What is a red burgundy wine?

Actually, burgundy is a wine name that refers to two VERY different wines. The word “burgundy” could refer to a wine from a specific PLACE or a wine imitating that STYLE.

The original burgundy wine is from the Burgundy region of France. Some of these are red and made from Pinot Noir grapes. Some of these are white and made from Chardonnay grapes. There are different quality levels which correspond to different prices. The red wines from Burgundy are rich flavored, soft, smooth, almost silky, and have become so highly valued that they can cost anywhere from $50 up to several hundred dollars.

When the California wine industry was getting started it “borrowed” (stole) the names of several world-class wines, like Chablis, Burgundy, Champagne for its wines, which were…well, NOT world-class, to be polite. California burgundy is an inexpensive “jug wine” that aims to be soft, like its namesake. Other than that soft style, the ONLY thing it has in common with red wine from the French Burgundy region is its red color. It is NOT a world-class wine. It would NOT be served in any restaurant that cares about wine and food pairings.

Honestly, the red wine that is traditionally selected to go with steak (or any cut of beef, for that matter) is a French Bordeaux, or a wine made with the same grapes as French Bordeaux, namely Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and possibly Cabernet Franc. True French Burgundy, and other quality Pinot Noir wines, are most often matched with pork, or sometimes with turkey and chicken.

Times are changing, though, and most people say, “drink what you like,” and “there are no firm rules anymore.” I say the rules were made for a good reason. Why throw out all those years of knowledge about wine and food pairing based on real-life experiences with wine and food? Why reinvent the wheel?

If the interview question you were asked was referring to a wine recommendation from a specific winery or importer, it would require pretty extensive knowledge in this field. Not many have this kind of knowledge without specialized training.