Red Burgundy Essentials: Côte de Nuits
Vintage image sourced on Pinterest
I won’t pretend that anyone could cover all of Red Burgundy, or even just the ones from the Côte de Nuits, in just 6 wines. But. It’s still possible to explore some of the region’s best-known Red Burgundy appellations with friends, and without even breaking the bank.
This tasting guide is for those who might have heard of Red Burgundy, but aren’t entirely sure what the grape variety is, much less why the wines are such a big deal. It’s for anyone who’s read a wine list littered with French words, then slid their eyes toward something less intimidating instead. It’s for anyone who finds a wall of similar-looking bottles, all with ivory labels and French words in thin, loopy cursive text overwhelming. This tasting is your opportunity to clear up the confusion in a relaxed way, amidst people with whom you know you can react however and say whatever you want, regardless of what you did or didn’t know before.
If you’re already well into the world of Burgundy, you can use this tasting as a refresher or an experience guide, a way to compare the best-known villages in the Pinot Noir-dominant Côte de Nuits side-by-side. Just know that it’s written for those who are new here, and that 6 wines will never cover the beast that is Burgundy in its entirety. Even one of my beloved (and heavy) 800-page Burgundian tomes can’t cover every single thing.
Stuff to know
Place
Burgundy (or Bourgogne, if we’re using the proper French) is a region that’s all about place. Terroir, to be more specific. Terroir is that not-quite-translatable French word that connotes place, but also history, tradition, viticultural and winemaking practices, soil, climate, topography and more. It’s a word used not just in France, but all over the world of wine, and Burgundy is the king of terroir.
It’s impossible to explain Burgundy’s strong focus on terroir without sharing a bit of history. In particular, we have to talk about the monks. They weren’t the first to plant grapevines in Burgundy, since that happened during Gallo-Roman times more than 2,000 years ago, but the medieval monks of Cluny and Citeaux are the people we have to thank for modern Burgundy’s crazy intricacy, complexity…and appeal.
During the Middle Ages, when the church ran most of the viticultural and winemaking activities in France, the Benedictine and Cistercian monks of Cluny and Citeaux got busy defining the climats (”klee-mah”) - a Burgundian word for single vineyards - down to the nearest meter. Some of the vineyards were outlined by stone walls, making their boundaries even clearer. Clos Vougeot is the largest and most famous of these Clos (”kloh”) - the single vineyards bordered by stone walls.
This process of identifying and parcelling out single vineyards wasn’t just a monastic exercise - it was an early classification system. Every single vineyard was identified and ranked based on the wine quality, both for red (Pinot Noir-based) and white (Chardonnay-based) wines. Vineyards’ borders were carefully defined by everything from aspect, incline, soil composition, sunlight exposure, surrounding vegetation and more.
After the French Revolution, the church and its monks lost most of their authority and vineyard ownership, but their vineyard-based classification systems remained. Vineyards were confiscated by the government and auctioned off, breaking up some of the larger vineyards into smaller parcels as the monks’ quality rankings were used to drive auction prices.
Then there was the Napoleonic Code, requiring that all children receive equal inheritance, which isn’t exactly cut and dry when we’re talking about parcels of vineyards. Over the many years since, family vineyard holdings have been divided and sub-divided so much that things can get really confusing, since there are often several producers with the same last names, each with their own winemaking styles and vineyard holdings. Many families also donated parcels of vines, sometimes as small as just a single row, to the Hospices de Beaune, adding to the complexity.
This intricate situation has led to some Burgundy aficionados’ belief that the producer’s name on the bottle is a better indicator of quality than the name of the vineyard, appellation or even vintage. Whatever you believe, this system of climats is now so widely recognized and appreciated that it’s even become an UNESCO World Heritage site.
Burgundy is pretty far north as far as wine regions go, sitting at 47 degrees North in east-central France. Only vineyards in Alsace, Champagne and Germany further north, at least if you’re looking at the “classic” wine regions, since of course wine is now made in the UK, Denmark, Sweden and Canada. All wine regions are affected by the vintage, or the weather in a particular year’s growing season…but the ones in northern climes tend to be particularly affected, so vintage will always be an important factor with Burgundy wines. Some years are better than others, and things can vary within different parts of the region even in a single vintage. If you’re lost as to which to buy or drink, ask your local retailer or check online for vintage charts.
