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The one thing that the phylloxera vastatrix plague did not change in Burgundy was the four grape varieties used in the region. Pinot Noir and Gamay, Chardonnay and Aligoté were grafted onto the hardy American rootstocks that proved so resistant to the devastating beetle. Pinot Noir is grafted onto the Riparia rootstock whilst Chardonnay is grafted onto Riparia X Berlandieri. Pinot Noir has compact purple-black bunches that produce a sweet, colourless juice. The colourlessness is an important factor in that Pinot is also used to make Champagne.
In order to get the attractive light red hue associated with great Red Burgundy a period of skin contact, known as maceration, is essential. Chardonnay produces bunches of gold-coloured fruit, with smallish grapes and a high sugar-concentration. Gamay is a heavy-cropper which is at its best on the granite slopes of the Beaujolais. Aligoté owes its fame to the Canon Felix Kir who successfully balanced its high acidity by inventing a drink based on Cassis or sweet blackberry syrup which is drunk as the standard apéritif in Burgundy.
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The climate in Burgundy is classed as Continental, meaning that winters can often be very cold with late frosts and summers can occasionally reach extremely high temperatures. However, the variations from year to year can be quite significant, which makes vintage a very important factor. Certain weather-conditions can encourage certain fungal diseases or insect infestations which need to be monitored and treated accordingly.
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