- CÔTE DE NUITS AND HAUTES-CÔTES DE NUITS 145 CÔTE DE NUITS AND HAUTES-CÔTES DE NUITS

The Côte de Nuits is essentially a red-wine area D1089 Communal appellation Bourgogne Montrecul villages or towns Corcelles- (with one or two extraordinary whites), and with les-Monts Chenove Intensive vine- D108 22 of Burgundy’s 23 red grands crus, it is the growing zone Bourgogne Le Chapitre D122A Côte de place par excellence for . Nuits-Villages MARSANNAY- Hautes-Côtes de LA-CÔTE Nuits Perrigny-lès- Dijon D108 Communal N74 THE CÔTE D’OR, or “golden slope,” is the departmental name appellation boundary 6 370 99

D for both the Côte de Nuits and the Côte de . Firmness and Height above A311 weight are the key words to describe the wines produced here, sea level (metres) A31 0 1 2 3 miles Chamboeuf Gevrey and these characteristics intensify as the progress north. Chambertin 227 Fénay D31 A string of villages with some of the richest names in Burgundy— 0 2 4 km D31

2 A31 Gevrey-Chambertin, Chambolle-, Vosne-Romanée, and 12 D Barges Nuits-St.-Georges—these slopes ring up dollar signs in the minds 433 Ternant of merchants throughout the world. Ironically, the most famous D35 Morey St-Denis appellations also produce some of Burgundy’s worst wines. 516 Chambolle- Boise Reulle- Musigny ARLOT Vergy OF DOMAINE D25 Epernay- D109 394 sous-Gevrey DE L’ARLOT 296 Flagey- 636 242 Echézeaux Purchased in 1987 Vosne-Romanée Messanges St-Bernard by the dynamic AXA Villars- D25 Fontaine group, Domaine de D25 l’Arlot is one of the Vou D8 NUITS-ST- D116B ge most consistent, high- 432 GEORGES quality producers in Chaux Nuits-St.-Georges, D8 making textbook Pinot Villers- la-Faye St-Nicolas- Noir and, from its D35 lès-Citeaux D115 M Echevronne eu Clos Arlot, Prissey z in minuscule amounts of D18 Gerland

sublime . C Pernand- 388 ou rta Vergelesses N74 va 115F D2 ux D D2 D20E Savigny-lès- Ladoix- Beaune A31

FACTORS AFFECTING TASTE AND QUALITY CÔTE DE NUITS AND HAUTES-CÔTES DE NUITS, see also p137 The best vineyards of the Côte de Nuits form a tighter, more compact strip LOCATION SOIL than those of the Côte de Beaune, (see also p151), and the wines produced are, HThe Côte de Nuits is a narrow, DA subsoil of sandy-limestone, coincidentally, tighter, with more compact fruit. continuous strip of vines stretching which is exposed in places but from Dijon to just north of Beaune, usually covered by a chalky scree with the Hautes-Côtes de Nuits in mixed with marl and clay particles the southwestern hinterland. on higher slopes and richer alluvial CONFRÉRIE DES CHEVALIERS DU TASTEVIN deposits on lower slopes. Higher CLIMATE slopes sometimes have red clay. After the three terrible vintages of 1930, 1931, and 1932, and four years of FSemicontinental climate with world slump following the Wall Street Crash of 1929, Camille Rodier and minimal Atlantic influence, which VITICULTURE AND Georges Faiveley formed the Confrérie des Chevaliers du Tastevin to revive results in a long, cold winter, a JVINIFICATION Burgundy’s fortunes. They named the brotherhood after the traditional humid spring, and a fairly hot, very The vines are trained low to benefit Burgundian tastevin, a shallow, dimpled, silver tasting-cup with a fluted edge. sunny summer. Hail is its greatest from heat reflected from the soil at The first investitures took place on November 16, 1934, in a cellar in Nuits-St.- natural hazard and heavy rain is night. For red wines, the grapes are Georges; the Confrérie now boasts thousands of members in numerous foreign often responsible for diluting the almost always destemmed and the chapters and averages 20 banquets a year at Château du . wines and causing rampant rot. juice is kept in contact with the Until the late 1980s, wines bearing the distinctive Tastevinage label used to be skins for between eight and 10 ASPECT a useful means of quickly identifying wines within basic appellations that have days. Less than three percent of the risen above their modest status, but the selection gradually became less EA series of east-facing slopes wine produced is white, but this is rigorous, with some decidedly underperforming wines slipping through. In that curve in and out to give some mostly high quality and traditionally recent years, however, there appears to be more consistency, once again vineyards northeastern, some cask fermented. The best wines are making the Tastevinage label worth watching out for. southeastern aspects. The vines matured in oak. On average only one-third of the wines submitted for the Tastevinage grow at an altitude of between 740 receive the coveted label. No charge is made for entering. The minimum and 1,150 feet (225 to 350 meters) GRAPE VARIETIES quantity for commercial availability is just 900 bottles, and there is no and, asode from Gevrey-Chambertin GPrimary varieties: Pinot Noir, maximum. The wines are tasted blind, and most importantly, the tasters include and Prémeaux-Prissey, those hoteliers, restaurateurs, sommeliers, wine merchants, and wine press, as well as vineyards that have the right to the Secondary varieties: producers. A wine can also be rejected on the basis of laboratory analysis alone village and higher appellations (known locally as Pinot Beurot), (if, for example, it has elevated levels of volatile acidity). Another plus point is rarely extend eastward beyond the Pinot Liébault, , Aligoté, the random checks that are carried out at the point of sale on all markets. RN 74 road. Melon de Bourgogne, Gamay 146

THE APPELLATIONS OF THE CÔTE DE NUITS AND HAUTES-CÔTES DE NUITS

Note Each grand of Côte de Nuits has its own Dufouleur • Michel Gros • Robert Jayer- RED This wine is reputed to have a greater appellation and is listed individually below. Gilles • de Montmain • Naudin-Ferrand • finesse than Chambertin but slightly less body. However, the premiers crus do not, and are Thévenot-le-Brun & Fils • Alain Verdet B • It is just as sublime. therefore listed under the appellation of the village Thierry Vigot-Battault gPinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Pinot Liébault in which the vineyards are situated. Premiers crus that are virtually contiguous with grand cru BOURGOGNE k12–30 years vineyards are in italics; they are possibly superior tBouchard Père & Fils • Bruno Clair • to those that do not share a boundary with one or MONTRECUL OR Faiveley • R. Groffier • Louis Jadot • more grand crus, and generally superior to those MONTRE-CUL OR Dominique Laurent • Lucien Lemoine • that share boundaries with village AOC vineyards. EN MONTRE-CUL AOC Armand Rousseau AOC The other Bourgogne lieu-dit in this district is actually located on the outskirts of Dijon. Some CHAMBOLLE-MUSIGNY AOC Grand Cru might think this is a wine to moon over, but the This village is very favorably positioned, with a Bonnes Mares is the largest of the two grands only wine I have tasted (again Domaine solid block of vines nestled in the shelter of a crus of Chambolle-Musigny. It covers 34 acres Bouvier) was again not special. If no one is geological fold. (13.5 hectares) in the north of the village, on going to produce something exciting under RED Many of these medium- to fairly full- lieux-dits the opposite side to Musigny, the village’s other these Bourgogne , why bother with bodied wines have surprising finesse and grand cru, and extends a further 3.5 acres (1.5 them in the first place? fragrance for mere village wines. hectares) into Morey-St.