With its three musketeers of Chassagne-Montrachet, Puligny-Montrachet and Meursault, alongside the imperial
Corton-Charlemagne, the Côte de
Beaune is home to the finest Chardonnays in the world.
It has 7 of Burgundy's 8 white Grand Crus, along with a single red Grand Cru.
Ironically though, much more red wine than white is made in this southern half
of the Côte d'Or (`golden slope').
Stretching 30km south past the town of Beaune to
Cheilly-lès-Maranges, the Côte de Beaune has a more expansive feel and
gentler slopes than the Côte de Nuits. Its finest Chardonnays are characterized
by an incomparable intensity, complexity and finesse, while its Pinot Noirs
generally have softness and finesse as their calling cards. The best reds come
from Beaune, Pommard and Volnay, and the powerful Grand Cru
of Corton.
As in the Côte de Nuits, the
fragmentation of the Côte de Beaune's vineyards brings the single biggest
hurdle for any wine lover; namely the unpredictability of its wine. The human
factor is paramount, and sadly too many lazy or unscrupulous growers and
merchants have produced disappointing wines from some of the region's greatest
names while their more talented and quality-minded neighbours craft exquisite
examples from the same terroir. Happily, quality is higher than it has ever
been here and organic and biodynamic methods are increasingly popular,
especially amongst the younger generation.
Wines labeled `Beaune' come from the appellation adjoining the town while
those labeled Côte de Beaune (red or white) come from a group of vineyards on
the hill above. Côte de Beaune Villages is a red wine that can be made
from a number of lesser, named villages in the region while Hautes-Côtes de
Beaune (mostly red) is produced from vineyards in the hills to the west of
the appellation, divided in two by St Romain. These tend to be light but
often fine wines, especially in hot years like 2003 and 2005.
Registered company 05492886. BB&R Limited, trading as Berry Bros & Rudd,
3 St James's Street, London, SW1A 1EG.
All rights reserved. You must be 18 or over to order.
* Calls may be recorded.