Grape
Pinot Noir is the only grape used to make Red Burgundy, even though there is another red grape grown in some parts of Burgundy, Gamay, typically used in sparkling Crémant wines.
Burgundy is where Pinot Noir originated, so it’s widely thought to be Pinot Noir’s proper home. Red Burgundy wines have long been considered the pinnacle of Pinot Noir wines, and there are winemakers all over the world imitating the Burgundian style as a way to give their own wines more appeal and prestige. This isn’t to say that there aren’t incredible, age-worthy Pinot Noir wines made in other places, just that Red Burgundy is still held up as the gold standard.
Winemaking
There are many ways to make a Red Burgundy, despite what you might hear. Traditionalists might tell you that Red Burgundy should start with just-ripe hand-harvested whole bunches of grapes loaded into small open-top vessels, within which winemakers carefully punch down the cap of grapes and stems and/or pump over the juice from below, ensuring oxygen is introduced throughout the must. Once fermentation is complete, there should be a few weeks of maceration in the tanks before the wine is pressed and racked into old or moderately toasted new oak barrels for malolactic fermentation and maturation, usually for a year or a year and a half before bottling. Only after all of this is a “true” Red Burgundy made.
The thing is, there are many ways to make a Red Burgundy - even within restrictive French appellation rules.
Some winemakers prefer to harvest slightly early, aiming for wines with higher acidity and aromatic restraint. Some prefer to harvest as late as they can, aiming for the ripest, most luscious wines they can achieve.
Some winemakers harvest and ferment whole bunches of grapes, a traditional practice that many believe adds aromatic complexity and freshness to the wines. Some prefer destemmed grapes, a practice that became commonplace after Henri Jayer popularized it in the 1980s, believing that underripe stems in the bunches were adding unpleasantly bitter tannins to the wines, and that destemmed grapes resulted in richer wines.
Some prefer a cold soak before fermentation, chilling the must so that fermentation can’t begin and allowing the grapes’ skins to impart color, aromas and flavors without much tannin, since tannins tend to come through more later during fermentation when alcohol is involved.
Some believe that punching down is the only way to break up the cap during fermentation, others believe pumping over is better, while many prefer a mix of the two.
Some skip the pre-fermentation cold maceration, preferring to macerate the must post-fermentation in tanks for a few weeks before the pressed wine is racked into barrels. Others believe that post-fermentation maceration should be minimal at best, and that a cold soak beforehand is plenty to impart color, aromas, flavors and tannins.
Some prefer to only use old oak barrels, a few prefer only new, and many others prefer a mix of both, carefully blended after maturation is complete.
Some skip the barrels entirely, choosing to use clay amphora or concrete tanks, or completing the entire process in stainless steel if they’re aiming to make an inexpensive style of Red Burgundy, like a Bourgogne Rouge.
All of this to say that there isn’t, and most likely never was, just one way to make a Red Burgundy wine, despite what so-called traditionalists or modernists might otherwise claim. As you taste, try to find out what choices the winemakers made so that you can begin to sort through which styles you most prefer.
Appellations (AOCs)
French wine regions are legally defined as appellations, or more accurately, Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée (AOCs) or Appellation d’Origine Protégée (AOPs). Each appellation is geographically defined, though it will also contain rules and regulations related to grape varieties, winemaking practices, harvesting yields and more in an effort to keep French wines’ reputation, characteristics and quality levels consistent and recognizable worldwide.
Burgundy has 84 different appellations, which is a lot for a single region that isn’t all that big, just about 30,000 hectares (74,000 acres). This is especially true when you consider that there are just about 300 wine appellations in the whole of France, and that the entire region of Champagne is pretty much just one single appellation. Bordeaux, by contrast, has 65 appellations, and is more than 3x’s the size of Burgundy at about 110,000 hectares (271,000 acres).
