Burgundy runs from Auxerre in the north down to Macon in the South, including the the Beaujolais area, which is technically part of Burgundy however represents a region on its own as all it wines are made from Gamay grapes. In the rest of Burgundy wine of quality from the best producers are both hard to find and expensive.

Burgundy with its many vineyards, villages and appellation systems both split among numerous land owners and wine growers provides a complicated region to grasp. Great Burgundy wine can be both red, made with Pinot Noir, and white which tend to be un-blended wines made from single grape varieties, mostly Chardonnay and occasionally Aligoté. Burgundy wine is only produced in small quantities compared to other regions, with production excluding the Beaujolais region representing 1/5th of Bordeaux's total production.