9 prestigious Burgundy winesTo be enjoyed at least once in your life

Prestige wines

In the upper echelons of the wine world, paradise would taste like a grand cru bourguignon… But few lucky people have ever dipped their lips in a glass of these prestigious nectars. In the heart of a thin strip of land between southern Beaune and Dijon, a mosaic of villages and family plots enclose the divinities of Burgundian heritage. Cuvées with eminent appellations that the world’s biggest fortunes snatch up at astronomical prices. A success due to the Climates, unique terroirs of the Burgundy-Franche-Comté vineyards. Among the most famous names, discover 9 that every great wine lover must taste at least once in his or her life.

On the program...

01. Montrachet

The best white grand cru

Montrachet… Synonymous with the best Chardonnay in the world and above all one of the most expensive lands on the planet. Divided into two parts, the young vineyard is located in the south of the Côte de Beaune region. This line of 8-hectare parcels straddles the hill between the villages of Chassagne-Montrachet and Puligny-Montrachet. With a perfect balance of limestone and clay, this land benefits from the richness and concentration necessary for the grapes to release all their power and density on the palate.

Oenologists define this beverage as airy, earthy, with nutmeg notes and extraordinary length. What’s more, its youthful pear aromas transform into mineral and herbal scents with age. Remarkable, we tell you!”

Visit the estates on Puligny-Montrachet

Château d'Aloxe Corton with its glazed tile roof

2. Corton

Grand Cru appellation in Côte de Beaune

The vineyards of the Corton region, in the Côte de Beaune, are the most important grand cru in Burgundy. Renowned for producing fine red and white wines, the wines of Corton and Corton-Charlemagne are among the best red wines of the region. Made from Pinot Noir grapes grown on the slopes of the Corton mountain, its beverages are recognizable by their powerful, racy and structured styles. Wines of unique character and exceptional quality, made and developed on the lands and climates of the 3 villages: Aloxe-Corton, Ladoix-Serrigny and Pernand-Vergelesses.

You’ll detect aromatic notes of violets, forest berries, leather and earth. Happy tasting!

Visit the estates around Corton

3. Meursault white wines

Meursault is a charming village south of Beaune. Its winegrower’s houses are built with Burgundy stone, lending a welcoming brightness to the village’s alleyways. To echo this white stone, the surrounding vineyards are mostly planted with Chardonnay grapes. Meursault’s reds lurk shyly on just over 10 hectares, less than 3% of the vineyard.

The vines of Burgundy’s famous grape variety, Chardonnay, yield many Premiers Crus here.

Accompany your Gaston Gérard chicken with a Meursault Premier Cru Perrières and you’ll be conquered by Burgundy.

Caves and Domaines de Meursault

4. Pommard

Land of great red Burgundy wines

After tasting the white wines at Château de Meursault, let’s head back towards Beaune, stopping off at Pommard. Here, it’s the kingdom of reds, Pinot Noir of course. Pommard is something of an exception on the Côte de Beaune. No trace of white on this land reddened by iron oxide. This unique vineyard, where every winemaker knows the color of the soil, produces 28 exceptional Premiers Crus.

And what about the color of this wine? It’s unmistakable, vacillating between dark red, mauve and purple. Its aroma reflects its warm colors, revealing that of ripe forest fruits: blackberries, blueberries and redcurrants. Take a seat on the terrace of a wine bar, and let yourself be tempted by a glass of Pommard to accompany your cheese platter.

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Red wine tasting on the land that produces it

5. Clos de Vougeot

Emblem of Burgundy

This appellation conceals a single Climat: Clos de Vougeot. And to the delight of wine lovers, it’s a Pinot Noir Grand Cru. And yet, the wines produced on this land surrounding the Château du Clos de Vougeot, are all different. In fact, like Burgundy with its thousand parcels, the Clos de Vougeot appellation is produced by over 50 different winemakers. As much as to say that the parcels are millimeterized on a vineyard of only 49 hectares.

This Côte de Nuits wine delights collectors who like to keep their wines for a long time. Some can be kept for up to 30 years. Its velvety purple color, ripe black fruit aromas and spicy (clove, nutmeg, licorice), peppery notes make this a wine that, as it ages, becomes more complex with tertiary aromas that draw on meaty notes. This candied side accompanied by a rib of Angus or Charolais beef or braised lamb will sublimate your summer barbecue.

