Main difference between Bordeaux and Burgundy wines?

Answer 1

Bordeaux and Burgundy are first and foremost regions, and French law dictates what grapes can be grown in the various regions (this is based on the fact that the French have had many centuries of trial and error to see what grows best in each area).

For the most part, the grape make-up of French wines is related to the consumer through the regional name on the label, as opposed to New World wines (USA, Australia, Chile, for example), which have moved to using varietal (the grape) names on the labels.

Bordeaux uses cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc, petit verdot, malbec and merlot for red blends, and sauvignon blanc and semillion for white blends (also muscadelle is occasionally used for dessert white blends). Recently French law has been amended to allow Bordeaux winemakers to also produce a dry rose (pink) wine using their red grapes.

(Interesting trivia: sauvignon blanc and cabernet franc are the genetic parents of cabernet sauvignon, hence the name.)

Burgundy uses pinot noir for red varietal wine (not a blend) and chardonnay for white varietal wine; the region of Beaujolais also falls within Burgundy, and Beaujolais features gamay grapes (a relative of pinot noir) for red varietal wines

Burgundy is in a cooler climate than Bordeaux as well. Both regions seem to generally better convey, through the taste of the finished wine, the soils of the region, than do New World wines on the whole (though there are occasional exceptions). The French also tend to frown on oaking chardonnay, as opposed to the California style of chardonnay.

Which is better is a matter of personal preference, like anything else.

Please note that if you ever see any wine from California that says "Burgundy" on the label, it contains neither pinot noir nor chardonnay, and it is actually fraudulent to use foreign regional names outside of their home region.

edit - Emby, thank you for your insight (I bow humbly), and for inspiring me to revisit my old copy of Jancis Robinson's "Vines, Grapes and Wines". Regarding my statement about oak, I had St. Veran on the brain.

Apparently there are (or was, at the time of this 1986 book) also pinot blanc, cesar and sacy plantings in Burgundy. This 20 year old book also indicates Bordeaux had at that time plantings of ugni blanc (trebbiano), colombard, merlot blanc and carmenere as well.

I don't feel one country is better than another per se, in general I like the variety of styles available even from one grape, and I'm always interested in trying more wines -- I don't think I will ever be finished! With chardonnay in particular, when I get tired of one style, I'm glad there is an alternative style, and then when I get burnt out on that one, vice versa ... it's a bit of an oscillation for me.

In vino veritas!

Answer 2

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RE:
Main difference between Bordeaux and Burgundy wines?

Answer 3

Bordeaux And Burgundy

Answer 4

The main difference is the grape varieties used, the other difference is they are located in different regions of France. Of course, the choice of grape varieties allowed is influenced by the location.

The red grapes of Bordeaux are primarily Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, along with Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot. Bordeaux red wines are almost always blends of two or more of the above vareities.

The white grapes of Bordeaux are primarily Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon. A lot of dry white wines are made, and Bordeuax is also renowned for the glorious very sweet wines made in Sauternes and surrounding areas.

The Bordeaux region is very large -- its the worlds largest fine wine region and alone produces more wine than the entire output of many new owrlds countries.

Burgundy's prime red grape is Pinot Noir, and the white is Chardonnay, both made as a single varietal.

Answer 5

I must say, firstly, that I approve of and am impressesed by Fiat Lux's answer for the most part. I just have a couple of things to add/amend.

Firstly, there are three, not just one white grape varietals permitted in Bourgogne (Burgundy). Sauvignon Blanc and Aligoté are permitted under the Bourgogne demarcated region, although they are not nearly as common as the Chardonnay.

Secondly, I would strongly dispute that the French frown on the use of oak with a Chardonnay. A list of the most exclusive and expensive white wines in the world (not including sweet wines) will be almost entirely comprised of Burgundy Chardonnays that have been matured in small oak barrels. I can guarantee this.

Some appelations, eg. Puligny-Montrachet, Chassagne-Montrachet, Pouilly-Fuissé to name a few, are world famous for the buttery, oaked style that is common to that area. These wines universally command exceedingly high prices.

Lastly, please don't write off USA wines in terms of quality or generalise as to style. I am an English sommelier, trained in the UK and France with English relatives but will never say that one country makes better wine than another. Try a Chateau Petrus 1982 next to a bottle of Ernest and Julio Gallo Turning Leaf and you will think that French wine knocks spots off the US. Taste a bottle of 1991 Opus One next to a Mouton Cadet, however, and you will swear that the US is better.

All countries have good and bad wines (even here in England!) keep trying until you find the best!

Cheers (and sorry to digress a bit).

Edward Mainwaring-Burton

Answer 6

Their place of origin. Bordeaux from Bordeaux and Burgundy from Burgundy.

Answer 7

Bordeaux uses (Primarily) Malbec, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc grapes. Very little white wine is made there.

Burgundy uses Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. They are the best wines in the world. A $10 Burgundy is better than a $40 Napa.

Answer 8

First of all do not listen to bluejulie but do listen to the other guy. Bordeaux is from Bordeaux and Burgundy is from Burgundy.

Answer 9

burgundy is cooler, which limits the types of grapes grown and the style of wines made there. the best reds there are made almost exclusively from pinot noir. the best reds on bordeaux can be made mostly from cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc, and merlot. the best whites from burgundy are all chardonnay. the best whites from bordeaux (both dry and sweet) are primarily semillon and sauvignon blanc. bordeaux wines in general have a much greater variation in style, since there is a greater range of climates and grapes used.

Answer 10

The difference between Bordeaux and Burgundy is that Burgundy is made from a single grape variety grown in different soils, whereas Bordeaux is the blending of several grapes from a single soil.