While useful in beginning to understand Burgundy, the region’s appellations unfortunately don’t entirely correlate 1:1 with vineyard classifications, adding to the Burgundian complexity.
Regions within a Region
Burgundy isn’t just one single region. Within Burgundy, there are four (or five, really) regions for still wines that each have their own styles. This printable map from Vins de Bourgogne offers a great visual guide.
Chablis (”sha-blee”) is the furthest north, known for its Chardonnay wines. Chablis is not geographically connected to the rest of Burgundy, and in fact is closer to Champagne than the Côte d’Or (the golden slope), considered the heart of the Burgundian vineyards. In this cool, northern region, Chardonnay wines are usually unoaked and tend to be leaner, less creamy and more subtle than those from further south. Chablis is the only part of Burgundy that isn’t geographically connected to the rest.
The Côte d’Or (”coat door”) is the “golden slope,” a reference to the way that sunlight hits the mostly east- and southeast-facing vineyards along the succession of slopes that comprise this appellation, which covers both the Côte de Nuits and the Côte de Beaune.
The Côte de Nuits (”coat duh nwee”) is the northern stretch of the Côte d’Or, spanning about 20 km (12.4 miles) from north to south. Most of the Côte de Nuits is planted with Pinot Noir for Red Burgundy wines, though there are some White Burgundy appellations here too. Many believe the Côte de Nuits contains the most prestigious swath of Burgundian vineyards. There is also an Hautes Côtes de Nuits, a less prestigious section of vineyards that lie on plateaus at higher elevations than the rest of the Côte de Nuits.
The Côte de Beaune (”coat duh bone”) is the southern stretch of the Côte d’Or, similarly spanning about 20 km (12.4 miles) from north to south. The Côte de Beaune is more mixed between Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, and the most prestigious White Burgundy appellations lie here. The town of Beaune, its namesake, is widely considered the historical heart of Burgundy, and is a must-visit for anyone heading to the region. There is also an Hautes Côtes de Beaune, a less prestigious section of vineyards that lie on a plateau at a higher elevation to the west of the rest of the rest of the Côte de Beaune.
The Côte Chalonnaise (”coat sha-loh-naze”) is just south of the Côte de Beaune, and spans about 25 km (15.5 miles) from north to south. The Côte Chalonnaise is even more mixed than the Côte de Beaune, with not just villages dedicated to Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, but also the village of Bouzeron, where Aligoté gets its chance to shine.
The Mâconnais (”mah-coh-nay”) is the southernmost region, spanning about 35 km (21.7 miles) from north to south. Two valleys run through the region, one to the east and one to the west, with vineyards galore in between. Most of the Mâconnais is dedicated to Chardonnay, and some Burgundy’s best-value white wines are made in this warm and sunny southern section. The reds here are usually made with Gamay, since the Mâconnais is just north of Beaujolais, where Gamay reigns.
Quality Levels
Quality in Burgundy is tied to place, even though it’s not a perfect proxy, since there’s simply too much variation between producers and vintages to claim that all Grand Cru wines are better than Premier Cru wines, for example. I’ve had enough tasting experiences both supporting and refuting the system to know that it serves a valuable purpose…but shouldn’t be taken for gospel.
The easiest way to depict the Burgundy quality levels is to imagine a four-tiered pyramid since there are more of the lower-quality wines produced, and far fewer of the top quality ones. You know the deal: supply and demand.
At the base of the pyramid: Bourgogne Rouge is the name for regional wines, in this case Red Burgundy’s regional wines, which means that the grapes can come from anywhere within Burgundy. These wines are the gateway Red Burgundy wines, as their affordability reflects. Most are unoaked, and they’re generally simpler, easy-going wines known for their everyday appeal.
The next level up: Village wines come from a particular village in Burgundy, as the word implies. There are 44 different village appellations in Burgundy, of which 33 produce Red Burgundy wines (including Irancy near Chablis). If you want to French things up, ask for a “vee-lazhe” White Burgundy, rather than using the English pronunciation.