-Denis. CHAMBERTIN AOC gPinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Pinot Liébault RED This wine combines a fabulous femininity of style with sheer depth of flavor to give Grand Cru k8–15 years something rich and luscious, yet complex and tGhislaine Barthod • Sylvain Cathiard (Les complete. Clos de L’Orme) • Dujac Père • J. F. gPinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Pinot Liébault Mugnier • Géantet Pansiot • Perrot-Minot • Daniel Rion & Fils • Georges Roumier • k 12–25 years Comte Georges de Vogüé tBouchard Père & Fils • Dujac • R. Groffier • Dominique Laurent • J. F. Mugnier • CHAMBOLLE-MUSIGNY Christophe Roumier • Georges Roumier • Nicolas Potel • Comte Georges de Vogüé PREMIER CRU AOC Premiers crus: Les Amoureuses, Les Baudes, BOURGOGNE Aux Beaux Bruns, Les Borniques, Les Carrières, LA CHAPITRE AOC Les Chabiots, Les Charmes, Les Châtelots, La This is one of the nine grands crus of Gevrey- Combe d'Orveau, Aux Combottes, Les One of the Côte de Nuits’ two Bourgogne lieux- Combottes, Les Cras, Derrière la Grange, Aux dits created in 1993, La Chapitre is located at Chambertin. All of them (quite legally) add the name Gevrey-Chambertin to their own and one, Echanges, Les Feusselottes, Les Fuées, Les Chenove, between Marsannay and Dijon. Grands Murs, Les Groseilles, Les Gruenchers, According to Anthony Hanson (in his book Clos de Bèze, actually has the right to sell its wines as Chambertin. Les Hauts Doix, Les Lavrottes, Les Noirots, Les Burgundy), the wines of Chenove once fetched Plantes, Les Sentiers. higher prices than those of Gevrey (Chenove’s RED Always full in body and rich in extract, most famous is Clos du Roi, of which The outstanding premier cru is Les Amoureuses, Chambertin is not, however, powerful like Labouré-Roi took management in 1994), but the with Les Charmes a very respectable second. , but graceful and feminine with a vivid only example I have tasted (Domaine Bouvier) RED The best have a seductive bouquet and color, stunning flavor, impeccable balance, and was not special. deliciously fragrant flavor. lush, velvety texture. gPinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Pinot Liébault gPinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Pinot Liébault BOURGOGNE HAUTES- k10–20 years k12–30 years CÔTES DE NUITS AOC tAmiot-Servelle (Amoureuses) • Ghislaine tBouchard Père & Fils • Vincent Girardin A source of good-value wines, these vineyards Barthod • Confuron-Cotétidot • R. Groffier • Leroy B• Denis Mortet • Henri have expanded since the 1970s, and the quality • Moine Hudelot • Dominique Laurent • Rebourseau • Armand Rousseau • Jean is improving noticeably. Half-red/half-rosé Lucien Lemoine • Leroy B • Denis Mortet • Trapet Père & Fils wines may be sold as Bourgogne Clairet Mugnier • Perrot-Minot • Laurent Ponsot • Hautes-Côtes de Nuits AOC, but the style is Michelle & Patrice Rion • Christophe outmoded and the appellation rarely CHAMBERTIN- Roumier • Georges Roumier • Comte encountered. CLOS DE BÈZE AOC Georges de Vogüé RED Medium-bodied and medium- to full- Grand Cru bodied wines with good fruit and some true CHAPELLE-CHAMBERTIN AOC Côte de Nuits character. The wines from some Grand Cru growers have fine oak nuances. This is one of the nine grands crus of Gevrey- gPinot Noir, Pinot Liébault, Pinot Gris Chambertin, comprised of two climats called En k4–10 years la Chapelle and Les Gémeaux. WHITE Just 5 percent of the production is dry RED The lightest of all the grands crus, with a white. Most have a good weight of fruit, but delightful bouquet and flavor. little finesse. gPinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Pinot Liébault gChardonnay, Pinot Blanc k8–20 years k1–4 years tLouis Jadot • Jean Trapet Père & Fils ROSÉ Little-seen, but those that have cropped up have been dry, fruity, and delicious wines of CHARMES-CHAMBERTIN AOC some richness. Another Gevrey-Chambertin grand cru. The Grand Cru gPinot Noir, Pinot Liébault, Pinot Gris wine may be sold simply as Chambertin, The largest Gevrey-Chambertin grand cru, part k1–3 years the name of a neighboring grand cru, but of the vineyard is known as Mazoyères, from tBertagna • J.-C. Boisset • Yves Chaley • Guy Chambertin may not call itself Clos de Bèze. which Mazoyères-Chambertin has evolved. BURGUNDY - CÔTE DE NUITS AND HAUTES-CÔTES DE NUITS 147

