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Burgundy is one of the largest wine growing regions in France and, along with Bordeaux, the most complex and fascinating.

For wine lovers, the beauty of the area conjures up a heady mix of beauty and romance. For many others, Burgundy is the very definition of French vintage wine.

But lightly scratch the surface of this vast swath of wine territory in the middle of France and you'll find vineyards on the same slope varying widely in quality. Some may produce a wine that you will remember forever -- others will produce a mediocre effort you would rather forget.

This is one reason the terroir, the soil, sun and total environment of the grape vine is so important to Burgundy wines.

The reds of Burgundy are made primarily from Pinot Noir grapes, except in Beaujolais and Macon in the southern part of Burgundy, where the Gamay grape is more popular. The Gamay wines tend to be lighter, more fruity and less likely to age well.

Burgundian whites favor the Chardonnay grape and many experts pick the Chardonnay from Burgundy as the perfection of this wine. Bouzeron, made from the Aligoté grape and St-Bris, Sauvignon Blanc, are local wines and these grapes are often mixed with Chardonnay to make table wines for local consumption.

The very best red an white wines produced come from grapes grown in Burgundy's Grand Cru vineyards. These top quality areas are found in Chablis and the Côte d'Or. There, and in the Côte Chalonnaise, you'll also find the Premier Cru vineyards, a step down from the Grand Cru areas, but very excellent wines.

A label with these names is a good indication that the Burgundy wine you're choosing will meet your expectations.

Finally, don't be afraid to try other areas. You can find nicely priced wines that -- with the natural 'luck of the draw' (of soil and sun) -- prove to be some of region's best kept secrets.

More information about Burgundy wines & vineyards around the Web:

The Burgundy Report - Bill Nanson is an amateur wine buff in the sense that he is not paid for reviewing the wines of Burgundy. He is also an amateur photographer since he is not paid for the amazing photos of Burgundy on his web site. The reports, blog, reviews and photos are anything but amateur in quality. Go take a look, you'll definitely bookmark this site.

Terroir France - Burgundy - Appellations, soil, climate, history and more on Burgundy and its wines presented in pages of easy to understand. Along with food and wine pairing tips, you'll also find that the shopping area puts the wines at your fingertips if you live in an area where you can have wine delivered.