The next level up: Premier Cru (or 1er Cru) wines are a big leap up the pyramid, since there are far fewer of these wines made from specific vineyards inside particular villages. It’s both easier and harder to learn about all of Burgundy’s Premier Cru, since the names of the villages are included on the bottles’ labels, making it easier to identify which village a Premier Cru vineyard lies within…but there are also 662 Premier Crus, each with its own rules, each thought to have its own quality level, with even more variation once you add in producer and vintage. Similarly, pronouncing this as “prehm-yay kroo” rather than using the English pronunciation will get you bonus points when ordering.
At the top of the pyramid: Grand Cru wines are the fewest, rarest and most prestigious (and expensive) of all Burgundy wines. The labels of these wines’ bottles won’t mention a village; the name of the Grand Cru vineyard is considered sufficient information, since these are the vineyards to know to be in the know. There are only 33 Grand Crus, of which 25 can make Red Burgundy. All of the Red Burgundy Grand Crus are in the Côte d’Or, mostly in the Côte de Nuits, with just one in the Côte de Beaune. Several of the Red Burgundy Grand Crus share names, like Chambertin, Chapelle-Chambertin and Chambertin-Clos de Bèze or La Romanée, Romanée-Saint-Vivant and Romanée-Conti. Sometimes, a Grand Cru is allowed to make both white (Chardonnay) and red (Pinot Noir) wines, in which case the wine will be called “Blanc” or “Rouge” accordingly, for example “Corton Grand Cru Red” for a Red Burgundy wine from Corton.
Aging Red Burgundy
If you’ve never even thought about aging wine, and frankly just don’t have the space or interest, feel free to skip this section.
In theory, Red Burgundies are the Pinot Noir wines that age better than any other Pinot Noir wines in the world. In reality, things get more complex. As they pretty much always do when it comes to wine.
Vintage variation is always, always a big deal when it comes to Burgundy. Which vintage should be enjoyed when is a never-ending topic of discussion amongst Burgundy aficionados, and there are guides galore to help you decide if you’re facing this dilemma.
There are also lots of opinions on when Red Burgundies are at their best. Should they be drunk young, middle-aged, old? How old is old anyway? There isn’t really a clear-cut guide for this, since your own opinion is what matters most. Still, it’s worth understanding that younger wines tend to have more aromas and flavors of fresh fruits, while wines that are middle-aged or older will start to show more aromas and flavors from aging, like leather, mushrooms, truffles and an earthy quality most easily described as forest floor, with subtler fruit flavors, which sometimes start to taste more like dried fruits instead of fresh ones.
The structure of the wine also changes, as the tannins soften with time and become more integrated into the wine. The best Red Burgundies will retain their acidity and feel more silky with time, while the flavors meld into a nearly indescribable amalgamation of fruit, spice and earthy flavors.
The catch, though, is that not all Red Burgundies are better with age, and even the ones that are can be difficult to catch at just the right moment. I remember being invited to a tasting in 2021 to which someone brought a 2006 Clos de Tart, made by Sylvain Pitiot. It was beautiful, but still wound tight, with a core that felt like a knot in the center of my tongue, since the tannins hadn’t yet released their grip and fully softened into the wine, even after 15 years. On the bright side, that particular Grand Cru wine will continue to age beautifully…but only if there are more bottles in the cellar. It must have stung to feel that your investment - of both money and time - wasn’t enjoyed at its best.
All of this to say that guides can be helpful, but you’re the only one who can decide at which stage of maturation you like a wine best.
What to look for in this tasting
Red Burgundy is known for its aromas. These are wines that you’re going to want to sniff. Swirl the glass and stick your nose all the way in there. Spend some time with it, letting the aromas unfold. It might feel awkward, but it’s worth it.
Pinot Noir wines aren’t known for having big structures, but instead for light to moderate tannins that feel soft, silky and even sometimes weightless, with the light- to medium-body to match. Even when winemakers harvest extra ripe grapes, destem and use predominantly new oak barrels for aging, Red Burgundies still aren’t huge wines. Burgundy, even in warmer vintages, doesn’t tend to get that warm, and Pinot Noir is a thin-skinned grape.
