As its three-year “Take a Closer Look” campaign continues to build momentum in Australia, the Bourgogne Wine Board (BIVB) is turning the spotlight on Bourgogne and Mâcon wines with a geographical denomination – also known as Bourgogne+ and Mâcon+. Sitting at the entry point of the region’s appellation pyramid, these wines offer Australian trade and consumers an accessible, terroir-driven introduction to Bourgogne, and remain among the fastest-growing categories in the market today.
A Category on the Rise
Australia remains Bourgogne’s 14th largest export market by volume (17th by value), and the category is staying strong: overall exports were up 9.2% in volume and 2.6% in value in 2025, reaching a new revenue record of nearly €29 million. White wines were the main driver of this performance, with revenue up 16% year-on-year.
Mâcon wines performed particularly strongly, up 40% in volume versus 2024, rebounding after a decline the previous year. Growth in this “Mâcon+” category reflects a broader global trend, with the segment also gaining value internationally.
What Sets Bourgogne+ and Mâcon+ Apart
Régionale appellations are often assumed to be a single, uniform category – but Bourgogne+ and Mâcon+ wines tell a different story. Produced under stricter production rules and more precise geographical delimitations than a standard Régionale wine, they mark the first step toward a genuine expression of terroir, while remaining approachable in both style and price.
Names like Mâcon-Vinzelles or Bourgogne Chitry are gaining recognition in the Australian market as an entry point into Bourgogne’s diversity – wines that stay true to strict production conditions and precise plot delimitations, with each glass reflecting the specifics of where it was grown.
A Few Geographical Denominations to Explore
Within Bourgogne+ and Mâcon+, each geographical denomination has its own personality, shaped by the place, soils and grapes. There are 13 Bourgogne+ and 27 Mâcon+ denominations in total – here are just six currently gaining traction in the Australian market, with plenty more still to discover.
- Bourgogne Côte Chalonnaise White wines from this area are fleshy and well turned-out, with white flower and citrus notes that suit fish tarts, marinated vegetables and lighter seafood – a style seen in wines from Domaine de l’Évêché.
- Recognised only in 2017, Bourgogne Côte d’Or is a relatively recent addition to the appellation pyramid, bringing together Pinot Noir from villages across both the Côte de Beaune and the Côte de Nuits. Its reds are cherry-red in colour, with fine tannins and a fresh, light finish, offering an approachable, everyday introduction to Bourgogne’s Pinot Noir tradition. They pair equally well with a charcuterie board or a simple roast chicken, as illustrated by producers such as Maison Louis JADOT.
- Bourgogne Hautes Côtes de Nuits sits above the main Côte on higher, cooler slopes, the Pinot Noir here tends towards crimson-ruby with cherry and liquorice notes, firm but approachable once matured – a natural match for duck, mushroom dishes or roast lamb, captured in wines from estates such as Domaine CHARLES Père et Fille.
- Bussières is one of the geographical denominations of the Mâcon AOC. Mâcon-Bussières, seduces from the first whiff, thanks to an elegant profile recalling spring flowers like acacia or wild white rose, and the juice of autumn fruit like pear, a style demonstrated by producers such as Domaine David BIENFAIT. Try it with a mild Thai green curry with chicken, a Japanese vegetable tempura or a shellfish risotto with lemon and fresh herbs.
Named after the village where the poet Alphonse de Lamartine once served as mayor, the AOC Mâcon-Milly-Lamartine produces wines with a radiant aromatic character and a supple palate.
- Combining body and volume, they often display the tension imparted by high-altitude limestone slopes and pair particularly well with creamy pasta or soft cheeses, as exemplified by winegrowers such as Domaine de la ROCHETTE.
- Situated on the southern edge of the Mâconnais, Mâcon-Loché produces Chardonnay exclusively. Its wines offer a sophisticated nose of stone fruit, quince and spice, followed by a forthright, mouthwatering attack. They pair beautifully with grilled fish or a creamy chicken dish, as illustrated by wines from Domaine Clos des ROCS.
Built for the Way Australia Drinks
For the trade, these wines offer a genuine story of terroir at a reasonable price point, along with real versatility across modern consumption occasions – by the glass, on a summer terrace, or during happy hour. They suit the way Australians are actually drinking right now: less formal, more frequent, and increasingly by-the-glass, whether that’s a Mâcon-Loché poured as an aperitif, a Bourgogne Côte Chalonnaise alongside a seafood platter, or a Bourgogne Hautes Côtes de Nuits opened on a weeknight with nothing more than good company.
Through this evolving programme, the Bourgogne Wine Board invites Australia to take a closer look at Bourgogne and Mâcon wines with a geographical denomination – an accessible first step into the region’s terroir, and a category with genuine momentum in the Australian market. *****
About the Bourgogne Wine Board
The Bourgogne Wine Board is a professional organisation that brings together all winegrowers and négociants from Bourgogne. Its role is to represent and protect the interests of Bourgogne winemakers and merchants, to define industry policy in technical, economic and marketing terms, and to conduct promotional activities.
Bourgogne is like a 32,000-hectare patchwork, representing just 0.5% of world wine production with an average of almost 200 million bottles annually. No other French region so neatly encapsulates the notion of terroir in such great quality wines. What makes Bourgogne wines stand out from the crowd is the intimate relationship between the soil, the influence of the microclimate, the grape variety, and the work of the winegrower.
Why do we not translate Bourgogne into Burgundy anymore? To re-affirm their identity, the region and the producers are reverting to the original French iteration of the name, Bourgogne. Bourgogne is our Family name, and our appellations are our first names.
For more information on the geographical denominations mentioned above, please see the links below: