Burgundy
A purplish dark red named after the wine region in France
Burgundy is a deep, purplish red colour, named after the Burgundy wine region in France. It sits between red and purple, with a dark tone and is often compared to shades like maroon and wine red. The name first appeared in English in 1881 and is now used for everything from passports to hair dye.
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- Named after the Burgundy wine region in France
- First recorded as a colour name in English in 1881
- A dark red with a purplish tint
- Similar to maroon, wine red and Bordeaux
- Vivid burgundy is used for hair dye
What colour is Burgundy?
Burgundy is a dark red with a purplish tint, deeper than most reds but not as blue as purple. Its colour is close to that of the wine from the Burgundy region in France, which gives it its name. Burgundy stands out from other reds by its richness and the hint of purple, setting it apart from brighter reds and brownish reds.
Where does Burgundy come from?
The name 'burgundy' comes from the Burgundy wine region in France, known for its red wines. The colour was first called 'burgundy' in English in 1881. Its spelling is not usually capitalised, following the convention for most colour names in English.
How Burgundy is defined
Burgundy as a colour is defined by its mix of red and blue, with little or no green. In digital colour, it is made from 50% red, 0% green, and 13% blue. In print, it is mixed from 100% magenta, 75% yellow, and 50% black, with no cyan.
Red around the world
What the red family means from country to country.
The red Phrygian cap, a soft cap with the tip pulled forward, became the sign of liberty in the Revolution. Marianne, the figure of the Republic, still wears it.
Politics and protestCourageSource: Phrygian capThe flag uses the four Pan-Arab colours: a red bar at the hoist with green, white and black bands. It was designed by a young Emirati, Abdullah Al Maainah, in 1971.
Politics and protestPrideSource: Flag of the United Arab EmiratesThe flag is a black double-headed eagle on red, the banner of the fifteenth-century hero Skanderbeg. Fans chant Kuq e Zi, red and black.
Politics and protestPrideSource: Flag of AlbaniaArmenian scribes painted manuscripts with vordan karmir, a crimson dye made from an insect that lives on the roots of grasses in the Ararat plain.
Sacred and holySource: Armenian cochinealUnder Juan Manuel de Rosas in the 1830s and 1840s, everyone had to wear a scarlet ribbon to show loyalty to his Federalist party. His enemies, the Unitarians, were tied to sky blue.
Politics and protestFearSource: Juan Manuel de RosasThe flag is red, white and red. Legend says Duke Leopold V's white tunic was soaked in blood at the siege of Acre, all but the band under his belt.
Politics and protestCourageSource: Flag of AustriaShades and relatives of Burgundy
Several shades are close to burgundy, such as wine red, crimson, maroon, and mulberry. Web colours like Bordeaux, Merlot, Berry, and Redberry are similar. 'Vivid burgundy' is a brighter version used in hair colouring, while 'old burgundy' is a darker tone first named in 1926.
Colours that go with Burgundy
Harmonies are worked out from the value #800020. Contrast ratios follow the WCAG 2 formula.
Questions people ask about Burgundy
What colour is burgundy?
Burgundy is a dark red with a purplish tint, deeper than most reds but not as blue as purple.
Where does the name burgundy come from?
The name comes from the Burgundy wine region in France, which is known for its red wines.
When was burgundy first used as a colour name?
The first recorded use of 'burgundy' as a colour name in English was in 1881.
What colours are similar to burgundy?
Colours similar to burgundy include wine red, maroon, crimson, mulberry, Bordeaux, Merlot, Berry, and Redberry.
Are there different shades of burgundy?
Yes, there are variations like vivid burgundy, which is brighter and used for hair, and old burgundy, which is a darker tone.
Good reading and sources
- Burgundy (color) on WikipediaEncyclopedia
- More pictures on Wikimedia CommonsPictures
- Wikidata recordOpen data
The facts on this page come from the Wikipedia article "Burgundy (color)", written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence, and from its Wikidata record (CC0). Rang rewrote the text in its own words, with AI assistance, and compares every page with the article to make sure no passage is copied. It may be reused under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 licence with a link back.
It may contain mistakes. The swatch is an approximation: named colours are not fixed standards, and every screen shows them a little differently. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-10-03.
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