In cooler years, Red Burgundies will generally be lighter with higher acidity, while warmer years tend to produce fuller-bodied wines with ripe, soft tannins and plenty of fruit flavor. Winemakers’ decisions on when to harvest, whether to use whole bunches or destem, whether to cold soak, whether to use new oak barrels and more will all affect the wines’ acidity, tannin, texture, body, flavors and ability to age well.
As for the aromas and flavors, these, too, vary widely, with everything from tart cranberry and red currant to ripe cherries, raspberries, red plums and blackberries. Aside from fruit, there are often aromas and flavors from oak aging, like vanilla, cinnamon and clove, as well as flavors of black tea, graphite, dried tobacco leaves, leather, mushrooms, truffles and an earthiness often described as forest floor.
As Red Burgundies age, the fruit flavors tend to take a back seat or start to taste more dried than fresh, while the earthy aromas like forest floor, leather, dried tobacco leaves and mushrooms tend to move toward center stage.
The wines
Note: For this tasting, I’ve selected 6 Burgundian villages from the Côte de Nuits to give you a sense of what Red Burgundy in the northern part of the Côte d’Or is all about without breaking the bank. For each village, I’ve included the Premier Crus as well as neighboring village-level appellations where possible as alternatives.
There are many ways to taste through Burgundy, comparing vintages or producers within a single village or vineyard, neighboring plots and more. This tasting guide is intended to give you a sense of the breadth of Red Burgundy, at any level of wine knowledge.
#1: Gevrey-Chambertin
Gevrey-Chambertin (”zhev-ray sham-behr-tahn”) is the biggest of the Côte de Nuits villages and the furthest north of the primary Red Burgundy villages, closer to Dijon than Beaune in both geographical and relational terms. It also has more Grands Crus than any other Burgundian appellation, all nine of which carry “Chambertin” in their name, including Chambertin itself, but also Chambertin-Clos de Bèze, Charmes-Chambertin, Chapelle-Chambertin, etc. You get the idea.
The original village was actually called Gevrey, but appended the name of the Grand Cru vineyard Chambertin to its name to add to its prestige and recognition, a common choice in Burgundy.
Gevrey-Chambertin is entirely dedicated to Pinot Noir, and is known for powerful Red Burgundies with more tannin, body and structure than other villages in the Côte de Nuits. Words like gamey, meaty and savory are often thrown around when Gevrey-Chambertins are on the table, but don’t let that fool you into thinking that these wines are more savory than fruity. There are usually still plenty of floral and red fruit aromas and flavors complementing the savory ones.
You can find a printable map of the village of Gevrey-Chambertin here, in case you’d like to include it in your tasting. There is also a list of the growers who produce wine in Gevrey-Chambertin that can be found here.
What to ask for: Ask by name. Some bottlings may include lieux-dits (named vineyards or portions of vineyards) on the bottle, such as Champ, Les Evocelles, La Justice, Les Jeunes Rois, Les Seuvrées and En Songe.
Alternative(s):
Côte de Nuits villages with similar styles: Marsannay, Fixin
26 Gevrey-Chambertin Premier Crus, including: Clos Saint-Jacques, La Bossière, La Romanée, Les Verroilles, Lavaut-St-Jacques, Estournelles-St-Jacques, Aux Combottes, Bel Air, Issarts, Au Closeau, La Perrière, Clos Prieur, Cherbaudes, Petite Chapelle, Les Corbeaux, Fonteny, Champonnet, Craipillot, Clos du Chapitre, Champeaux, Combe au Moine, En Ergot, Les Cazetiers, Les Goulots, Petits Cazetiers, and Poissenot
#2: Morey-Saint-Denis
Before the appellation system made its way through Burgundy, village- and Premier Cru-level wines from Morey-Saint-Denis (”more-ay sahn deh-nee”) were often sold under the names of one of the neighboring villages, either Gevrey-Chambertin to the north or Chambolle-Musigny to the south. It took a bit of time for Morey-Saint-Denis wines to be recognized as worthy of discussing in their own right. For context, Morey-Saint-Denis is one of the smallest villages in the Côte de Nuits, best known for the strip of five Grand Cru vineyards that span the entirety of the village from north to south. It’s also unusual in that there’s a small amount of Chardonnay planted for White Burgundy wines.
