Millennia-old wines celebrated all over the world!
Although the origins of vines in Burgundy go back a long way, the date of their appearance remains unclear. The earliest text attesting to the presence of vines and wine in Burgundy dates back to 312: Eumenes, president of the university of Augustodunum (Autun), describes the vineyards of Beaune. A little later, aristocrats and religious communities represented the majority of vineyard owners. It was the work of Benedictine and Cistercian monks that gave rise to the real boom in local wine. In their quest for perfection, they studied everything that could contribute to its improvement: pruning, cuttings, grafting, winemaking methods, cellar construction... Their greatest contribution, however, was in the creation of "climats": by imagining them, the monks gave Burgundy wines their identity. Served at the tables of popes and kings, they became synonymous with hospitality and prestige. At the end of the 14th century, the Dukes' court also came to appreciate what were then known as "Beaune wines", helping to promote their renown, which now extended to the whole world. In the 18th century, the wine trade was organized. Wines were matured in new barrels, and the bottle was introduced, along with the vocabulary of tasting: color, aroma, taste... At the time, Champagne was the only rival to Burgundy wines. Until Louis XIV's physician, Fagon, wrote a prescription prescribing "vin vieux de Bourgogne" as a healthy diet wine for his royal patient. The Court immediately began drinking Burgundy... and abandoning champagne! As for Napoleon, he would only admit Chambertin to his table, following the advice of his doctors..
An exceptional wine treasure
The Côte des vins is without doubt one of the most famous vineyards in the world: a large geographical strip 65 km long, with a waspish waist since it is sometimes less than 300 meters wide from one point to another (one to two kilometers most often). Located between Dijon and Maranges, it is covered with vineyards along its entire length, and only a few towns like Beaune and Nuits-Saint-Georges emerge from this sea of vegetation. Here, 2,200 houses cultivate more than 9,000 hectares of land, all of which are AOC. The annual production is between 350,000 and 460,000 hectoliters, 3/4 of them in red. It is subdivided into 2 geographical areas: the prestigious Côte de Nuits. Chambertin, Musigny, Clos de Vougeot, Romanée-Conti or Nuits-Saint-Georges, almost all the great Burgundian wines are located there. On 2,500 hectares, 15 million bottles, 90% red, are produced every year. The Côte de Beaune extends from Ladoix-Serrigny in the north to the Maranges hillsides in the south (the latter are not in the Côte d'Or but in Saône-et-Loire). Its 4,800 hectares of vineyards produce more than 25 million bottles per year. Some people call it "the Champs-Elysées of Burgundy". And for good reason, the great names also parade there: Montrachet, Meursault, Pommard, Santenay, Volnay, Pernand-Vergelesses... Finally, next to it are the Hautes-Côtes which, as their name indicates, overhang the wine coast and are about 40 kilometers long. The altitudes vary from 300 to 640 meters. They are also divided into 2 appellations: Hautes-Côtes-de-Nuits and Hautes-Côtes-de-Beaune (550 ha and 650 ha). As for the Côtes de Beaune and de Nuits, monks are at the origin of their development, those of Saint-Vivant and Cîteaux. Long neglected, some hardliners fought for their return to grace. Officially created in 1961, the appellation now covers 16 communes in the Côte-d'Or. Red and rosé wines represent 617 ha of vineyards, and white wines nearly 148 ha.
In the Auxois too..
Too often forgotten, the wines of the Auxois have lived for centuries in the most prestigious cellars, starting with those of Versailles. Attested since (at least) the year 741, its presence necessarily owes much to the 3 abbeys present on this territory. As we know, the monks (here, those of Flavigny, Fontenay and Moutiers-Saint-Jean) have done a lot for the Burgundian vineyards. Unfortunately, over time, the development of means of communication (such as the railroad) harmed the Auxois; the region was then neglected. Good news: after more than a century of sleep, the slopes of the Auxois have benefited in recent years from a new (and very beautiful) development, the fruit of a few diehard enthusiasts. Since their first harvest in 1997, the wines have regained their splendor. As a proof, the appellation Vin de Pays des Coteaux de l'Auxois has evolved in 2012 to a PGI (Protected Geographical Indication) for the producers based in Villaines-les-Prévotes, Flavigny-sur-Ozerain and Thorey-sous-Charny.