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Bottle Wine Romanee Conti Chevalier Montrachet

6. Romanée-Conti

Exceptional Burgundy estate

The Romanée-Conti wine is one of the rarest and most secret wines in the world, the most mythical too. Made exclusively from pinot noir, this single-vineyard wine is an AOC produced exclusively at the Romanée Conti estate. For many connoisseurs, this wine symbolizes luxury, it’s an airy, delicate, fine wine of rare purity. Its typicity and rarity make it an extraordinary wine. Far from being affordable, this treasure is one of the most expensive in the world: the record recorded at auction was $558,000 for a 1945 vintage!

Tasting a Grand Cru de la Romanée Conti is to feel and travel through the entire geography and history of this monopoly. Notably that of the Prince de Conti, cousin and diplomatic advisor to King Louis XV of France. former owner who renamed this prestigious vineyard after himself. This rarity has given rise to the legend of a vineyard whose viticulture has remained unchanged for 2,000 years: a “haute couture” harvest in which each bunch of grapes is rigorously and carefully selected from a plot ploughed with a horse to protect the soil structure, decompact the earth, aerate it and make it more alive with micro-organisms. This precision work helps ensure the longevity of the soil.

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07. Chambertin

Legendary wine in Burgundy

North of Nuits-Saint-Georges, the clay-marl soils of the Gevrey-Chambertin region offer 9 pinot noir Grand Crus. The Grands Crus of the Gevrey-Chambertin appellation are exclusively red wines. This vineyard alone produces 9 of Burgundy’s 33 Grands Crus, an absolute record!

These appellation wines are racy, powerful and persistent. Quite masculine in structure with elegant intensity, Chambertin Grand Cru is a nectar for great ageing, combining strength, complexity and depth. This red wine is renowned for its aromas of red cherry, plum, earth and sweet spices. When you taste it, you’ll appreciate its peppery notes and rusticity, before discovering an animal, austere side that lingers on the palate. If you’re lucky enough to enjoy it at the table, serve it with a game dish, a piece of matured beef, meat in sauce or roast, or even washed-rind cheese.

Contrary to what it suggests, this characterful wine appeals to men and women alike.

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Vineyard on the Côte de Beaune's Colline de Corton in autumn

08. Chambolle-Musigny

Elegance in Pinot Noir

The wines of Chambolle-Musigny are world-renowned for their finesse and elegance on the Côte de Nuits. Their floral, fine and airy character gives this red wine a very feminine feel. On the nose, breathe in its great aromatic complexity, which takes nothing away from its subtle aroma at the level of structure.

With a peony return, this wine will honor fine dishes based on white meats. The two grand crus Musigny and Bonnes-Mares are highly sought-after by collectors in search of Burgundian refinement.

The Musigny blanc, a singularity of the de Vogüé family who planted 0.66 ha of chardonnay there, is unique, with its bouquet nose of violets and almonds. A Musigny appellation vintage is described by some as “a magical experience with layered minerality”. For others, this jewel is “a sumptuous cornucopia of soft, delicate flowers with silky tannins”… A marvel for all the senses that transforms every oenologist into a true poet. Roupnel, a Burgundian historian and writer, described these wines as “all lace and silk”

Visit the Cité des Climats et des Vins de Bourgogne

09. Echezeaux

A benchmark for great Burgundy wines

The village of Flagey-Echezeaux is located along the Côte de Nuits, set between Vougeot and Vosne-Romanée. The vineyards surrounding the village produce two appellations: Echezeaux, 36 hectares of vines, and Grand Echezeaux, a more balanced and powerful 8 hectares.

Hidden along the route des Grands Crus, these small plots of vines taste like gold. Often associated with luxury and exquisite flavors, these exclusive brands of vin de Bourgogne are also considered diamonds in the world of oenology. If you dream of tasting one of these marvels in Burgundy, take advantage of tasting weekends in the surrounding villages to discover these gems.

The Route des Grands Crus

Saveurs d'Echezeaux

At first glance, wines from these vineyards stand out for their limpid, dark ruby color, typical of the pinot noir grape variety. On the nose, detect a pleasant bouquet of red fruits, such as fresh cherry, blackberry, blackcurrant, raspberry, with hints of violet and rose, prune and undergrowth. These notes then evolve into musk, leather and fur. On the palate, the roundness is tasty and the tannins rather supple, with remarkable intensity.

A single sip is enough to transport you to the forest, thanks to its velvety, earthy texture. With its long finish, Echezeaux or Grand Echezeaux are harmonious, vigorous wines for laying down. The ideal nectar to accompany roast lamb, game or prime rib. Exceptional vintages for the Echezeaux appellation include 1999, 2001, 2002, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2014 to 2020 and for the Grand Echezeaux red appellation 2007, 2009, 2010, and from 2014 to 2020

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