RED Soft, sumptuous wines with ripe-fruit required for a completely harmonious flavor. flavors and pure Pinot character, although some gPinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Pinot Liébault slightly lack finesse. k15–30 years g Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Pinot Liébault tMommessin k10–20 years tDenis Bachelet • Confuron-Cotétidot • CLOS DE VOUGEOT AOC Claude Dugat • Bernard Dugat-Py • Grand Cru Frederic • Géantet-Pansiot • Vincent Girardin • Perrot-Minot • Sérafin Père & Fils • Joseph Roty • Christophe Roumier • Armand Rousseau • Taupenot- Merme • de la Vougeraie B RED The best have a fine and fragrant flavor CLOS DE BÈZE AOC that relies more on delicacy than power, but too An alternative appellation for Chambertin-Clos many deserve no more than a village de Bèze. See Chambertin-Clos de Bèze AOC. appellation. g AOC Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Pinot Liébault k10–20 years Grand Cru tRobert Arnoux • Albert Bichot (Clos Frantin) This vineyard was classified as one of the four • Confuron-Cotétidot • Dujac • Engel • grands crus of Morey-St.-Denis only as recently The only grand cru of Vougeot, it is a massive Faiveley • Forey Père & Fils • Vincent as 1981, although the previous owner used to 123-acre (50-hectare) block of vines with no Girardin • Jean Grivot • A.-F. Gros • Louis put “grand cru classé ” (illegally) on the label. fewer than 85 registered owners. It has been Jadot • Robert Jayer-Gilles • Lucien Lemoine RED The vineyard was replanted under new described as “an impressive sight, but a not very • Mongeard-Mugneret • Mugneret-Gibourg ownership and now produces fine, elegant impressive site.” This mass ownership situation • de la Romanée-Conti • Emmanuel Rouget wines with silky fruit of a good, easily has often been used to illustrate the classic • Fabrice Vigot recommendable quality. difference between Burgundy and Bordeaux, where an entire vineyard belongs to one g FIXIN AOC Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Pinot Liébault château and so the wine can be blended to a k10–20 years standard quality and style every year. Fixin was at one time the summer residence of the dukes of Burgundy. tdes Lambrays RED With individual plots ranging in quality RED from truly great to very ordinary, operated by Well-colored wines that can be firm, tannic CLOS DE LA ROCHE AOC growers of varying skills, it is virtually vins de garde of excellent quality and even Grand Cru impossible to unravel the intrinsic characteristics better value. Covering an area of almost 42 acres (17 of this cru. Its best wines, however, have lots of gPinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Pinot Liébault hectares), Clos de La Roche is twice the size silky Pinot fruit, an elegant balance, and a k6–12 years of the other grands crus of Morey-St.-Denis. tendency toward finesse rather than fullness. WHITE Rich, dry, and concentrated wines that RED A deep-colored, rich, and powerfully gPinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Pinot Liébault are rare, but exciting and well worth seeking flavored vin de garde with a silky texture. k10–25 years out. Bruno Clair shows what Pinot Blanc can Many consider it the greatest grand cru of tRobert Arnoux • Joseph Drouhin • René produce when it is not overcropped. Morey-St.-Denis. Engel • Faiveley • Jean Grivot • Anne Gros gChardonnay, Pinot Blanc gPinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Pinot Liébault • Michel Gros • Alain Hudelot-Noëllat • k3–8 years k10–20 years Louis Jadot • Dominique Laurent • Leroy B tBart • Berthaut • Bruno Clair • Pierre • Méo-Camuzet • Mugneret-Gibourg • tDujac • Leroy B • Lucien Lemoine • Gelin • Philippe Joliet • Mongeard-Mugneret Nicolas Potel • Château la Tour • de la Hubert Lignier • Michel Magnien & Fils • Vougeraie B Ponsot • Armand Rousseau FIXIN PREMIER CRU AOC CLOS VOUGEOT AOC Premiers crus: Les Arvelets, Clos du Chapitre, CLOS ST.