On Burgundy

Burgundy is France's most prized and prestigious wine region today as well as being one of its oldest and most traded, if not always by the English. Its wines, to quote Jay McInerney who contributes, are 'for lovers, lunatics and poets…' and are the textbook definition of what terroir is all about. Villages mere metres apart produce wines of startlingly different personalities, and it is one of the rare regions in Europe whose red and white wines are equally celebrated. For all of its precious history it is also a region at the forefront of vinous innovation, with many winemakers certified as biodynamic. It is home to some of the world's most famous wine estates, and its top wines are all made from just one red and one white grape, yet the range of wine styles across the region, from Chablis in the north to Beaujolais in the south is significant. On Burgundy explores all of these themes and ideas with contributions from many of the world's top wine writers, looking at the kings, popes, mavericks and pioneers who have made wine in this region for generations.
On Burgundy's team of experts explore the magical golden slope, from Chablis to Chiroubles, to reveal the riches of the 'Cte d'Or'. From the jewel-like wines of its tiny, cherished villages, to the Jurassic vineyards in which they grew; from the hoarders and fraudsters of this region's far-from-saintly past, to the winemaking heroes who craft the burgundies we know today. This is the region that inspires all others – its story told here by greatest names in wine writing.