Ep 445: Côte de Beaune of Bourgogne (Burgundy), Part 1

<p><img src= "https://assets.libsyn.com/secure/show/45638/Beaune_photo.png" alt= "" width="450" height="525" /></p> <p> </p> <p>We don't need much in the notes besides this wonderful map from the <a href="https://www.bourgogne-wines.com/" target="_blank" rel= "noopener">Vins de Bourgogne</a> site, but I'll throw a few things down here just for recap.</p> <p> </p> <p>This week’s show covers the Côte de Beaune: the southern part of Côte d’Or, the famed ‘golden slope’ of Burgundy. The Côte de Beaune lies between the villages of Ladoix-Serrigny in the north and the Maranges in the south. In the north, there is delicious Pinot Noir but, in the south, you will find some of the most famed, stunning Chardonnay on earth. The topic is so big and a bit daunting so we cover the northern half of the Côte de Beaune in this episode, laying out the details of what is in each commune. We attempt to provide a structure for understanding this very difficult and detailed topic that is really a study in terroir, mostly as a basis for future podcasts that dive deeper into these appellations.</p> <p> </p> <p>Here are the show notes:</p> <p><strong>Overview:</strong></p> <ul> <li>The Côte de Beaune is about 20 – 25 km /12 or 16 miles from north to south. This region is not flat, with most grape growing occurring above 200 meters/650+ feet</li> <li>The Côte de Beaune is part of the limestone escarpment that covers the Côte de Nuits but in the Côte de Beaune, the soil is younger and the hillsides gentler. The limestone found in the Côte de Nuits is submerged at the southern tip at Nuits-St. Georges and re-emerges in Meursault</li> <li>The Côte de Beaune makes both red of Pinot Noir and white of Chardonnay (occasionally with some other grapes added). Although it produces slightly more red than white, Côte de Beaune is most famed for its Chardonnay from the Montrachet vineyards (covered in the next episode)</li> <li>Due to the escarpment, Côte de Beaune, faces east, picking up morning sun, rather than hotter afternoon sun</li> </ul> <p> </p