It’s no simple task, understanding the classification of wines from Burgundy. However, knowing a little about the classification system helps consumers make the right purchase. No one wants to overspend for a bottle of wine, only to be disappointed when it is opened. And think about how good you feel when you find a great deal on an amazing bottle. You feel like you won the lottery! So knowing a few of the basics can prevent those ill-advised purchases and lead to more lottery winning purchases.

Burgundy classifies wine based on terroir, focusing on the origin of grapes rather than the producer. For example, in Bordeaux the classification is based on the producer and the individual châteaux. In Burgundy, a specific vineyard or region will bear the classification, regardless of the wine’s producer. In fact, the prominent wording on the wine label is often the vineyard or appellations of the wine’s origin and the producer’s name is much smaller.

The most basic level of classification is Burgundy red and white. These are regional wines, blends over various lots of wine grown over the entire region. Many of these wines should be consumed within a few years after bottling. A step up from regional wines are village wines. These are made from grapes grown in or around the village. Since these wines come from a more well-defined place these wines are of better quality and thus more expensive. The name of the village will appear on the label such as Beaune, Volnay, Gevrey-Chambertin or Pommard.

The next step up is Premier Cru wines. These wines are produced from very specific and well-respected plots within a village known as “climates.” These wines should be aged for 3-5 years, but some can be aged for much longer. On the label the name of the village will appear followed by the vineyard such as Volnay 1er Cru Le Caillerets or Beaune Clos de la Mousse. The highest designation is Grand Cru or Great Growth. Only 33 vineyards are designated as Grand Cru, and the wine makes up just 2% of the production from Burgundy. These wines are usually intended for cellaring. Only the name of the vineyard appears on the wine label such as La Tâche and Le Montrachet.

Now for a few “cheat sheet” facts. Distinguishing between vineyard and village names can be tricky and there is no clear cut answer. However, you can make a pretty good guess by knowing this: the vineyards are often (but not always) preceded by a definite article. For example, La Tâche, Le Montrachet and Le Chambertin are vineyards, whereas Beaune, Volnay and Pommard are villages. Another thing to keep in mind, many villages in Burgundy have hyphenated names to include the top vineyard, benefiting from the vineyard’s prestige A few examples include, Chambolle-Musigny and Aloxe-Corton. Both Chambolle and Aloxe were the original village names before adding the vineyard.

At times, producers decide to declassify their wine. For example, wine from a Grand Cru vineyard might be sold as a Premier Cru, but why would a producer follow this practice? This undoubtedly leads to a lower sales price and less profit so what’s in it for the producer? One reason a producer may decide to declassify a wine is because of vine age. Maintaining the quality and even increasing a wine’s prestige requires vines of a certain age so younger vines may be sold as a declassified wine.

Visit the The Wine Doctor for a complete list of Grand Crus and their location.