-DENIS AOC Aux Cheusots, Les Hervelets, Le Meix Bas, La See Grand Cru Clos de Vougeot AOC Perrière, Queue de Hareng (located in This is the grand cru that the village of Morey CÔTE DE NUITS-VILLAGES AOC neighboring Brochon), En Suchot, Le Village. attached to its name when it was the best The best premiers crus are La Perrière and Clos growth in the village, a position now contested This appellation covers the wines produced in du Chapitre. Clos de la Perrière is a monopoly by Clos de la Roche and Clos de Tart. one or more of five communes: Fixin and owned by Philippe Joliet that encompasses En Brochon situated in the north of the district and RED Strong, fine, and firm wines with rich Souchot and Queue de Hareng as well as La Comblanchien, Corgoloin, and Prissy in the liquorice and berry flavors that require time to Perrière itself. south. come together. RED Splendidly deep in color and full in body RED Firm, fruity, and distinctive wines made in gPinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Pinot Liébault with masses of blackcurrant and redcurrant fruit, true, well-structured Côte de Nuits style. supported by a good tannic structure. k10–25 years gPinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Pinot Liébault gPinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Pinot Liébault tBertagna • Philippe Charlopin-Parizot • k6–10 years Philippe Charlopin • Dujac • Louis Jadot • k10–20 years WHITE Lucien Lemoine • Michel Magnien & Fils • Very little is made—just 44 cases (4 WHITE I have not encountered any but it Ponsot • Nicolas Potel hectoliters) in 1985—and I have never would not be unreasonable to assume that it encountered it. might be at least as good as a basic Fixin blanc. CLOS DE TART AOC gChardonnay, Pinot Blanc tBerthaut • Pierre Gelin • Philippe Joliet • Grand Cru tde l'Arlot • Michel Esmonin • Gachot-Monot Mongeard-Mugneret This is one of the four grands crus of Morey-St.- • Naudin-Ferrand • Daniel Rion & Fils (Le Denis. It is entirely owned by the négociant Vaucrain) GEVREY-CHAMBERTIN AOC Mommessin. In addition to Clos de Tart itself, a Famous for its grand cru of Chambertin, the tiny part of the Bonnes Mares grand cru also ECHÉZEAUX AOC best growers also produce superb wines under has the right to this appellation. Grand Cru this appellation. Some vineyards overlap the RED This monopole yields wines with a This 74-acre (30-hectare) vineyard is the larger village of Brochon. penetrating Pinot flavor, to which Mommessin of the two grands crus of Flagey-Echézeaux and RED These well-colored wines are full, rich, adds such a spicy-vanilla character from 100 is comprised of 11 climats owned by no fewer and elegant, with a silky texture and a percent new oak that great bottle maturity is than 84 smallholders. perfumed aftertaste reminiscent of the pure fruit 148 FRANCE of Pinot Noir. The is, however, undeniably superior for and cherry, they are best consumed young, gPinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Pinot Liébault a premier cru and as Lamarche has been on although people do enjoy them when the wine has an orange tinge and the fruit is overmature. k7–15 years form since its promotion, perhaps the cart should come before the horse sometimes. gPinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Pinot Liébault tDenis Bachelet • Alain Burguet • Philippe RED Charlopin • Confuron-Cotétidot • Drouhin- When Lamarche gets this right, the wine is k1–3 years Laroze • Bernard Dugat-Py • Dujac • well colored with deep, spicy-floral, black tCharles Audoin • René Bouvier • Bernard Dujac Père • Labouré-Roi • Marc Roy cherry fruit. Coillot (Les Boivins) • Louis Jadot • Denis (Vieilles Vignes, Clos Priéur) • Denis Mortet gPinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Pinot Liébault Mortet (Les Longeroies) • Géantet Pansiot • Géantet Pansiot k7–15 years (Champ Perdrix) tLamarche GEVREY-CHAMBERTIN MAZIS-CHAMBERTIN AOC PREMIER CRU AOC GRIOTTES-CHAMBERTIN AOC Grand Cru Grand Cru Sometimes known as Mazy-Chambertin. One of The smallest of the nine grands crus of Gevrey- the nine grands crus of Gevrey-Chambertin. Chambertin. RED These complex wines have a stature RED The best growers produce deep-colored, second only to Chambertin and Clos de Bèze. delicious wines with masses of soft-fruit flavors They have a fine, bright color, supersilky and all the velvety texture that could be finesse, and a delicate flavor that lasts. expected of Chambertin itself. gPinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Pinot Liébault gPinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Pinot Liébault k10–20 years k10–20 years tAuvenay B • Bernard Dugat-Py • Frédéric tJoseph Drouhin • Claude Dugat • Frédéric Esmonin • Faiveley • Jean-Michel Guillon • Esmonin • Jean-Claude Fourrier • Louis Lucien Lemoine • Leroy B • Bernard Premiers crus: Bel Air, La Bossière, Les Jadot • Ponsot • Joseph Roty Maume • Philippe Nadeff • Joseph Roty • Cazetiers, Champeaux, Champitennois, Armand Rousseau Champonnet, Clos du Chapitre, Cherbandes, Au LATRICIÈRES- Closeau, Combe au Moine, Aux Combottes, Les CHAMBERTIN AOC MAZOYÈRES- Corbeaux, Craipillot, En Ergot, Etournelles (or Grand Cru CHAMBERTIN AOC Estournelles), Fonteny, Les Goulots, Lavaut (or Lavout St.-Jacques), La Perrière, Petite Chapelle, One of the nine grands crus of Gevrey- An alternative appellation for Charmes- Petits Cazetiers, Plantigone (or Issarts), Chambertin, situated above the Mazoyères Chambertin. See Charmes-Chambertin AOC. Poissenot, Clos Prieur-Haut (or Clos Prieure), La climat of Charmes-Chambertin. A tiny part of Romanée, Le Clos St.-Jacques, Les Varoilles. the adjoining premier cru, Aux Combottes, also MOREY-ST.-DENIS AOC has the right to use this AOC. RED This excellent little wine village tends to be These wines generally have more color, RED concentration, and finesse than the village Solid structure and a certain austerity overlooked. The fact that it is situated between wines, but, with the possible exception of Clos connect the two different styles of this wine two world-famous places, Gevrey-Chambertin St.-Jacques, do not quite match the grands crus. (early-drinking and long-maturing). They and Chambolle-Musigny, coupled with the fact sometimes lack fruit and generosity, but wines gPinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Pinot Liébault that Clos St.-Denis is no longer considered to be from the top growers recommended below are Gevrey-Chambertin's top grand cru, does little k10–20 years always the finest to be found. to promote the name of this village. tAlain Burguet • Bruno Clair • Drouhin- gPinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Pinot Liébault RED The best of these village wines have a Laroze • Claude Dugat • Bernard Dugat-Py k10–20 years vivid color, a very expressive bouquet, and a • Dujac • Frédéric Esmonin • Michel B smooth flavor with lots of finesse. A Morey-St.- Esmonin • Faiveley • Jean-Claude Fourrier tDrouhin-Laroze • Faiveley • Leroy • Denis from a domaine such as Dujac can have • Herezstyn • Louis Jadot • Lucien Lemoine Ponsot • Jean Trapet Père & Fils the quality of a top premier cru. • Denis Mortet • Philippe Nadeff • Géantet Pansiot • Michelle & Patrice Rion • Joseph MARSANNAY AOC gPinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Pinot Liébault Roty • Armand Rousseau • Sérafin • Jean This village, situated in the very north of the k8–15 years Trapet Père & Fils Côte de Nuits, has long been famous for its rosé WHITE Dujac produces an excellent Morey-St.