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Millennia-old wines celebrated all over the world!

If, in Burgundy, the origin of the vine is old, the date of its appearance remains vague. It is very probably necessary to go back much further, however the oldest text attesting the presence of the vine and the wine in Burgundy goes back to 312: Eumène, the president of the university of Augustodunum (Autun), describes the vineyard of Beaune there. A little later, aristocrats and religious communities represented the major part of the vineyard owners. Thus, it is to the activity of the Benedictine and Cistercian monks that is linked the real development of the local wine. In a concern for perfection, they studied everything that could contribute to its improvement: pruning, cuttings, grafting, vinification methods, construction of cellars... Their greatest contribution is however in the creation of the "climats": by imagining them, the monks offer to the wines of Burgundy their identity. Served at the table of popes and kings, they became synonymous with hospitality and prestige. At the end of the 14th century, the court of the Dukes of Burgundy also appreciated what was then called the "wines of Beaune"; it thus participated in promoting their reputation which now extended to the whole world. In the 18th century, the wine trade was organized. The wines were matured in new barrels, and the bottle appeared as well as the vocabulary of tasting: dress, aromas, taste... At the time, the wine of Champagne was the only rival of the wines of Burgundy. Until Louis XIV's doctor, Fagon, wrote an order prescribing to his royal patient "the old wine of Burgundy" as a very healthy diet wine. The Court immediately drank Burgundy... and abandoned champagne! As for Napoleon, he would only allow Chambertin at 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 of the Burgundy vineyards have been included in the UNESCO World Heritage list. The Côte de Nuits and the 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. Thus, this World Heritage listing commits all the actors of the territory to preserve and enhance this cultural landscape. This is why the Association des Climats du vignoble de Bourgogne undertakes many actions. A program to enhance village entrances and renovate low walls (there are 220 km within the perimeter of the climats) has been launched in recent years. Dedicated tourist signage is also appearing along the wine coast. The Maison des Climats du vignoble de Bourgogne, located at the Beaune tourist office, allows visitors to understand how the notion of terroir was created and why the Climats represent a treasure for humanity. And that's not all... At the end of 2020, Burgundy launched its major project of the Cité des Climats et vins de Bourgogne, with the objective of 200,000 visitors per year. Its opening to the public and its inaugural weekend took place on June 17 and 18, 2023 on the three sites that are Mâcon, Chablis and Beaune, these three gateways to discover all the wealth of Burgundy wine! This city and these three sites are in addition to the Cité Internationale de la Gastronomie et du Vin in Dijon, which promotes both the gastronomic meal of the French and the "climats" of the Burgundy vineyards. It houses the chapel of the climats, considered to be the Kilometer Zero of the route des grands crus.

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.