If Bordeaux is about blending to manage risk, Burgundy is about site selection to manage risk.
In Episode 2B, we move deep into the growing environment and vineyard choices that shape Burgundy’s styles:
Continental climate and the implications of short summers
Why early-ripening Pinot Noir and Chardonnay are essential
The role of frost, hail, rain, and drought — and why vintage variation is extreme
Slope position, aspect, altitude, and mid-slope superiority
Limestone and clay soil mixes and their influence on ripeness and structure
Regional contrasts between Côte d’Or, Côte Chalonnaise, and Mâconnais
Chardonnay and Pinot Noir behavior in cool to moderate climates
Clone selection, mass selection, and implications for style and disease risk
Vineyard management: pruning systems, planting density, yield control, harvest timing
This episode is about cause and effect — how marginal climate plus precise site choice creates Burgundy’s balance, tension, and ageing potential.
