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Côte D'Or

The Côte D’Or is located in the very heart of Burgundy. The name of this limestone escarpment translates as “the golden slope”, originally a reference to its easterly exposure but nowadays it is equally applicable to the quality of its wines and to the value of its vine growing land. The Côte D’Or is split into two parts: the Côte De Nuits that runs south for about 20km from the outskirts of Dijon down to Corgoloin, and the Côte De Beaune that begins at Ladoix and ends a further 20km to the south-south-west at Cheilly-lès-Maranges.

The area is made up of tiny villages surrounded by a combination of flat and sloping vineyards on the Côte’s eastern aspect, sheltered to a degree from the rain and weather brought by the prevailing westerly winds. The very best wines, from the grand cru vineyards, are usually from the middle and higher part of the slopes where the vines have the most exposure to sunshine and the best drainage, while the premier cru wines come from the lower, slightly less favourably exposed slopes. The comparatively simpler village wines are produced on the flat land nearer the villages. The Côte De Nuits houses 24 out of the 25 grand cru red wine appellations in Burgundy, whereas all of the region's grand cru white wines are from the Côte De Beaune.