- Title: Les Vins de Bourgogne - Montagny & Givry
- Author: Louis Larmat
- Date: 1953
- Condition: Very good
- Inches: 10 1/2 x 7 3/4 [Image]
- Centimeters: 26.67 x 19.68 [Image]
- Product ID: 308245
Red or White? Pinot Noir or Chardonnay? Fine Burgundy Wine Map
Map of one of the principal wine growing regions in France from Les Vins De Bourgogne. Maps from this publication, as here, show in detail appellations controllées (AOC) with colors indicating the designation of the classification of wine by terroir. Indicates communes/villages, individual vineyards/vignobles are named and delineated. The map is lovely and quite detailed, showing rivers, canals, forests, towns, villages, roads, and chateau. Elevation on the detailed maps in hachure.
Montagny produces white wines only. To the eye, these wines present the classic features of a Burgundian Chardonnay: limpid, pale gold color with green highlights when young, darker gold color with age. Their aromas are acacia, mayflower, honeysuckle, bramble flowers, and sometimes violet and bracken. Of the livelier scents, lemon-balm and gun-flint may be detected.
Givry is primarily a red wine made from Pinot Noir grapes. To the eye it presents a brilliant carmine or crimson color set off by purplish highlights. Its bouquet generally evokes violets, strawberries, and blackberries with variants which include licorice, game, and sometimes cloves. It is quite tannic in its early youth but after 3 to 5 years in the bottle it becomes suppler and fuller. It boasts a firm structure.
White Givry (Chardonnay) is a bright, limpid pale gold. It is redolent of aromas of honey or lemon with notes of lime and lily, then dried fruits (often toasted) come to the fore after the wine has aged some years. The mouth is delicate, with a balance between mellowness and acidity which guarantees its keeping qualities as well as giving it good length. Hazelnut, white peach and ripe pear would not be surprising, either. In the mouth, the wine is always fresh, young at heart, frisky, alluring, and rich in spicy back-flavors. Refinement and delicacy are harmoniously matched to a durably well-built structure.
From Rome to France, Burgundy Wine History
In the year 52BC, after their conquest of Gaul, the Romans founded the town of Autun and brought vines to the region to slake the Gauls’ growing thirst for wine, which had previously been imported. Winegrowing began to take off, and the first record of its existence dates back to the fourth century AD. In the Middle Ages, after the fall of the Roman Empire, the two monastic orders of Cîteaux and Cluny really helped spread vine cultivation. Through their work, they helped the region take off and contributed largely to the wines’ growing reputation.
During the Middle Ages, the understanding of winemaking continued to grow. In Bourgogne, people gradually worked out which were the best terroirs upon which to make wine. And this is how the nobles came to plant their vines on the hillsides around Beaune.
However, in the fifth century, the Barbarian invasions brought about the fall of the Roman Empire. Then, with the rise of Christianity, the Bourgogne region saw growth in abbeys and monasteries. Cluny was founded in 909 and Cîteaux in 1098. The monks combined prayer and labor, developing their farming activity, which rapidly came to include the cultivation of vines. The vines then became the property of the Cistercian and Cluniac monks, who were largely responsible for the popularity of Bourgogne.
Famous for its prestigious Climats, classified as Premier and Grand Crus, Bourgogne also offers some delightful Village and Régionale appellations. The vineyards of Bourgogne produce some great wines with a historical and international reputation. However, the region is not simply limited to its iconic appellations. In addition to its Village Premier Cru and Grand Cru AOCs, it also produces a range of wonderful Régionale and Village appellations to explore.
The Climats of Bourgogne were included on the UNESCO World Heritage List on 4 July 2015. This inclusion involves not only the main players in the Bourgogne wine trade, but everyone who is passionate about this unique winegrowing area. This inclusion allows international recognition for this unique location, but above that, it aims to promote the Climats and preserve this unique, 2000-year-old cultural heritage for future generations.
It is safe to presume that as long as wine is consumed, the visual story of wine growing will continue to have great appeal.
Reference: Vins de Bourgogne, Bourgogne-wines.com