Origin
The next step up from the regional appellations of Bourgogne in the region’s rigorous classification system is the village or commune appellations. Villages appellation provides some of the best value Pinot Noirs currently available in Bourgogne. In total, there are 43 village appellations and these account for about a third of the total production of French wine in the region. Usually, just the name of the commune will be listed on the label, such as ‘Chablis’ or ‘Gevrey-Chambertin’. A few of the appellations in this category cover a wider catchment area than one single village, such as ‘Côte de Nuits-Village’. Grapes for wines from this appellation can come from a group of villages that fall within the wider area of the Côte de Nuits. On the other hand, if a village wine comes entirely from a single vineyard that is not recognized as a Premier Cru or Grand Cru, the vineyard name may appear as well as the village.