As is common in Burgundy, the village of Morey appended the name of one of its Grands Crus, Clos Saint-Denis, to its original name. Morey was one of the last to make this addition though, perhaps because there are so many different Grands Crus names to choose between, unlike Gevrey’s plethora of Chambertin-related vineyard names.
Morey-Saint-Denis’ wines are often compared to the neighboring villages too: less tannic and structured than Gevrey-Chambertin’s northerly wines, more structured and savory than Chambolle-Musigny’s southerly ones. Savory descriptors tend to get thrown around just as often with these wines as they do in Gevrey-Chambertin, like meaty, gamey, leather-y and earthy. Some believe that the fruit character in Morey-Saint-Denis skews darker than in other Côte de Nuits villages, with dark cherries and blackberries popping up between the floral and red fruit flavors.
You can find a printable map of the village of Morey-Saint-Denis here, in case you’d like to include it in your tasting. There is also a list of the growers who produce wine in Morey-Saint-Denis that can be found here.
What to ask for: Ask by name. Some bottlings may include lieux-dits (named vineyards or portions of vineyards) on the bottle, such as Clos Solon, En la Rue de Vergy and Très Girard
Alternative(s):
Côte de Nuits villages with similar styles: Stick with a Morey-Saint-Denis
20 Morey-Saint-Denis Premier Crus, including: Les Blanchards, Les Sorbès, Les Millandes, Les Faconnières, Aux Charmes, Aux Cheseaux, Clos Baulet, Clos des Ormes, Clos Sorbè, Côte Rotie, La Bussière, La Riotte, Le Village, Les Chaffots, Les Charrières, Les Chenevery, Les Genavrières, Les Gruenchers, Les Ruchots and Monts Luisants.
Since many of the Premier Cru vineyards in Morey-Saint-Denis are very small, several producers choose to create Premier Cru wines without a particular vineyard designation, with fruit from multiple Premier Cru vineyards.
#3: Chambolle-Musigny
Chambolle-Musigny (”shom-bowl moo-see-nyee”) is village with an elegant name and a reputation for elegant wines to match. Red Burgundies from Chambolle are known for being subtle, nuanced, and paler than those from other Côte de Nuits appellations, often with more floral and red fruit flavor, and less tannin, power and structure…though that doesn’t mean that they lack intensity or quality. Think silky, but also of silk’s inherent strength and resilience.
As is common in Burgundy, the village of Chambolle appended the name of one of its two Grands Crus, Musigny, to its original name to add to its prestige and recognition.
You can find a printable map of the village of Chambolle-Musigny here, in case you’d like to include it in your tasting. There is also a list of the growers who produce wine in Chambolle-Musigny that can be found here.
What to ask for: Ask by name. Some bottlings may include lieux-dits (named vineyards or portions of vineyards) on the bottle, such as Les Clos de L’Orme, Les Fremières, Les Athets, Derrière le Four
Alternative(s):
Côte de Nuits villages with similar styles: Stick with a Chambolle-Musigny
24 Chambolle-Musigny Premier Crus, including: Les Amoureuses, Les Baudes, Les Charmes, Les Baudes, Aux Beaux Bruns, La Combe d’Orveau, Les Borniques, Les Carrières, Les Chabiots, Les Chatelots, Les Combottes, Les Cras, Derrière la Grange, Aux Echanges, Les Feusselottes, Les Lavrottes, Les Noirots, Les Plants, Les Sentiers, Les Véroilles, Les Fuées, Les Groseilles, Les Greunchers, Les Hauts Doix
#4: Vougeot
Vougeot (”voo-zho”) is best known for its Grand Cru vineyard, Clos de Vougeot, the largest and most famous of the stone-walled vineyards dotted throughout the Côte de Nuits, which dominates most of this appellation. There are still a few Village- and Premier-Cru level wines from vineyards outside the Grand Cru vineyard though, and if you do want to spring for a Grand Cru wine, the sheer size of Clos de Vougeot means that there are many different producers who make wines from the vineyard, increasing supply, resulting in Grands Crus that tend to be priced more accessibly than any other Côte de Nuits Grands Crus.
