Focus on a region: Côte de Nuits and Hautes Côtes de Nuits

A unique world wine region, where the purple of the Grand Cru wines and the gold of the white wines sparkle like a treasure in the heart of Bourgogne

 

The Côte de Nuits and the Hautes Côtes de Nuits, true jewels of Bourgogne, unveil a canvas of purple and gold, a mosaic of renowned vineyards extending over twenty kilometers from north to south. This wine-growing region is undoubtedly the capital of Bourgogne’s Grand Cru wines, famous for its exceptional reds as well as some highly sought-after whites. To fully appreciate these wines, it is essential to explore their history and terroir.

Côte de Nuits and Hautes Côtes de Nuits are the kingdom of Pinot Noir, the noble grape variety that gives rise to most of Bourgogne’s Grand Cru wines. White wines, which are rarer in this region, are produced from Chardonnay, and occasionally Aligoté.

The fame of these appellations is not exaggerated, and some authors have even given them the nickname “Bourgogne’s Champs-Élysées”. This is not just a poetic metaphor, but a geographical reality. Between the communes of Dijon and Corgoloin, vines grow on a narrow strip of slopes, extending over 20 kilometers in length and sometimes only 200 to 300 meters wide. This unique topography gives Côte de Nuits wines their unique personality.

 

The Côte de Nuits offers a multitude of renowned appellations, including Grand Cru AOCs such as Chambertin, La Romanée-Conti, Richebourg and many others. The Village AOCs, with classified Premier Cru, seduce enthusiasts of fine wines with names like Chambolle-Musigny, Gevrey-Chambertin and Vosne-Romanée.

 

The Hautes Côtes de Nuits stand proudly on plateaus at an altitude of 300 to 400 metres. These vines have undergone an impressive resurrection since the 1950s, when winegrowers undertook a patient and daring reconversion. They selected the slopes best suited to producing the best grapes, planting Pinot Noir for red wines and Chardonnay for white wines. Today, Bourgogne Hautes Côtes de Nuits wines are recognized for their character, with full-bodied purple or ruby-colored reds and golden-tinged whites offering a lively, well-balanced flavor.

 

As in the rest of Bourgogne, this vineyard also produces Régionale appellations, including Bourgogne blanc and rouge, Bourgogne Aligoté, Coteaux Bourguignons, Bourgogne Passe-Tout-Grains, Crémant de Bourgogne and Bourgogne Côte d’Or.

 

These lands are the precious legacy of the monks, whose know-how has been handed down over generations, shaping this unique wine-growing region, where the purple of the Grand Cru wines and the gold of the white wines sparkle like a treasure in the heart of Bourgogne.

 

Come and taste these prestigious wines with Côte de Nuits winegrowers and négociants on Friday March 22, 2024, and discover the unique charm of this winegrowing region.