How many Grands Crus are there in Burgundy?

Burgundy has 33 Grand Cru appellations, accounting for less than 2% of total production. Among the reds, the most famous are Chambertin, Musigny, Romanée-Conti, Richebourg, Clos de Vougeot, Echézeaux and Corton. Among the whites, Montrachet, Corton-Charlemagne, Chevalier-Montrachet and the Chablis Grands Crus (Blanchot, Bougros, Les Clos, Grenouilles, Les Preuses, Valmur, Vaudésir) lead the way. Alongside these Burgundy Grands Crus come the Alsace Grands Crus and the villages classified as Grand Cru in Champagne.

What is the difference between a Burgundy Grand Cru and a Bordeaux Grand Cru?

The two systems are radically different. In Burgundy, Grand Cru designates a plot (a climat), regardless of the estate that farms it: it is the terroir that is classified. In Bordeaux, the classification (notably the 1855 classification of the Médoc) applies to châteaux, not to plots, and some, such as that of Saint-Émilion, are revised periodically. A Burgundy Grand Cru made by a mediocre estate is still a Grand Cru in administrative terms, but it may disappoint, so the choice of producer is crucial.

When should you open a Burgundy Grand Cru?

Patience is the first quality required. A red Grand Cru such as Chambertin or Charmes-Chambertin is usually closed and austere in its first 5 years, begins to open up between 8 and 12 years, and reaches its peak between 15 and 25 years depending on the vintage. White Grands Crus (Corton-Charlemagne, Chablis Grand Cru) are approachable earlier, at around 8 to 12 years. If you have to open a young bottle, decant it 3 to 4 hours in advance.

Are Alsace Grands Crus comparable to Burgundy Grands Crus?

The system is different: in Alsace, 51 delimited lieux-dits carry the Grand Cru title, with strict rules on yields and ripeness. The classification applies to the terroir (as in Burgundy), not to the producer. The most renowned, such as Schlossberg, Rangen, Vorbourg and Zotzenberg, produce whites whose complexity and ageing potential are comparable to the great Burgundy benchmarks, often at much lower prices.

Grands Crus: Prestige Wines for Ageing

The elite of French wines: Grands Crus from Burgundy, Champagne, and Alsace. Finesse, aging potential, and emotion in every glass.

Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru rouge 2018 - Maison Edouard Delaunay

Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru red 2018 - Maison Edouard Delaunay

13,5 % vol
AOP Clos de Vougeot
0.75 L

264,00 €

Griotte-Chambertin Grand Cru rouge 2018 - Maison Edouard Delaunay

Griotte-Chambertin Grand Cru red 2018 - Maison Edouard Delaunay

13,5 % vol
Griotte-Chambertin Grand Cru PDO
0.75 L

345,00 €

Echezeaux Grand Cru rouge 2020 - Maison Edouard Delaunay

Echezeaux Grand Cru red 2020 - Maison Edouard Delaunay

13,5 % vol
AOP Echereaux Grand Cru
0.75 L

360,00 €

Chambertin-Clos de Bèze Grand Cru rouge 2020 - Maison Edouard Delaunay

Chambertin-Clos de Bèze Grand Cru red 2020 - Maison Edouard Delaunay

14 % vol
AOP Chambertin-Clos de Bèze Grand Cru
0.75 L

489,00 €

Champagne Grand Cru Brut blanc - Champagne Francois Seconde

Champagne Grand Cru Brut white - Champagne Francois Seconde

12 % vol
AOP Champagne Grand Cru
0.75 L

40,00 €

Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru rouge 2020 - Maison Edouard Delaunay

Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru red 2020 - Maison Edouard Delaunay

14 % vol
AOP Clos de Vougeot
0.75 L

283,00 €

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Grands Crus: the summit of the Burgundy hierarchy

In Burgundy, Grand Cru is not a marketing label: it is an appellation in its own right, the most tightly defined there is. Less than 2% of Burgundy's production, a few dozen plots delimited centuries ago, and maximum yields among the lowest in France. The name of the Grand Cru appears on its own on the label, with no mention of the village appellation: Chambertin, Corton-Charlemagne, Echézeaux. These are geographical addresses of absolute precision, whose reputation rests on several centuries of observation and verification.

The LVC selection: Burgundy, Alsace and Champagne

Our selection of Grands Crus is built around three regions. In red Burgundy, Maison Edouard Delaunay offers several exceptional wines from the Côte de Nuits: Chambertin Grand Cru and Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru for the power and depth of Gevrey, Clos de la Roche Grand Cru for the elegance and tension of Morey, and Echézeaux Grand Cru for the finesse and complexity of Vosne-Romanée. In white Burgundy, Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru is represented by three benchmark estates (Domaine Rapet, Domaine Dubreuil-Fontaine and Edouard Delaunay), alongside the red Corton Grand Cru from Domaine Philippe Girard. The Chablis Grand Cru Les Preuses from Grand Calcaire completes the range with one of the finest whites for ageing in Chablis.

In Alsace, Domaine Muré offers its Clos Saint Landelin Vorbourg Grand Cru in both Riesling and Pinot Gris: two masterly expressions of an exceptional limestone terroir on the heights above Rouffach, made biodynamically. In Champagne, the Grand Cru cuvées from François Secondé, Collard-Picard and EPC come exclusively from villages classified as Grand Cru.

Ageing, serving and occasions

Red Burgundy Grands Crus reach their peak between 10 and 25 years, depending on the terroir and the vintage: Chambertin is among the longest-lived, while Echézeaux is more approachable in its youth. White Grands Crus (Corton-Charlemagne, Chablis Grand Cru) show their full potential between 8 and 15 years, developing incomparable mineral depth and aromatic richness. Alsace Grands Crus evolve over similar periods, with a more exotic and spicy profile. Serve the reds at 16 to 18 °C after decanting them for 2 to 3 hours, and the whites at 13 to 15 °C in large Burgundy glasses.