The Cote de Beaune, which comprises the southern half of the Cote d'Or-- the limestone escarpment from which
Burgundy's finest wines originate-- is the source of the most famous names in white Burgundy. It also produces outstanding red Burgundies (such as in Santenay and Volnay), even if
Pinot Noir here rarely possess quite the stuffing, complexity, and longevity of the better examples from the Cote de Nuits.
White burgundies from the villages of Meursault, Puligny-Montrachet, and Chassagne-Montrachet-- plus the grand cru Corton-Charlemagne-- are, along with the best examples from
Chablis, as transcendentally fine as
Chardonnay gets. Few New World Chardonnays can consistently match the better white Burgundies for aromatic complexity, flavor intensity, precision, lift, and cellaring potential. The city Beaune is the commercial hub of the Cote d'Or and where the region's major negociants have their operations.
Domaine des Terres de Velle : Image licensed under Creative Commons License Attribution 2.0
