The name “Burgundy” has become more or less synonymous with quality wine. However, due to several factors, including reputation, regulations, and a scarcity of vineyards, it is also an expensive region to buy wine from. In this article, we give you the know-how to find great value Burgundy wine. When we say value, we essentially mean striking that perfect balance between quality and price – all of the wines recommended in this article are rated 90+ by critics, but none will break the bank. Read on to find out more.
Understanding the Factors Driving Burgundy Prices
Burgundy is best known for its Pinot Noir, a temperamental red grape that only thrives in a few locations worldwide, and its Chardonnay. Both of these wines are at their most complex and nuanced when they are made in Burgundy. This is why the region has become so famed among wine collectors – Burgundy wines are delicious and ageworthy, and the region is so broad and deep that you can spend a lifetime learning about it.
So, why have Burgundy prices been driven so high? To begin with, it is largely farmed by small-scale, artisanal winemakers, who face strict and often complicated regulations in the multitude of appellations (AOCs) that dot the French countryside. In comparison to the extreme demand for Burgundy around the world, its vineyards are relatively few in number and are spread out. In addition to this, climate change has introduced new challenges for winemakers, with adverse weather events affecting vintages, particularly in recent years.
Branding has also played an important role in driving Burgundy prices upwards, with a variety of Grand Cru wines across the region gathering the most attention, while Premier Cru or village-level wines may receive less. For great value, it is possible to look for Burgundy wines from less favourable vintages, less famous appellations, or those made from less famous grapes, such as Aligoté. However, there are also a number of producers who are famed for their excellent value – we will dive into all of these options in the upcoming sections.
Tips for Finding Value Burgundy Wines
Look Beyond Grand Cru Wines
Burgundy wine can essentially be categorised into four tiers: Grand Cru (meaning: it was sourced from a specific vineyard of utmost quality), Premier Cru (from a specific vineyard of excellent, but slightly lower quality), Villages (from any vineyard within a village, not Premier or Grand Cru, under certain yield restrictions), or Regional (from Burgundy, but with more relaxed regulations).
Grand Crus are typically the most expensive, so for bargain and value hunting, we recommend looking beyond them, to Premier Crus and Villages. Many of the wines mentioned from here on out will be from these “lower” categories. However, even these Premier Cru, village-level, or regional-level wines can still technically be made from a very small geographical area and be of excellent quality – so exploring them is simply an excellent route to finding great value wines.
As a taster, we recommend this bottle of Pinot Noir from Domaine Jessiaume, an old producer that has been gaining recognition more recently for its quality. The wine was made from grapes grown in the Premier Cru of Les Gravières, from a small plot of 3.8 hectares. Some other excellent names to look out for on your local shelves are Domaine Charles Audoin, Domaine Jean-Jacques Girard, or Jean Michel & Fils.
Explore Lesser-Known Villages and Appellations
The best-known regions in Burgundy are also some of the most expensive – the Gevrey-Chambertin, Vosne-Romanee, Vougeot, Meursault, Puligny-Montrachet. However, there are a variety of high-value regions which walk the tightrope between iconic and affordable.
Our first example of a high-value Burgundy region is Chablis. It is already a relatively well-known region, famed for its acidic, mineral-rich Chardonnay wines. Our recommendation is from an excellent winery, Domaine Besson. Their regional Chablis wine is about as “value for money” as you can get – it’s delightfully fruity, with crisp saline notes, and has received critical acclaim. In fact, Domaine Besson is a great name to keep an eye out for, and has been one of the most venerated wineries in the region for over a century.
On the topic of Chablis, we would be remiss not to mention La Chablisienne. This is a 100-year-old coop, making some incredibly affordable wines from Premier Cru vineyards. Try Beauroy, a cru from the left bank of the Serein River. It is rich with minerality and stone fruit, with an undercurrent of buttered toast.
