Hello, After discussion with the esteemed Herr Professor Lipton, I managed to weed, cut down, and prune my presentation of Bourgogne (or Burgundy, if you so prefer) to 192 words, approximatively. Here it follows: Bourgogne as a wine making region is, mostly, a long escarpment of Jurassic lime mixed with clay, stretching from Dijon in the north to northern Beaujolais in the south. Separated from it are the vineyards of Yonne, centered on Chablis. The escarpment is divided in separate subregions due to differences in soil and climate: From north to south Cote de Nuits and Cote de Beaune (together forming Cote d'Or), Cote Chalonnaise, and Cote Maconnaise.
Varietals of primary importance are, for red wines Pinot Noire, for white Chardonnay; secondary varietals are Gamay for reds, and Aligoté for whites. Other varieties have local importance.
In terms of quality, the ladder of appellations starts with the region, Appellation Bourgogne Controllé, with subclassifications due to geographical provenance and differences in vinification.
Next step would be commune, or village. This level exists in all the mentioned subregions. Premier cru (first growth) is a subclassification of superior vineyards in the village appellations. This level does not exist in Cote Maconnaise. Grand cru (great growth) is the top level growth place of grapes for the best wines, with prices to match. Grand cru exists only in Cote d'Or and Chablis.
Your opinions are eagerly sought.
Cheers
Nils