affordable, accessible bourgogne

The region’s Régionale and Village appellations are producing exciting wines at prices that don’t break the bank

Bourgogne’s history is centuries old; its reputation as home to some of the world’s finest wines secure.

Yet the winemakers of Bourgogne are not standing still. Today there is a host of young, talented, and dynamic producers who are drawing attention to the Régionale and Village appellations with great wines from great quality terroirs.

Championing these lesser-known areas is a passion for those who work these vineyards, and an increasing number of Bourgogne wine lovers are discovering exceptional wines at palatable prices.

Take, for instance, the village of Coulanges-la-Vineuse. This geographical denomination of the Bourgogne AOC, just south of Auxerre, covers 136 hectares of vineyards. The subsoils here are made up of Kimmeridgian limestone, clay and marl, just like those of Chablis and Irancy. Already identified as a “Bourgogne Plus” denomination –meaning stricter regulations than straight Bourgogne wines – this village is ripe for a classification upgrade.

Valentin Vernin (above) from Domaine Houblin-Vernin is a winemaker in Coulanges determined to help secure Village status for the appellation. “For the last 10 years we [the 23 winegrowers here] have been working towards making our application for AOC Village classification,” he says.

“We’ve been working on the quality of the wines – red, white, and rosé – and expanding our ranges with new cuvées, focusing on individual Climats in the area. We have a very old wine-growing history: Coulanges has been identified as one of the oldest vineyards in France, thanks to the discovery of a bas-relief representing a scene of the Caesar grape harvest dating from the 2nd century.”

Marsannay has long been on the radar for quality Bourgogne bargain hunters and is currently the only AOC Bourgogne Village that produces white, rosé, and red wine. It is perhaps surprising that there are currently no Premier Cru classified

“Marsannay has all the criteria to have some vineyards awarded Premier Cru status,” says Romain Derey (below) of Domaine Derey Frères. He adds: “Speak to geologists and they will tell you about the quality of our soils. In Les Champs Perdrix we have clay-limestone soils with Ostrea marl and sickle; small gravel stones

“To the north of the village, Au Champ Salomon is notable for its reddishbrown, pebbly soils. Here the grapes ripen particularly well. Les Genelières is

Derey concludes: “Marsannay has a dynamic generation of winemakers. Many are farming organically, and we are aligned in delivering haute couture wines.”

Aurélie Cheveau (right) is the president of the Pouilly-Fuissé ODG, which successfully had 22 Climats in the appellation classified as Premier Cru in 2020. This decade-long project has resulted in regulations that include stricter yields, longer ageing times and an increase in the minimum sugar content allowed. Chemical herbicides are banned.

Cheveau says: “The ranking of the 22 Premier Crus has given the appellation the missing link to be among the great wines of Bourgogne. Our region is well-known all over the world and people want to know our magnificent Climats better. The new specifications boost quality and allow us to demonstrate the typicity of the PouillyFuissé terroirs. We are just at the start of a very exciting adventure.”

Bourgogne is a wine region that is forever on the move and, while rich in history, the winemakers of today have their sights set firmly on the region’s reputation in the future.

Explore the hidden gems of Bourgogne’s Régionale and Village appellations and you will find wines that capture the dynamism and skill of a host of winemakers who already know that the thrill of Bourgogne drinking is accessible to all.

Picture credits Main picture: © BIVB/Aurelien Ibanez; Romain Derey: © Bénédicte Maniere; Aurélie Cheveau: © BIVB/armellephotographe.com