A reference guide to the terms that come up most often when reading about Burgundy and Champagne — from the classification system to the cellar. Some of these are specific to one region; others are general winemaking terms used throughout France.
A · B · C · D · E · F · G · K · L · M · N · P · R · S · T · U · V · W
A
AOC — Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée
The French regulatory system governing where and how wine can be produced. An AOC defines the geographic area, permitted grape varieties, minimum alcohol levels, and production methods for a specific wine. All of Burgundy is an AOC — and within Burgundy there are hundreds of smaller AOCs, from broad regional designations like Bourgogne to the most specific like Chambolle-Musigny Premier Cru Les Amoureuses. The system was created to protect the identity of place-specific wines and is overseen by the Institut national de l’origine et de la qualité (INAO).
B
Bâtonnage
Stirring of the lees during élevage to add richness and texture to the wine. The frequency and duration of bâtonnage is a key stylistic choice — more stirring typically produces a rounder, richer wine; less stirring preserves freshness and mineral tension. Domaine Buisson-Battault chooses not to use bâtonnage, preferring to let the wine develop its texture naturally over time.
Biodynamic
A farming philosophy that treats the vineyard as a self-sustaining ecosystem. Biodynamic farmers follow a lunar calendar for vineyard and cellar work, use only natural preparations, and avoid synthetic chemicals entirely. More prescriptive than organic farming — all biodynamic vineyards are effectively organic, but not all organic vineyards are biodynamic. Antoine Bouvet farms biodynamically across all 5.5 hectares of his Champagne domaine.
Blanc de Blancs
A white wine or Champagne made exclusively from white grapes — in Burgundy and Champagne, this means 100% Chardonnay. In Champagne, a Blanc de Blancs is typically lighter, crisper, and more mineral than a blend that includes Pinot Noir.
Blanc de Noirs
A white wine or Champagne made from red-skinned grapes — in Champagne, typically 100% Pinot Noir or 100% Meunier. The skins are removed immediately after pressing, leaving the juice pale. The resulting wine retains the weight and structure of the red grape without the colour. Antoine Bouvet’s Les Monts de la Vallée and Hélène Charbaut’s La Pirouette are both Blanc de Noirs.
Bourgogne
The broadest appellation in Burgundy — wines labelled Bourgogne can come from grapes grown throughout the region. A Bourgogne Blanc from a producer in Meursault will typically reflect the character of that village even at the regional appellation level. Entry-level for most producers; in the hands of a serious domaine, often outstanding value.
Brut / Extra Brut / Brut Nature
Dosage classifications for Champagne, listed from driest to least dry:
- Brut Nature or Zero Dosage: 0–3g/L — the driest style, no sugar added
- Extra Brut: 0–6g/L — very dry
- Brut: 0–12g/L — the most common style
All wines on the Amitié Champagne list are zero dosage or extra brut.
C
Cistercians
The Cistercian monastic order played a defining role in the development of Burgundy’s vineyard classification. From the 12th century onward, Cistercian monks at Cîteaux and Clos de Vougeot observed that grapes from different plots of land, put through identical winemaking, produced distinctly different wines — laying the conceptual foundation for what would become the climat system. They were among the first to document these differences systematically and build the stone walls that defined the great Clos.
Climat
A precisely defined plot of land with its own distinct terroir — soil, exposure, drainage, and microclimate. The climat is the fundamental unit of Burgundy’s classification system. Each climat has been observed, mapped, and classified over centuries. The Climats du vignoble de Bourgogne were inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2015. For example: Corton-Charlemagne is an AOC and a climat; within it, individual parcels like En Charlemagne are sometimes identified separately.
Clos
An enclosed vineyard, typically surrounded by stone walls on at least three sides. The walls were originally built in the Middle Ages — by the Cistercians and other religious orders — to protect vineyards from theft and grazing animals. A clos can be owned by a single producer (a Monopole) or divided among many. Clos de Vougeot is the most famous — 50 hectares enclosed by medieval walls, now divided among more than 80 owners. Clos de la Roche in Morey-Saint-Denis, farmed by Domaine Amiot et Fils, is one of the most celebrated.
