What I Learned:

The Cote de Nuits refers to the northern half of Burgundy’s famous Cote D’Or (Golden Slope). (Whereas the southern half is known as the Cote de Beaune.) The northern, Cote de Nuits, section runs from south of Dijon to just south of Corgoloin in Burgundy.

There are eight villages/towns that fall within the Cote de Nuits growing area. The Grands Crus, the most prestigious vineyards, are well known because the most renowned have their names attached to the village they lie in. The village of Chambolle cites one of its most prestigious vineyards, Musigny, in its name – hence the village has become known as Chambolle-Musigny. Another nearby village-vineyard combination includes Morey-Saint Denis. But perhaps the most famous village, Vougeot, has no such hyphenated name. Its Grand-Cru is called Clos de Vougeot, in reference to the famous monastery vineyard. The wines from these Grands Crus are usually highly esteemed.

The Cote de Nuits produces almost exclusively Pinot Noir. The grape varietal has been cultivated here for about 2000 years. It does well in limestone soils, and lying where it does just below a limestone ridge, Pinot Noir vines do very well here indeed.

Monks from the Abbey of Citeaux purchased vineyards in this region to make their communion wine. But the viable vineyards were about ten miles distant from the abbey. Over time, the monks enclosed their best vineyards (hence a “clos”), built wine-making facilities, and gave themselves a local building to eat and sleep. (All this to cut down on time lost over the daily commute, presumably.) Nowadays, the Clos de Vougeot wines and historic facilities are famous world-wide.

Then there were the local nuns. They possessed the Clos de Tart in nearby Morey-Saint-Denis for 650 years. It is Burgundy’s largest monopole (a Grand Cru vineyard owned by only a single entity). Since the nuns, only two families have consecutively owned it. Like Clos de Vougeot, the Clos de Tart produces exclusively Pinot Noir wines.

The Musigny Grand Cru, by contrast, produces exceptional Chardonnay wines as well as Pinot Noir wines.

Premier Cru and the village appellations within this region also result in outstanding wines. While the numerous premier cru vineyards are not as well-known outside Burgundy, their excellent wines, and those of village appellations, are more affordable than the Grand Cru wines.

 

What I Drank:

2015 Chardonnay, Le Clos Blanc de Vougeot, Appellation Vougeot Premier Cru Controlee, Domaine de la Vougeraie A dry white wine with medium gold color; a nose of vanilla, chalk, and flavors of chalk, vanilla, spice, pear, and lime tree flower; medium acidity with a long, slightly acidic finish.

2015 Pinot Noir, Les Charmes, Appellation Chambolle-Musigny Premier Cru Controlee, Jean-Claude Boisset (Nuits Saint Georges): A dry red wine with medium-light red color, with a slight purple hue on the rim; nose of spice and cherry, with cherry and red fruits, violet and slight oak flavors, with a hint of earthiness. Well-balanced with a medium-length finish.

2014 Pinot Noir, Appellation Morey Saint Denis Controlee, Domaine Tortochot: A dry red wine with light purple red color, slight orange on rim; nose of leather and fresh tobacco, with flavors of leather, spice, tobacco, and dried cherry, medium plus tannins.