Up next, we recommend the appellation of Marsannay, within the subregion of Côte de Nuits, which is within the even larger subregion of Côte d’Or (we told you Burgundy was broad and deep). It is the most recent AOC created within the Côte de Nuits, so perhaps its reputation is still on the rise. It is also the only village-level appellation in Burgundy that can produce rosé – so we recommend this one from Domaine Charles Audoin, a thrilling pink wine made from 100% Pinot Noir.
Let’s finish up with a broader region. The Bourgogne Côte d’Or AOC was established in 2017. This is an easy pick for Burgundy beginners, and those seeking a bargain. It’s slightly more specific than the Bourgogne AOC, so buyers at least know that their grapes are sourced from somewhere within Burgundy’s widest and best-known subregion, the Côte d’ Or. Made by Domaine Francois Carillon, the Chardonnay for this wine was grown in Puligny-Montrachet and Meursault vineyards – two of Burgundy’s finest appellations.
Combine Exceptional Producers with Undervalued Vintages
Winemaking has always been a weather-dependent craft, and when dealing with delicate grapes like Pinot Noir or Gamay, yield and quality can vary a lot between years. However, Burgundy is also a complex region, with countless microclimates, and even more variety among the different winemakers. So, even in a year that has been deemed less “fruitful”, it is possible to find some gems from sheltered corners.
For one example of a high-value vintage, we are looking at 2021. It was widely regarded as a difficult year in Burgundy, when a late frost severely reduced yields. However, through a combination of luck and skill, some producers managed to turn out some excellent wines in 2021. We recommend taking a look at Louis Michel & Fils, and particularly their “Vaillons” wine. This Premier Cru experiences a slightly warmer microclimate than its neighbours, and so Guillaume Michel and Co. managed to release some excellent, critically acclaimed Chablis from this year.
Another of our favourite producers, Domaine Charles Audoin, released an excellent Pinot Noir in 2021. Sourced from the Clos du Roy vineyard in Marsannay, it is of superb quality for its price.
Think About Alternative Grape Varieties in Burgundy
Another way of unearthing value wines in Burgundy is by exploring grape varietals outside of the Pinot Noir and Chardonnay mainstays. Aligoté is a criminally underrated Burgundian grape, known for its higher acidity levels and resilience against the cold. It has simply never been as popular as Chardonnay, but people who like sharp white wines, like Sauvignon Blanc or Vinho Verde, will love it. Francois Carillon makes an excellent version, packed with grapefruit and pure orchard fruit flavours.
Burgundy is not usually considered a sparkling wine region, but there are some producers making some superb Crémant. As Champagne rises in stature and price, Crémant from all over France is becoming an increasingly appealing alternative to the king of fizzy wine. Try out this Brut from Henri Champliau. It is a blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, but is far more affordable than any still single-varietal wine from Burgundy.
Shop with Reputable Retailers Specialising in Burgundy
When it comes to finding great value Burgundy, it’s important to use a trusted source. It’s not just about avoiding scams, like those made popular by documentaries like “Sour Grapes”. It is also simply about avoiding misleading paths, and finding retailers who take their wine seriously. Like us, they may have cultivated personal relationships with producers, leading to even better deals, and bottles you can’t find elsewhere. At 8Wines, we care greatly about the quality of the wines on our website. There’s nothing we enjoy more than finding the perfect balance between quality and price, and sharing that with our readers.
This kind of curation with a personal touch is also helpful for developing your own wine taste, so that you can make more informed high-value purchases in the future. For those looking to fix their Burgundy value compass, we recommend taking a look at our curated cases, like the red Burgundy case, which features six wines, all at an excellent price.
Red Burgundy Tasting Case6 bottles, RedThe Hunt for Value in Burgundy
While Burgundy is one of the best-renowned and most expensive wine regions in the world, it is also broad and deep in terms of its options. There are still a lot of small winemakers, underrated vintages, and unknown varietals to explore, if you have the knowledge. We hope that this article has given you the tools to start your hunt for value wines in Burgundy – and don’t forget, Burgundy is the biggest category on our website, with more than 250 carefully selected bottles to choose from, so don’t hesitate to get stuck in.
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