Clos de Vougeot — Burgundy, France
Courtier
A broker who facilitates transactions between grape growers and négociants. The courtier knows the vineyards, knows the growers, and knows which parcels produce the best fruit — acting as an intermediary who matches supply with demand for a commission.
Coteaux Champenois
The AOC for still wines produced in the Champagne region — as opposed to the sparkling wines produced under the Champagne AOC. Coteaux Champenois can be red, white, or rosé, made from the same grape varieties as Champagne: Pinot Noir, Meunier, and Chardonnay. Production is small and the wines are rarely exported. Still red Coteaux Champenois from villages like Bouzy and Ambonnay — made from Pinot Noir on Grand Cru chalk — can be remarkable in warm vintages. The category exists partly because Champagne producers occasionally choose to vinify a small amount of their harvest as still wine rather than Champagne.
D
Dégorgement (Disgorgement)
The process of removing the frozen plug of lees from a bottle of Champagne after extended ageing on lees. The bottle is inverted, the neck is frozen, and the plug is expelled under pressure. After disgorgement, dosage is added and the bottle is corked. The disgorgement date is often printed on the back label — a useful guide to freshness.
Domaine
A wine estate that grows its own grapes and makes its own wine. In Burgundy, the distinction between domaine and négociant is important — a domaine controls the entire process from vine to bottle.
Dosage
The small addition of wine and sugar (liqueur d’expédition) made to Champagne after disgorgement. The amount of dosage determines the style — from Brut Nature (zero dosage) to Demi-Sec (sweet). Most serious grower Champagnes use low or zero dosage to let the terroir speak without added sweetness.
E
Élevage
The raising or maturing of wine in barrel or tank after fermentation. During élevage, malolactic fermentation typically takes place, the wine clarifies, and its flavours develop and integrate. For red Burgundy, élevage typically lasts 12–18 months in oak barrel. For white Burgundy, 10–14 months. The choice of vessel — new oak, old oak, large foudre, concrete, or stainless steel — is one of the most significant stylistic decisions a winemaker makes.
F
Fermentation
The process by which yeast converts the sugars in grape juice into alcohol and carbon dioxide. In natural or native fermentation — used by most producers on the Amitié list — the yeasts that occur naturally on the grape skins and in the cellar drive fermentation without the addition of commercial yeast strains. A second fermentation, malolactic fermentation, takes place during élevage and converts malic acid to lactic acid, softening the wine’s acidity.
Floraison
Flowering — the moment in late spring (usually June) when the vine flowers. Harvest typically follows approximately 100 days after floraison. A successful, even flowering is a strong predictor of a healthy harvest.
Foudre
A large format oak barrel, typically between 500 and 5,000 litres — much larger than the standard 228-litre Burgundy barrel. Foudres impart less oak flavour than smaller barrels because the ratio of wine to wood surface area is much lower. Many producers use foudres to age wines with more precision and less oak influence. Le Grappin ages several of their wines in large oak foudres for this reason.
Large oak foudre in the Le Grappin cellar — Hautes Côtes de Beaune, Burgundy
G
Grand Cru
The highest classification in Burgundy — wines from one of the 33 Grand Cru designated vineyards. Each Grand Cru has its own AOC and appears on the label without the village name. In the Côte de Nuits: Chambertin, Clos de Vougeot, Clos de la Roche, Musigny, Romanée-Conti among others. In the Côte de Beaune: Corton, Corton-Charlemagne, and the Montrachet group. Grand Cru vineyards represent approximately 1.5% of Burgundy’s total production.
K
Kimmeridgian
A type of limestone and clay soil dating from the Kimmeridgian geological stage (approximately 155 million years ago), characterised by fossilised oysters and marine organisms. Found primarily in Chablis and Vézelay — the ancient seabed that ran through this part of France during the Jurassic period. The Du Grappin Vézelay Blanc is grown on Kimmeridgian limestone — the same soil type that defines the mineral, saline character of great Chablis.
Chablis vineyard showing exposed Kimmeridgien rock and soil.