- and has recently developed a reputation for its Denis blanc, but more interesting, although less GRANDS ECHÉZEAUX AOC red wines. In May 1987 it was upgraded to full consistent, is Ponsot’s Monts Luisants blanc. village AOC status from its previous appellation Grand Cru Although Monts Luisants is a premier cru, the of Bourgogne Marsannay. There is talk of a upper section from which this wine comes is The smaller and superior of the two grands crus classification of Marsannay that would result in part of the village appellation (the southeastern of Flagey-Echézeaux, this area is separated from a new Marsannay premier cru AOC. This would corner is classified grand cru and sold as Clos the upper slopes of the Clos de Vougeot by a be at least as justifiable as Maranges premier de la Roche!). When Ponsot gets the Monts village boundary. cru in the Côte de Beaune, not so much in the Luisants blanc right, it can be a superbly fresh, RED Fine and complex wines that should have sense that either village has vineyards of truly dry, buttery-rich wine and some writers have a silky bouquet, often reminiscent of violets. premier cru quality, but it is at least useful in compared it to a . highlighting the better vineyards. The flavor can be very round and rich, but is gChardonnay, Pinot Blanc balanced by a certain delicacy of fruit. RED Firm and fruity wines with juicy redcurrant k3–8 years gPinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Pinot Liébault flavors, hints of liquorice, cinnamon and, if new oak has been used, vanilla. tPierre Amiot • Philippe Charlopin • Dujac • k10–20 years Dujac Père • Hubert Lignier • Michel gPinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Pinot Liébault tEngel • Gros Frère & Sœur • François Magnien • Perrot-Minot • Ponsot • Georges Lamarche • Mongeard-Mugneret • de la k4-8 years Roumier Romanée-Conti WHITE Mostly light and tangy, early-drinking wines, although the top wines made in a MOREY-ST.-DENIS AOC suitable vintage, by the likes of Charles Audoin PREMIER CRU AOC and Louis Jadot, are a lot richer, creamier and Grand Cru Premiers crus: offer serious aging potential. Clos Baulet, Les Blanchards, La The newest grand cru of Vosne-Romanée, La Bussière, Les Chaffots, Aux Charmes, Les gChardonnay Grande Rue was generally considered to have Charrières, Les Chénevery, Aux Cheseaux, Les the best potential of all the premiers crus in this k2–5 years Faconnières, Les Genevrières, Les Gruenchers, village. Officially upgraded in 1992, although ROSÉ These dry wines are rich, rather than light Les Millandes, Monts Luisants, Clos des Ormes, the quality of wine produced by its sole owner, and fragrant. Packed with ripe fruit flavors that Clos Sorbè, Les Sorbès, Côte Rôtie, La Riotte, Les François Lamarche, was erratic to say the least. can include blackberry, blackcurrant, raspberry Ruchots, Le Village. BURGUNDY - CÔTE DE NUITS AND HAUTES-CÔTES DE NUITS 149

tde l’Arlot • R. Chevillon • J. Chauvenet • J.-J. Confuron • Confuron-Cotétidot • Thibault Liger-Belair • Bertrand Marchard de Gramont • A. Michelot • des Perdrix • Daniel Rion & Fils NUITS-ST.-GEORGES PREMIER CRU AOC

RED This is a gloriously rich wine that has a RED These wines should have all the color, heavenly bouquet and is full of velvety and bouquet, flavor, and finesse of the excellent voluptuous fruit flavors. village wines plus an added expression of gPinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Pinot Liébault terroir. The best premiers crus are: Clos des Ormes, Clos Sorbè, and Les Sorbès. k12–30 years gPinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Pinot Liébault tJean Grivot • Anne Gros • Alain Hudelot- Noëllat • Leroy B• Méo-Camuzet • de la k10–20 years Romanée-Conti WHITE The only white Morey-St.