French red Burgundy is a wine so famous its name has become the word for the color of red wine. Burgundy is the English name of the native region of the pinot noir grape, known in French as Bourgogne. In many ways, Burgundy is ground zero for fine wine as we know it and is responsible for France’s dominant role in shaping the wine world. Beginning in the 12th century, monasteries in Burgundy helped transform wine from a rustic dietary staple into something sacred: a transcendent drink that both honored and symbolized the divine. For landowners and peasants, sacrificing crop volume to improve wine quality made no economic sense. However, making better wine wasn’t simply about efficiency for religious orders. It was a form of devotion to their faith that also improved their status, because superior wines that resisted spoilage were viewed as a sign of divine favor by kings and popes alike. Pinot noir wines were refined and improved over centuries by the Cistercian monks of Burgundy, who first spread their specialized knowledge to other regions of France, then to other regions of Europe, giving Burgundy and France a head start in fine winemaking that remains relevant to this day. Take a sip of history with this delicious, lightweight red Burgundy while it is deeply discounted, but remember that its dry, tart flavors of sour cherries will taste best with rich, salty foods like cheeses and cured meats.