When you visit Burgundy, the Château du Clos de Vougeot, built by 12th century monks from the nearby Abbey of Cîteaux, is a must-see destination, with interactive exhibits and winemaking equipment from centuries ago on display.
Vougeot Red Burgundies aren’t usually quite as powerful as those from Gevrey-Chambertin or Morey-Saint-Denis, but they tend to have more structure than those from Chambolle-Musigny, where delicacy reigns. Vougeot is known for sturdy wines with clear, though soft tannins and a blend of floral, red and dark fruit flavors, like dark cherries and blackberries, sometimes with subtle aromas of dried leaves and truffles.
You can find a printable map of the village of Vougeot here, in case you’d like to include it in your tasting. There is also a list of the growers who produce wine in Vougeot that can be found here.
What to ask for: Ask by name. Some bottlings may include lieux-dits (named vineyards or portions of vineyards) on the bottle, such as Le Village and Clos du Prieuré
Alternative(s):
Côte de Nuits villages with similar styles: Stick with a Vougeot
4 Vougeot Premier Crus, including: Clos de la Perrière, Les Cras, Les Petits Vougeots and a Premier Cru dedicated to White Burgundy wines
#5: Vosne-Romanée
Vosne-Romanée (”vone ro-mah-nay”) holds the distinction of being the most prestigious village in all of Burgundy. If all roads lead to Burgundy, then eventually, all of the pilgrims on those roads will make their way over to Vosne-Romanée and its most famous Grand Cru monopole (single-owner vineyard), La Romanée-Conti, with its distinctive stone cross hovering above the stone wall. When I lived in Burgundy and trained for the Paris marathon by running through the Côte de Nuits vineyards, there were always tourists and locals visiting La Romanée-Conti, regardless of the weather, often sitting on the stone wall and capturing their “pics or it didn’t happen” moments (which of course I have too).
When the acronym “DRC” is thrown around amongst wine aficionados, it’s an insider reference to Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, the producer that holds this monopole, along with monopole Grand Cru La Tâche and parcels in other Grand Cru vineyards in Vosne-Romanée.
Vosne-Romanée wines also encompass those from the commune of Flagey-Echézeaux, so named for its Grands Crus, Echézeaux and Grands Echézeaux. Even with these vineyards, Vosne-Romanée is a relatively small appellation, less than half the size of Gevrey-Chambertin. And within Vosne-Romanée’s 8 Grands Crus (including those from Flagey-Echézeaux), La Romanée, with just about 2 acres (.8 ha) is both the smallest Grand Cru and the smallest appellation in France.
The Red Burgundies from Vosne-Romanée, even at the village level, are considered to be some of the most distinctive wines of the region. There’s structure, power, elegance, intensity, all of it, somehow packaged with a refinement unique to Vosne-Romanée.
You can find a printable map of the village of Vosne-Romanée here, in case you’d like to include it in your tasting. There is also a list of the growers who produce wine in Vosne-Romanée that can be found here.
What to ask for: Ask by name. Some bottlings may include lieux-dits (named vineyards or portions of vineyards) on the bottle, such as Les Chalandins, Aux Champs Perdrix, La Colombière, Les Damaudes and Aux Réas
Alternative(s):
Côte de Nuits villages with similar styles: Stick with a Vosne-Romanée
14 Vosne-Romanée Premier Crus, including: Les Suchots, Clos de Réas, Les Chaumes, Aux Malconsorts, Au Dessus des Malconsorts, Les Gaudichots, Aux Raignots, Les Petits Monts, Cros Parantoux, Aux Brulées, Les Beaux Monts, Les Rouges, En Orveaux, La Croix Rameau
#6: Nuits-Saint-Georges
Nuits-Saint-Georges (”nwee sahn zhorzhe”), the furthest south of the Côte de Nuits Villages, doesn’t hold any Grands Crus, but instead has 41 Premier Crus, significantly more than any other primary Côte de Nuits Village. Rather than appending the name of a Grand Cru vineyard for prestige, Nuits-Saint-Georges benefits from its name being used as part of the Côte de Nuits’ regional title.
It’s not easy to summarize the wines of Nuits-Saint-Georges, since the appellation itself is divided into two parts, a northern and southern section. Wines from the northern section, bordering Vosne-Romanée, tends toward delicacy and finesse, while wines from the southern section tend more toward power and richness. If you know you have a preference amongst the two, use the village map to select a lieux-dit or Premier Cru from the northern or southern section, or ask your local retailer for help, since they’ll know their producers’ styles best.
You can find a printable map of the village of Nuits-Saint-Georges here, in case you’d like to include it in your tasting. There is also a list of the growers who produce wine in Nuits-Saint-Georges that can be found here.
What to ask for: Ask by name. Some bottlings may include lieux-dits (named vineyards or portions of vineyards) on the bottle, such as Aux Lavières, Au Bas de Combe, Aux Allots, Les Argillats, Les Charmois, La Charmotte and Aux Saints-Juliens
Alternative(s):
Côte de Nuits villages with similar styles: Stick with a Nuits-Saint-Georges
41 Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Crus, including: Les Saints-Georges, Aux Argillas, Aux Boudots, Aux Bousselots, Aux Chaignots, Aux Champs Perdrix, Aux Cras, Les Damodes, Aux Murgers, En la Perrière Noblot, La Richemone, Aux Thorey, Aux Vignerondes, Les Cailles, Les Chabœufs, Chaines Carteaux, Les Crots, Les Perrières, Les Poulettes, Les Procès, Les Pruliers, Les Hauts Pruliers, Roncière, Rue de Chaux, Les Vallerots and Les Vaucrains.
Tasting tips
The eats
Red Burgundy wines are incredibly versatile, one of the reasons why you’ll find them on so many restaurants’ wine lists and on pretty much every Thanksgiving wine pairing recommendation ever. Proteins like duck, chicken, turkey, lamb and even fatty fish like salmon pair beautifully with the Pinot Noir-based wines, but my personal favorite pairing is mushrooms. Truffles if you can swing them, sure, but pretty much any mushroom will do. Simple soups made with dried mushroom broth, fresh mushroom pastas and risottos, even grilled Portobello steaks or mushroom burgers in summer will do the trick. There’s just something about the earthy undertone in Red Burgundy wines that brings out the best of mushrooms and vice versa.
If a charcuterie board is more your speed, look for Gruyère, a bold Époisses or aged Comté to serve with and slices of cured ham or dry-aged salami, crusty bread, rosemary crackers, figs and toasted hazelnuts.
The prep
Red Burgundy wines can get pricey. Very pricey. This tasting focuses on Village-level wines, which are generally moderately priced, though there are good deals and expensive selections amongst these, too. There are also alternative options offered for each wine, with both Premier Cru options (usually more expensive) and neighboring Villages where possible, which can be less expensive. Top producers’ wines, even at the Village level, will generally have higher prices.
Another factor to consider is that there are certain winemaking choices that add cost to these wines. Purchasing high quality oak barrels with just the right amount of toast is expensive, as is hand-harvesting and destemming grapes.
These and other factors in your respective market can add to the final cost of a wine, making this tasting a truly decadent one, both in terms of cost and in terms of what you’ll taste. Keep this in mind as you decide when to plan this tasting and how to communicate spending expectations with your guests.
Some of these wines will be easy to find, others might take some time, depending on where you live. It’s worth giving your guests at least 2 weeks to find their wines for this tasting.
Pinot Noir-based wines are best with a bit of chill, so please encourage your guests to give their wines some pre-tasting fridge time, or have an ice bucket ready for a quick dunk to reach cellar temperature. If you’ve never walked down into a winemaker’s cellar and felt the chill and damp, just think about what it feels like on a brisk autumn day. A bottle that’s cool to the touch, that’s the goal here. Not too warm, not too cold.
A note on the tasting order: The wines are listed in order from north to south along the Côte de Nuits, guiding your tasting geographically as well as on the palate.
Gevrey-Chambertin
Morey-Saint-Denis
Chambolle-Musigny
Vougeot
Vosne-Romanée
Nuits-Saint-Georges
