Burgundy, Decoded (part 2)

THE SATURDAY SOMMELIER
June 13, 2026  |  ISSUE No. 30
Your weekly deep-dive into the world of wine & spirits

We're revisiting some of our favorite past issues while our writer Alyssa is on vacation. If you missed them the first time, now's your chance. If you didn't, they're worth a second read. Back with new issues soon! And as always, the shop is open and the wine bar is pouring.

BURGUNDY, DECODED (part 2)

Last week, we talked about the holy trinty of Burgundy: Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and that mystical thing called terroir. But if you’ve ever stood in a wine aisle staring at a wall of French labels and felt your heart rate spike, you aren’t alone.

Burgundy is a maze, but here’s the secret: it’s built like a pyramid. Once you know which floor you’re on, you know exactly what’s in the bottle and what it should cost you.

Burgundy is special without being showy. Serious without being stiff. Perfect for gifting, cellaring, or opening with people you care about.

THE LABEL

Burgundy doesn’t lead with brand recognition. Instead, labels tell you where the wine comes from, and that hierarchy matters.

Think of it like this:

---> REGIONAL (BOURGOGNE)
The broadest designation. Often the best place to find value, especially from top growers.

---> VILLAGE
More specificity, more character. Wines labeled Chablis, Meursault, Volnay, or Gevrey-Chambertin, etc... show clear regional personality.

---> PREMIER CRU (1ER CRU)
Exceptional vineyard sites within a village. More depth, more structure, more cellar potential.

---> GRAND CRU
The pinnacle. Rare, powerful, and built for history.

Same grapes. Same region. Entirely different expressions!

THE VALUE

The biggest mistake people make is chasing the "Big Names" (and paying the "Big Prices"). If you want to enjoy Burgundy without breaking the bank, look for neighboring value.

Where to look right now:

• For White: Try Saint Romain or Rully. They are right next door to Meursault, shares the same limestone, but costs significantly less.
  
  

• For Red: Look at Marsannay or Irancy. They offer that same earthy, silk-and-iron Pinot Noir character for a fraction of the price of a Gevrey-Chambertin.
  

PRO TIP:
Look for producers you love in the "fancy" villages, then buy their Bourgogne Cote d’Or or Hautes-Côtes bottlings. Often, the vines are just a few meters away from the expensive plots, but the price is sliced in half.

THE PRODUCER

In Burgundy, the person making the wine matters more than the name on the land. Because of old French inheritance laws, one tiny vineyard might have fifty different owners. One domaine might make a masterpiece, while the domaine right next door makes something... just okay.

One of our favorite producers is Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey . Simply spectacular wines, and we just got some in. They're precise and mineral-driven, bottles you could open tonight or lay down to age in your cellar.

PRO TIP:
Find a producer you enjoy and follow them across their different price points. A great winemaker's "entry-level" bottle is usually better than a mediocre winemaker's "Grand Cru."

Today we are reminded why we fell in love with Burgundy in the first place.
A Votre Santé!