The Journal · Budget and regions

Burgundy, Rhône or Loire: how to split your budget

Le Cellier Privé · 20 October 2026 · 3 min read

A euro is not worth the same in Burgundy as in the Loire. To split a cellar budget, start from the real price of the appellations you love, not from a percentage set in advance.

What the appellations cost

On 20 October 2026, we recorded the prices of 75 cl bottles in stock at a French online wine merchant, for well-regarded producers. The ranges cover recent vintages in stock, from serious entry-level wines to the most sought-after cuvées, excluding old collectors' vintages.

One merchant, one day: these prices give orders of magnitude, not a market valuation. They vary by vintage and by merchant.

What the figures show

Burgundy is expensive at village level, much less so on its fringes. A serious Gevrey-Chambertin starts at around €45, while a Givry Premier Cru from a good domaine stays under €45. The Côte Chalonnaise and the Chablis area are the best ways in.

The northern Rhône offers serious ageing potential at a reasonable price. A Côte-Rôtie from a good domaine can be found from €40 to €50, on a par with an entry-level Burgundy village wine. Saint-Joseph and Crozes-Hermitage give reds for medium-term ageing from €22.

The Loire is the most generous region. Chinon, Savennières and cru communal Muscadet offer wines for ageing under €30. This is where a cellar gains volume without losing quality.

A split that takes prices into account

For the same budget, the same share does not buy the same number of bottles. For €6,000, a balanced split could be:

Burgundy takes the largest share of the budget, but not the largest share of the bottles. The Loire and the Rhône provide the volume; the Champagnes are for entertaining.

The breakdown of this split, bottle by bottle, is in our sample Cellar Book.