-Denis I know is from the upper section of Monts Luisants LA ROMANÉE AOC belonging to Ponsot (see Morey-St.-Denis AOC Premiers crus: Les Argillats, Les Argillières*, Gr above). To my knowledge, no other white and Cru Clos Arlot*, Aux Boudots, Aux Bousselots, Les This vineyard is owned by the Liger-Belair Morey-St.-Denis premier cru is made. Cailles, Les Chaboeufs, Aux Chaignots, Chaine- gChardonnay family, but the wine was matured, bottled, and Carteau (or Chaines-Carteaux), Aux Champs sold by Bouchard Père & Fils until 2002, when tPierre Amiot • Dujac • Herezstyn • Hubert Perdrix, Clos des Corvées*, Clos des Corvées 1 Louis-Michel Liger-Belair took over. Less than 2 ⁄2 Lignier • Frédic Magnien (Les Ruchots) • Pagets*, Aux Cras, Les Crots, Les Damodes, Les acres (1 hectare), it is the smallest grand cru of Perrot-Minot • Georges Roumier Didiers, Les Forêts* (or Clos des Forêts St.- Vosne-Romanée. Georges*), Les Grandes Vignes*, Château Gris, RED MUSIGNY AOC Les Hauts Pruliers, Clos de la Maréchale*, Aux This is a full, fine, and complex wine that might not have the voluptuous appeal of a Grand Cru Murgers, Aux Perdrix*, En la Perrière Noblet (or En la Perrière Noblot), Les Perrières, Les Porets, Richebourg, but that certainly has the class to Musigny is the smaller of Chambolle-Musigny’s Les Poulettes, Les Procès, Les Pruliers, La age gracefully. two grands crus. It covers some 25 acres (10 Richemone, La Roncière, Rue de Chaux, Les St.- gPinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Pinot Liébault hectares) on the opposite side of the village to Georges, Clos St.-Marc (or Aux Corvées), Les k12–30 years Bonnes Mares. Terres Blanches, Aux , Les Vallerots, Les tBouchard Père & Fils • Vicomte Liger-Belair RED These most stylish of wines have a Vaucrains, Aux Vignerondes. fabulous color and a smooth, seductive, and *In the village of Prémeaux-Prissey. ROMANÉE-CONTI AOC spicy bouquet. The velvet-rich fruit flavor RED These wines have a splendid color, a Grand Cru constantly unfolds to reveal a succession of spicy-rich bouquet, and a vibrant fruit flavor taste experiences. which can be nicely underpinned with vanilla. gPinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Pinot Liébault gPinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Pinot Liébault k10–30 years k10–20 years WHITE Musigny blanc is a rare and expensive WHITE Henri Gouges’s La Perrière is dry, dry wine produced solely at Comte Georges de powerful, almost fat, with a spicy-rich aftertaste. Vogüé. It combines the steel of a with The vines used for this wine were propagated the richness of a Montrachet, although it never from a mutant Pinot Noir that produced quite achieves the quality of either. bunches of both black and white grapes. gChardonnay Gouges cut a shoot from a white-grape- k8–20 years producing branch of the mutant vine in the tJoseph Drouhin • Louis Jadot • Leroy B • mid-1930s, and there is now just over one acre J.-F. Mugnier (Château de Chambolle- (just under half a hectare) of the vines planted This Vosne-Romanée grand cru is under 5 acres Musigny) • Christophe Roumier • Georges by Gouges, none of which have ever reverted (2 hectares) in size and belongs solely to the Roumier • Comte Georges de Vogüé to producing black grapes. famous Domaine de la Romanée-Conti. gChardonnay, Pinot Blanc RED As the most expensive burgundy in the NUITS AOC k5–10 years world, this wine must always be judged by higher standards than all the rest. Yet I must See Nuits-St.-Georges AOC tBertrand Ambroise • de l’Arlot • Robert admit that I never fail to be amazed by the Arnoux • Bouchard Père & Fils • Jean stunning array of flavors that continuously NUITS PREMIER CRU AOC Chauvenet (Les Perrières) • Robert Chevillon unfold in this fabulously concentrated and See • J.-J. Confuron • Confuron-Cotétidot • