Côte de Nuits

The Côte de Nuits forms the northern half of the Côte d’Or escarpment, running from just south of Dijon to the village of Corgoloin. It is geographically and stylistically distinct from the Côte de Beaune, with steeper slopes, thinner soils, and exposures that overwhelmingly favor the cultivation of Pinot Noir. This concentration has earned the Côte de Nuits its reputation as the source of Burgundy’s most powerful and age-worthy reds.

The vineyards here predominantly face east, maximizing sunlight capture in the cool Burgundian climate and encouraging full ripening of Pinot Noir. The higher percentage of limestone in the soils, combined with marl and clay in certain pockets, gives the wines both mineral precision and structural depth. This terroir, combined with meticulous viticulture, produces reds of extraordinary aromatic complexity, ranging from red and black fruit to earth, spice, and gamey nuances with age.

Pinot Noir is the undisputed king of the Côte de Nuits, with only small amounts of Chardonnay cultivated in villages like Marsannay and Vougeot. The wines are typically darker, denser, and more structured than those of the Côte de Beaune, yet they retain the hallmark finesse of Burgundy. Their ability to balance concentration with elegance has made them some of the most sought-after and collectible wines in the world.

The villages of Gevrey-Chambertin, Vosne-Romanée, and Chambolle-Musigny epitomize the Côte de Nuits’ greatness. Gevrey is renowned for its muscular, powerful expressions, particularly from sites like Chambertin and Clos de Bèze. Vosne-Romanée is often described as the heart of Burgundy, producing wines that combine sensuality, perfume, and depth, most famously at Romanée-Conti. Chambolle-Musigny, by contrast, is celebrated for its ethereal elegance, with Grand Crus such as Musigny and Bonnes-Mares delivering hauntingly beautiful expressions of Pinot Noir. Wines from the Côte de Nuits are distinguished by their intensity, longevity, and complexity. While approachable in youth, the finest examples can age for decades, developing extraordinary layers of aroma and flavor. They are considered benchmarks not only for Burgundy but for Pinot Noir worldwide, embodying the grape’s capacity to reflect terroir with profound clarity.

The Côte de Nuits is home to the majority of Burgundy’s red Grand Crus, underscoring its global prestige. Its villages and crus represent the pinnacle of Pinot Noir, and the stylistic diversity across its slopes, from the power of Gevrey to the elegance of Chambolle, makes the region an endless source of fascination for wine lovers and collectors alike.