L
Lees (Lies)
The sediment that accumulates in a barrel or tank during and after fermentation — consisting of dead yeast cells, grape pulp, seeds, and other solids. Ageing wine on its lees (sur lie) adds texture, weight, and complexity. Gross lees are the heavy sediment from early fermentation; fine lees are the finer particles that remain after racking. Most serious white Burgundies spend extended time on fine lees before bottling. Le Grappin ages their wines on gross lees without stirring — an approach that builds texture while preserving freshness.
Lieu-dit
A named plot of land within an appellation — more specific than the village name but not classified as Premier Cru or Grand Cru. Lieu-dits have their own identity and character that serious producers choose to identify on the label. Aux Grandes Raies (Le Grappin HCdB Rouge), Derrière Baubigny (Le Grappin HCdB Blanc), Les Malpoiriers and Les Pellans (Buisson-Battault Meursault VV) are all lieu-dits. Knowing the lieu-dit tells you something specific about where the wine comes from.
M
Macération Carbonique (Carbonic Maceration)
A fermentation technique in which whole grape bunches are placed in a CO2-rich environment, causing fermentation to begin inside the grape berry itself before the skins are broken. Produces wines that are bright, juicy, low in tannin, and highly aromatic — the style associated with Beaujolais. Du Grappin’s Côte de Brouilly is made using carbonic maceration following the Jules Chauvet method.
Maturation
The period before harvest during which grapes develop their sugar content, acidity balance, and phenolic ripeness. The goal of maturation is to achieve the optimal balance between these elements — not simply maximum ripeness.
Millésime
Vintage — the year of harvest. In Champagne, a millésime Champagne (vintage Champagne) is made from grapes of a single exceptional year rather than the more common multi-vintage non-vintage blend.
Monopole
A vineyard owned entirely by a single producer. The most famous is Romanée-Conti, owned by Domaine de la Romanée-Conti. La Tâche is also a DRC monopole. In the Côte de Nuits, Clos de Tart in Morey-Saint-Denis was a monopole of Mommessin for decades before changing hands.
The Romanée-Conti vineyard in Vosne-Romanée — the most celebrated plot in the Côte de Nuits.
Must
Unfermented grape juice — the liquid extracted from grapes before or during fermentation. In white wine production, the must is typically pressed and clarified before fermentation begins.
N
Négociant
A wine merchant who purchases grapes, must, or finished wine from growers and produces wine under their own label. The négociant system developed in Burgundy partly because of French inheritance laws — vineyards divided among children over generations became so small that individual growers couldn’t economically produce and sell their own wine. The largest Burgundy négociants — Faiveley, Drouhin, Jadot — source from hundreds of producers across the region. A growing number of small, high-quality négociants work with much smaller volumes and greater vineyard specificity. Mark Haisma operates as a négociant — sourcing from specific growers he has long-term relationships with across the Côte de Nuits and Côte de Beaune.
P
Premier Cru
The second-highest classification in Burgundy, designated for specific named vineyards within a village appellation that have been identified as superior in quality. Premier Cru appears on the label after the village name — Meursault Premier Cru Poruzots, Beaune Premier Cru Boucherottes. There are approximately 640 Premier Cru vineyards in Burgundy. Quality varies considerably — a Premier Cru from a serious producer in a great vintage can rival Grand Cru from a lesser one.
R
Racking
Transferring wine from one barrel or tank to another, leaving the lees behind. Done to clarify the wine and introduce a small amount of oxygen. The timing and frequency of racking is a stylistic decision — more racking produces cleaner, more polished wine; less racking preserves more of the wine’s natural character and texture.
S
Saignée
A method of producing rosé wine — and simultaneously concentrating a red wine — by “bleeding” a portion of juice from a tank of red grapes early in the maceration process, before the juice has taken on much colour. The removed juice is then fermented separately as rosé. The remaining red wine benefits from a higher ratio of skins to juice, producing a more concentrated, structured red. The term comes from the French verb saigner — to bleed. Antoine Bouvet’s Saignée de Bisseuil is made using this method — 100% Pinot Noir from the Les Pautes plot in Bisseuil, one of the most distinctive wines in his range.
