Winemaking in Burgundy dates to the 6th Century with the arrival of the Romans, but it was the medieval monks that established the origins of the great vineyards of Burgundy in the 14th Century. Trade and reputation grew as the popes of the day, then located in Avignon, introduced Burgundy’s wine to a wider market.
Vineyard ownership shifted from the church to nobility during the 15th Century until the French revolution in 1789 where the advent of Napoleon’s equal inheritance law saw the region’s vineyards divided through generations. As a result, Burgundy’s vineyards are split into a myriad of small ‘domaines’.
Burgundy’s classification system was first established in 1861 by the Beaune Committee of Agriculture, which ranks the best vineyards as ‘Grand Crus’ and ‘Premier Crus’. The system is driven by terroir focusing on the 400 different soil types in the region, compared to Bordeaux which is prescribed by Chateau ownership.
The Grand Crus of the Cote de Nuits region, and particularly the Vosne-Romanée village, are the most highly regarded investment wines. The very small supply of Burgundy’s highly sought-after Grand Crus is tightly controlled and can achieve significant prices, rare older vintages routinely sell for six-figure sums. Scarce Domaine de la Romanée-Conti vintages can achieve growth multiples similar to valuable art investments but at a more affordable entry point.
Global demand for Burgundy investment wines has seen the market broaden beyond high-profile labels. In 2021, thirty of the region’s producers were ranked in the Liv-ex Power 100 of the most important fine wine brands.
