If you love wine then you’ll almost certainly be familiar with two of the most famous wine regions in the world: Burgundy and Bordeaux. The chances are high that you’ve sampled and enjoyed a range of wines bearing these labels, but what do they mean and how are they different? In order to answer these questions it is first important to understand what the names Burgundy and Bordeaux refer to.

Burgundy and Bordeaux are wine regions in France. A wine region is a state, province or territory within a country that grows a distinct type of grape, or is an area in which a specific variety of grapes is grown. They usually have topographical and climate features which make them unique, such as acid or alkaline soils, which impart a distinct flavour and aroma into the grapes and the resulting wines. 

The different wine regions of the world are often governed by local laws and regulations, the specifics of which are beyond the scope of this article. It is enough to know that many region-specific wines need to be grown and produced in a specific region in order to be officially labelled. 

Another word that is relevant to explaining the differences between wine regions is “terroir”. There are no equivalent words in English, but terroir refers to the myriad ways in which an area’s soil characteristics, climate and terrain all impact the taste of the wine. Some regions have a stronger terroir effect than others, and some regions produce wines with different, completely distinct terroirs. 

The Burgundy and Bordeaux regions

Burgundy is a famous wine producing region that lies to the east of central France. Despite being one of the most famous and well loved wine regions in the world it only accounts for around 3% of the vines growing in France, producing roughly 200 million bottles of wine per year. 

If you want to know which are the best Burgundies to buy, look out for those that are popular en primeur, which means they are selling well before being bottled and released for general sale. The Burgundy region is most well known for its pinot noir, gamay and chardonnay though this is something of an oversimplification because the region has 100 Appellations d’Origine Controlée (AOC) wines despite its small size. 

The Bordeaux region lies in France’s southwest, close to the Atlantic ocean. It’s an ancient region, with a history spanning more than 2000 years as the ancient Romans were the first to plant vines here. The main grape varieties produced in the Bordeaux region are merlot and cabernet sauvignon, as well as sauvignon blanc, malbec and semillon. 

There are 53 named appellations in Bordeaux and each is known for producing distinct wines which are shaped by the terroir of each locality. Being a rather large region, Bordeaux has a variable terroir that gives rise to 65 different styles of wine, the majority of which are reds. 

Key differences between the wines

There are many subtle and overt differences between the wines produced in Burgundy and Bordeaux; many are so subtle that it takes a real connoisseur to notice them. Speaking generally, the reds from Bordeaux are heavier and more robust than the reds from Burgundy, as well as having a higher tannin content which makes them drier. Reds from Burgundy tend to carry flavours of red fruit, spices and earthy notes, while Bordeaux reds tend to have a more berry-forward flavour that often leans toward smoky. 

The climate of the Bordeaux region is known for mild winters, warm summers, and heavy spring rains in which the grapes thrive. Burgundy’s climate is not too dissimilar from that of Bordeaux except for colder winters and much wetter conditions throughout the year. Additionally, Burgundy is characterised by soils with a high limestone and clay content, while Bordeaux’s soils are also rich in limestone, but are sandier and contain more gravel which makes them more feely draining. 

These physical features and differences all form part of the unique terroir of each region, culminating in the development of the delicious and iconic wines. Though wine production methods are constantly being refined, the terroir of the Bordeaux and Burgundy regions will always leave an indelible mark on every bottle.