Solera
A blending system in which wine from multiple vintages is layered in a series of barrels — the oldest wine at the bottom, the youngest at the top. When wine is drawn from the oldest barrel for bottling, it is partially refilled from the next oldest barrel, which is refilled from the next, and so on. The result is a wine that contains fractions of many different vintages, with no single year dominating. Originally associated with Sherry production in Spain, the solera system is used by a small number of Champagne producers to create multi-vintage blends of great complexity and consistency. The average age of wine in a solera-based Champagne increases over time — a solera started in 2005 will contain fractional portions of every vintage since. Antoine Bouvet uses reserve wine aged in solera as part of the blending process for several of his cuvées.
T
Tannin
Naturally occurring polyphenolic compounds found in grape skins, seeds, and stems that give red wine its structure and grip. Tannins can feel harsh or drying in young wines but soften and integrate with age, becoming one of the key components that allow serious red Burgundy to develop over time. The level of tannin in a wine depends on the grape variety, the ripeness of the fruit, and winemaking choices — particularly how long the wine spends in contact with the skins and whether stems are included.
Terroir
The concept — uniquely central to French wine culture — that a wine expresses the specific place it comes from. Terroir encompasses soil composition, geology, topography, aspect, drainage, altitude, and microclimate. It also — in the broader French sense — includes human factors: the accumulated knowledge and practices of the people who have farmed a specific piece of land over generations. The diversity of terroir is what makes Burgundy’s appellation system meaningful — and what makes a Chambolle-Musigny taste fundamentally different from a Gevrey-Chambertin grown a few kilometres away.
Côte de Beaune vineyards showing the slope and village appellations — Burgundy, France
U
Unfined / Unfiltered
Wines that have not been processed through fining (adding clarifying agents to remove particles) or filtration (passing the wine through a filter). Fining and filtration can remove sediment and improve clarity but may also strip texture, flavour compounds, and aromatic complexity. Most producers on the Amitié list bottle unfined and unfiltered — including Le Grappin across their entire range — to preserve the full character of the wine. These wines may throw a sediment in the bottle over time, which is normal and desirable.
V
Vendange
Harvest — the period when grapes are picked. In Burgundy, vendange typically takes place between late August and early October, depending on the vintage and the appellation. Hand-harvesting (vendange à la main) allows for selective picking and sorting in the vineyard; machine harvesting is faster but less selective.
Vieilles Vignes
Old vines. There is no legal definition of what constitutes “old” — the term is used at the producer’s discretion. Old vines typically produce smaller yields with more concentrated flavour and greater complexity. Buisson-Battault’s Meursault Vieilles Vignes comes from vines planted in 1930 and 1932 — over 90 years old at the time of the 2022 harvest.
Vigneron
A winegrower who both farms the vineyard and makes the wine — growing the grapes, vinifying them, ageing the wine in barrel, and bottling and selling under their own label. The term implies full control of the process from vine to bottle.
Village (Classification)
Wines from a specific village appellation — neither Premier Cru nor Grand Cru. Village wines represent the majority of Burgundy production and range enormously in quality depending on the producer and the specific parcel. In the hands of a serious producer farming good sites, village wine can be exceptional.
Vinification
The process of turning grape juice into wine through alcoholic fermentation. The term covers all the winemaking decisions made during fermentation — vessel choice, temperature, duration, yeast selection, and when and how to press the grapes.
Vintage
The year the grapes were harvested. Vintage variation is significant in Burgundy — the climate produces very different growing conditions from year to year, and the resulting wines reflect this. 2022 and 2015 are widely considered exceptional recent vintages for both red and white; 2021 was small and difficult but produced some wines of real concentration; 2017 was outstanding for whites.
2012 Clos de la Roche Grand Cru — Domaine Amiot et Fils, Morey-Saint-Denis. Eleven generations of the Amiot family have been making wine in this village since 1702.
W
Whole Cluster
Fermentation of grape bunches with the stems intact, rather than destemming before fermentation. Whole cluster fermentation can add aromatic complexity, structure, and a savoury quality to red wine — but requires very ripe, healthy stems to avoid harsh or green flavours. Le Grappin uses whole cluster fermentation extensively across their red wine range.
Explore the wines these terms describe
Shop Côte de Nuits wines →
Shop Côte de Beaune wines →
Shop Champagne →
Meet our producers →