Appellation: A legally defined viticultural zone in which winemakers must follow certain rules and regulations in order to be able to use the appellation name for their wines.

Domaine: Literally "estate," it essentially means "winery."

Grand Cru: Literally "great growth," this refers, in Burgundy, to the region's very finest vineyards and the wines they yield. At present, there are 33 grand cru vineyards in Burgundy.

Négociant: The French term for "wine merchant." Négociants are firms that buy grapes or unfinished juice from vineyard owners, produce or finish the wines, and then bottle and ship them under their own labels. Some of Burgundy's leading négociants, such as Bouchard Père & Fils and Joseph Drouhin, also have vineyards of their own.

Premier Cru: Literally "first growth," this refers, in the context of Burgundy, to vineyards that produce superior wines but ones that are not quite up to the level of the grands crus. In total, there are 623 premier cru vineyards in Burgundy, and the wines emerging from these vineyards, so long as they have been made in compliance with the appellation rules and regulations, can be labeled premiers crus.

Vigneron: The French word for winemaker.