Cote d'Or

Why in such a small piece of land can such a diverse and interesting variety of wines be produced? That may be a question many wine-lovers would have on Cote d'Or. One of the most important wine-producing region in Burgundy (or should I say the world), Cote d'Or lies in an geological fault line where there are several different epochs, and with the weathering of the rocks in the eons, different texture and mixture provides a big variation in soil type. Generally calcareous clay soil (marl), the combination with the stones and scree washed down from the limestone higher up the slope makes the perfect soil for wine.

The altitude of the mid-slope is roughly constant in Cote d'Or, at about 250m. The slope faces east with a bias to the south, particularly in Cote de Beaune. Burgundy is the northenmost area in Europe producing great red wine. To make the Pinot Noir ripen before the cold and damp autumn, the climate in each vineyard (mesoclimate) and the physical characteristics of the land, are critical. So this east-facing factor is important as the morning sun warms the ground and heat it all day, and the hill protects the vineyard from the southwestern wine which is wet and rain-bearing.

Another quality factor making Cote d'Or so famous is the choice of vines and the ways they are pruned and trained. Most growers in Cote d'Or are focused on quality instead of quantity, with organic and biodynamic viticulture increasing popular. The region is famous also because of its long history. There is already records on the study of its wine since the 12th century, from the Cistercian and Benedictine monks established one cru from another to explore their potential.

Cote de Beaune and Cote de Nuits are separated only by a few miles, but the classification of the land in this small strip is the most elaborate in the world. Based on the system developed nearly 200 years ago, the wines are divided into four classes. Grand Crus are the first class, which about 30 are in operation today, mainly in Cote de Nuits. Each has its own appellation, with the single, simple vineyard name like Musigny, Corton, Montrachet or Chambertin (sometimes with the prefix "Le").

Premiers Crus is the next rank, which uses the name of the commune followed by the name of vineyard, for example, Chambolle-Musigny Les Charmes. There is an obvious variation among the Premiers Crus, as there are 622 in all. Some Premiers Crus, like Perrieres in Meursault or Les Amoureuses in Chambolle-Musigny, often command prices higher than lesser Grand Crus.

Appellation Communale is the third rank, with the wines able to use the name of the commune, like Meursault, and often referred to as 'village' wines. It is now allowed to put the specific vineyard on the label, but it must be printed in smaller fonts than the commune name.

The last rank is the Bourgogne. However, it is not to be under-estimated and some growers actually produce wine of this level which offer very good value for money. Personally I have tried the Bernard Dugat-Py Bourgogne 2005 and at only HK$360 per bottle it is one of the best value Burgundy I have tried so far.

One final word, we must distinguish the name of a vineyard from a commune. Many villages have now affixed their names to their best vineyard. Although the name does not differ much for a Chevalier-Montrachet and a Chassagne-Montrachet, don't expect they will be just similar. Difficult? Maybe. But I am sure with more tasting and paying attention to my blog you will know more and more. I am going to write the communes in Cote d'Or from south to north from next week on. So enjoy drinking!