Côteaux Bourguignons (formerly Bourgogne Grand Ordinaire or Bourgogne Ordinaire) is a generic appellation for red, white and rosé wines made in parishes the length and breadth of Burgundy. It was introduced in 1937, with its name derived from the fact that these were very much everyday wines. Grand Ordinaire was the name given to otherwise ordinary bottles of wine saved for consumption on Sundays. It has now been updated to the rather less modest Côteaux Bourguignons, although the Grand Ordinaire title may still be used by producers.
The red wines that fall under the appellation are produced predominantly from Pinot Noir and Gamay grapes, although the less well-known red variety César is permitted in Burgundy's more-northerly communes. As is the case in most of Burgundy's red wines, the white varieties Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc and Pinot Gris may also be used in red wine blends, but only up to a maximum of 15 percent.
The white wines are made from Chardonnay, Aligoté, Melon de Bourgogne and Pinot Blanc, and make up only one-quarter of the appellation's total annual output.
Rosé wines produced under the Côteaux Bourguignons appellation may also be called clairet. These are made from a combination of the white and red grape varieties approved for use in red and white wines.