Crémants, marc de Bourgogne and ratafia are also very present
In the middle of the 19th century, the phylloxera crisis had a major impact on Châtillonnais wines. But the culture was not abandoned for all that. The Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée (AOC) received in 1975 is an undeniable proof. Today, there are about sixty winegrowers spread over twenty communes who are concerned. And it is now the crémant that plays the stars! A dry, fruity, sparkling and light wine that you will find all over the country. Of the 7 regions producing crémants in France, Burgundy is in second place with more than 16 million bottles sold each year, and those of Châtillon are particularly well represented there. Good to know: the Crémant appellation requires manual harvesting when the grapes are just ripe and a yield of 150 kg of grapes per hectoliter. Marc de Bourgogne is a brandy made with the residue of the grape press. It is therefore produced after the harvest or in winter. Of amber color, it is consumed as a digestive. There are 25 distillers and a hundred producers in the Côte-d'Or alone. As for the inevitable ratafia, it is a mixture of grape juice, must and marc that is drunk as an aperitif. Some people call it "riquiqui", perhaps because it is half as strong as brandy...
Education and tourism promotion at the heart of regional policy
Since July 2015, the Climats du vignoble de Bourgogne have been listed as a Unesco World Heritage Site. The Côte de Nuits and Côte de Beaune (and their 1,200 or so "Climats") are recognized as unique in the world for their diversity, as is the historical heritage they represent. This World Heritage listing commits all those involved in the region to preserving and promoting this cultural landscape. This is why the Association des Climats du vignoble de Bourgogne is undertaking a number of initiatives. A program to enhance village entrances and renovate low walls (there are 220 km of them within the Climats perimeter) has been launched in recent years. Dedicated tourist signage is also appearing along the wine-growing coast. The Maison des Climats du vignoble de Bourgogne, housed at the Beaune tourist office, explains how the notion of terroir came about and why the Climats are a treasure for humanity. And that's not all... At the end of 2020, Burgundy launched its major project for the Cité des Climats et vins de Bourgogne, with the aim of attracting 200,000 visitors a year. It opened to the public on June 17 and 18, 2023, with an inaugural weekend at the three sites of Mâcon, Chablis and Beaune, the three gateways to the richness of Burgundy winegrowing! This city and these three sites are in addition to the Cité internationale de la Gastronomie et du Vin in Dijon, which showcases both the gastronomic meals of the French and the "climats" of the Burgundy vineyards. In particular, it houses the Chapelle des Climats, considered to be the Kilometre Zero of the Grands Crus route.
Exceptional places to visit!
Beyond these two ambitious creations, let's not forget the numerous events related to wine in all the wine-producing towns of the department, the most famous being of course the very prestigious traditional wine sale at the Hospices de Beaune (every year in December). An exceptional place which is one of the most visited sites in Burgundy, and which must be discovered! Just like the Clos de Vougeot castle which is located in the heart of the vineyard. At first, it was a farm building for the monks of Cîteaux in the 12th century, then it was bought back to become the superb monument that we know. All year long, it hosts events related to wine (or to art), such as the Music and Wine Festival (end of June), Livre en vigne (first weekend of October) or... the World Egg Days (also in October)! Classified as a historical monument, it is now the headquarters of the Confrérie des Chevaliers du Tastevin, and is full of treasures such as a superb 12th century cellar, a 12th and 13th century vat room, old kitchens and magnificent Renaissance salons. Not to be missed either, the guided tour of the castle followed by the discovery of Burgundy wines (3 wines tasted or 5 grands crus in food and wine pairing). Finally, if you pass by Gevrey-Chambertin (which offers many wine tours in the heart of its vineyards), don't forget to stop by the recently opened Chambertin Hall. Set up in the former town hall, this space of more than 100m2 has been transformed into an interpretation center of the Climats of the commune, which includes 9 of the great Burgundy wines. An Enomatic machine allows tastings with a prepaid card, and one can even buy the production of the local winegrowers.
