- Title: Les Vins de Bourgogne - Rully & Mercurey
- Author: Louis Larmat
- Date: 1953
- Condition: Very good - marginal toning and staining
- Inches: 11 1/2 x 6 1/2 [Image]
- Centimeters: 29.21 x 16.51 [Image]
- Product ID: 308236
Burgundy Wine Map Showing Chardonnay and Pinot Noir Regions
Map of one of the principal wine growing regions in France from Les Vins De Bourgogne. Maps from this publication, as here, showing 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, including communes of Bourgneuf Val d'Or and St Martin sous Montaigu. The map is lovely and quite detailed, showing rivers, canals, forests, towns, villages, roads, and chateau. Elevation on the detailed maps in hachure.
Mercurey reds are a deep, profound ruby. This crisp-fruited wine evokes strawberry, raspberry, and cherry. Age brings in notes of underbrush, spicy tobacco notes and cocoa beans. In the mouth this wine is rich, full-bodied, and chewy. In its youth, the tannins of this wine lend it a mineral firmness. When aged, it is attractively rounded and meaty. Whites are a typical Chardonnay gold, varying in degree of paleness and flecked with green. Boasts aromas of white flowers (mayflower, acacia), hazelnut, almond, and spices (cinnamon, pepper). A touch of flint is a trademark of this wine. Full of flavor, it is an eminently drinkable wine.
Rulley whites are gold flecked with green, and the gold deepens with age. It is redolent with superb aromas of hedgerow flowers (acacia, may, honeysuckle, and a very delicate elderflower) as well as violet, lemon, white peach or flint. Time brings out honey, quince, and dried fruits. Indeed, this wine is full of fruit, which on the palate is lively and well-rounded, meaty and long. It has both the coolness and the polish of marble. The reds from this area are ruby through cerise to dark garnet. Its bouquet is composed of black fruits (blackcurrant, blackberry) and red fruit (cherry) plus licorice, lilac, and rose petals, evolving towards cooked fruit. On the palate, the tannins respect the fruit and give the wine a well-defined structure. After a few years’ laying-down, its chewiness becomes deliciously melting. A slightly closed-off after-taste is a good sign of persistence.
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