Côte de Beaune
The far south of the district sees a return to red wines in Santenay that continues across the Dheune into the Côte Chalonnaise.
This mix of Pinot noir and Chardonnay grapes reflects geology in the southern Côte d'Or that is more variable than in the north.
The commune contains 34.3ha of the Grand Cru Corton-Charlemagne (see Aloxe-Corton below), and five Premier Crus (57ha), of which Ile de Vergelesses is the most notable.
[1] Down on the plain, Ladoix is the most northernly of the villages of the Côte de Beaune on the N74 Route des Grand Crus.
According to legend, his wife had insisted white grapes be planted on the site, to avoid his beard being stained by red wine.
The 22 Premier Crus come in two styles, more delicate on the south-facing clay soils to the north, and rounder and more forward on the east-facing gravel to the south.
The Hospices are funded by their endowment of 55ha of vineyards on the Côte d'Or, and the auction of their wines on the third Sunday in November sets a benchmark for prices for that vintage.
Like Nuits-St-George, the name of Pommard was made famous as a marketplace for wines from better areas, in the days before Appellation Controlee.
[1] The former name of "Belles Roches" hints at the spectacular location of Saint Romain, nestling under a cliff at the top of the Clous valley above Meursault.
Perhaps surprisingly, one of the most famous names in Burgundy has no Grand Crus, although there have been calls for Les Perrieres to be so designated ever since it was described as "tête de cuvée" in the 1855 list.
[1] Meursault grows Chardonnay almost exclusively (note the exception of Santenots mentioned in the Volnay section), which makes wonderfully rich and buttery white Burgundy, developing a certain nuttiness with time.
They don't have the fineness of the wines from up on the ridge, but Blagny is a source of cheaper red Burgundy in a light, rustic style.
The names of these two Grand Crus supposedly reflect the division of the estate of the Seigneur de Montrachet between his two sons, one of whom had been a knight in the Crusades, the other was illegitimate.
Less red wine is now being produced, as it sells for lower prices than the whites although much of the Pinot land is less suited to Chardonnay production.
Out towards the Hautes-Côtes de Beaune west of Montrachet, the vineyards of St Aubin were once planted with Gamay but now produce a mixture of Chardonnay and Pinot noir.
Traditionally the village has been overshadowed by the famous names to the east, although the reputation of its white wines is developing as the prices of their neighbours head into the stratosphere.
[1] The southern tail of the Côte de Beaune sees Pinot noir predominate, with 90% of wine from Santenay being red.
Being in Saône et Loire some people consider these villages to be not part of the Côte d'Or proper, although the geology is similar and the wines are decent.
