Defining A Burgundy Premier Cru Wine

What defines a Burgundy premier crude? This seemingly simple question actually has multiple answers, with many factors impacting how the areas of Burgundy are defined. The roots of Burgundy's classification system date as far back as the Cistercian monks, who identified the best vineyard plots within Burgundy. However, it wasn't until the 1800s that the vineyards started to be defined by their quality. In 1855, the exact same year of Bordeaux's famed classification, Dr Jules Laval published a detailed map of the Burgundy vineyards, from Dijon to Saint-Denis. This was a colour-coded system, with pink for first class, yellow for second and green for third. By 1942, this ranking system had evolved into the classification that we know today, with over 600 individual premier crude vineyards spread across Burgundy's 84 appellations. The vineyards of Burgundy can be divided by just a sliver of land. This may seem trivial, but this tiny difference can be the cause for some bottles costing £30 and others thousands. But what actually makes a vineyard eligible for premier crude status? It's all down to the land itself, with many factors impacting the quality of the vineyards, such as soil type, water drainage and the aspect of the hill. In general, in Burgundy's cooler climate, vineyards prefer south-facing slopes as they receive the most sunshine. There are only a couple of places where there are south-facing slopes, and the soils are all broken apart and composed of two things. You have clay, which retains water, and limestone, which drains. The higher up on the hill you are, the less clay you have, because every time it rains, the clay rolls down the hill. The more clay you have, the richer the wine. The less clay you have, the more focused, linear and elegant the wine. Premier crude vineyards will almost always be located in the middle of the slope that they're on. This allows for the best drainage of excess water, whilst also giving the vines the best exposure. The wind allows for aeration of the vines, and is also a natural deterrent against pests and diseases. In terms of taste, a premier crude wine should always display its class, representing the essential characteristics of its terroir. When you next come across a bottle of Burgundy, look out for the words Premier Crude on the label. This can be an excellent indication of not only the quality of the wine, but also of its highly specific terroir.