How to pronounce Burgundy

What is Burgundy?

A major wine region in eastern France known for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay wines with vineyard-specific terroir expression.

Burgundy is a wine region in east-central France, on the slopes and valleys west of the Saône River. It runs from Auxerre in the north to Mâcon in the south. The main districts are Chablis, the Côte de Nuits, the Côte de Beaune, the Côte Chalonnaise and the Mâconnais. The historical capital is Dijon. The name goes back to the Burgundians, a Germanic people who moved west across the Rhine in the late Roman period.

Red Burgundy is mainly Pinot Noir and white Burgundy mainly Chardonnay. Smaller amounts of Aligoté, Gamay and sparkling Crémant are also made. Wines are ranked by where the grapes grow, in four levels: regional, village, Premier Cru and Grand Cru. Regional wines make up about half of production, and Grand Cru about 2 percent.

When buying, expect the French name. Bottles say Bourgogne or a village such as Meursault, and often leave the grape off the front label. In the United States, Burgundy is also a semi-generic term that some older brands still use for red blends with no link to France. As a lowercase word, burgundy is a dark purplish red color named after the wine.

Burgundy, syllable by syllable

Why Burgundy is hard to say

Burgundy is not a French word. It is the English form of the Late Latin Burgundia, so English spelling rules apply. The letters ur before a consonant give the vowel of fur and turn, not the oo of the French Bourgogne. English also puts the beat at the front of the word, as it does in Normandy and Lombardy, which end in the same unstressed dee.

The middle syllable is where the English habit of vowel reduction shows. An unstressed vowel shrinks to a neutral uh, so the second u is barely there. Champagne and Bordeaux are also English names for French regions, but they kept their French final stress. Burgundy did not, which is why it sounds so unlike the name printed on the bottle.

Tips for saying it

Saying Burgundy when you buy wine

In English, Burgundy is the normal word in shops, restaurants and tastings, and there is no need to switch to Bourgogne. Add the color, since the word covers both red and white. British speakers often drop the r, which is a standard variant and equally fine. The word is sometimes heard as BOOR-goon-dee. The usual English form is BUR-gun-dee.

• “Do you have a red Burgundy by the glass?” Red Burgundy means Pinot Noir.
• “I'd like a white Burgundy that isn't too oaky.” White Burgundy means Chardonnay.
• “Is this Pinot Noir from Burgundy or from Oregon?”

Names often confused with Burgundy

• Bourgogne (boor-GON-yuh): The French name for the same region and the word on the label, with final stress and a ny sound for gn.
• Pinot Noir (PEE-noh NWAR): The grape of red Burgundy, which is why the two names are often used for the same wine.
• Chablis (shah-BLEE): The northern district of Burgundy, sold under its own name and always white.
• Beaujolais (boh-zhoh-LAY): The Gamay district to the south, sometimes counted as part of Burgundy but sold under its own name.

Questions about pronouncing Burgundy

How do you pronounce Burgundy?

Burgundy is pronounced BUR-gun-dee, with the stress on the first syllable: BUR as in burger, a weak gun with a hard g, and dee as in candy. In IPA it is /ˈbɜːrɡəndi/.

How do you pronounce Burgundy in American and British English?

The two are close. American English sounds the r, giving BUR-gun-dee, written /ˈbɝːɡəndi/. Southern British English leaves the r silent and holds the vowel a little longer, /ˈbɜːɡəndi/. Both stress the first syllable and both are standard.

Is it Burgundy or Bourgogne?

Both name the same region in eastern France. Burgundy is the English word, said BUR-gun-dee. Bourgogne is the French word, said boor-GON-yuh, and it is what appears on labels. In English conversation either is understood.

How do the French say Burgundy?

French speakers do not use the word Burgundy. They say Bourgogne, boor-GON-yuh, written /buʁɡɔɲ/ in IPA. The stress falls on the last full syllable and the gn is a single ny sound, as in canyon.

What grape is Burgundy wine made from?

Red Burgundy is made mainly from Pinot Noir and white Burgundy mainly from Chardonnay. Aligoté is used for some lighter, higher-acid whites, and Gamay is the grape of Beaujolais to the south. The grape is often not named on the front label.

Sources: Wiktionary: Burgundy, Wikipedia: Burgundy, Wikipedia: Burgundy wine, Wikipedia: Semi-generic. Last reviewed 2026-10-10.