Burgundy is the birthplace of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Chablis is the most northerly region, not far from Paris. Travelling south one reaches the Côte d'Or (or Golden Slopes), divided into the Côte de Nuits in the north and the Côte de Beaune in the south. Heading south the Châlonnais and Mâconnais lead into the pretty Beaujolais region, where Gamay flourishes.

The area's Chablis is known for its tight flinty style, reflecting the fossil-rich soils. Wines from the Côte de Nuits are mainly red and examples such as Gevrey-Chambertin need time to reveal their truffley, gamey complexities. Further south, the Côte de Beaune produces both red and white wines, and the popularity of white Burgundies such as Meursault and Puligny-Montrachet is rapidly increasing. Many growers are grafting their Pinot vines over to Chardonnay to take advantage of this trend.

The Châlonnais and Mâconnais make mainly white wines, and the villages of Pouilly, Fuissé, Vinzelles and Montagny have a strong following. Gamay-based wines are enjoying renewed popularity and wines from single Beaujolais villages, or 'Crus', such as Fleurie and Chiroubles, are perfect for summer drinking.

Chardonnay

Chardonnay is a beautifully versatile white grape variety that does well both in warm and cool climates, with or without oak ageing. Similarly, it produces an array of flavours: citrus, apple, peach and more tropical fruit such as pineapple and melon. The winemaker may also use oak and other techniques to produce buttery and toasty flavours. Chardonnay tends to have a quite soft texture and round mouth feel.