand Crus” in the Burgundy wine region on a tour from Dijon. Visit the historic Côte de Nuits and Côte de Beaune vineya...
Wine tastings and winery visits in Burgundy (23) · Wine tours and day trips in Burgundy (47) · Wine and cheese tastings in Burgundy (4) · Wine tours by bike in Burgundy (5)
Peak wine-travel season in Burgundy is spring through autumn, with harvest the standout window.
classified-growth and grand-cru estates require booking days to weeks ahead; smaller family domaines often take walk-ins midweek.
most estates open 10:00 to 17:00 by appointment, often closed Sunday and Monday.
tipping is not expected at tastings; buying a bottle from the cellar door is the customary thank-you.
If you only open one bottle, open Romanee-Conti Grand Cru by domaine-de-la-romanee-conti. It is the wine most associated with Burgundy.
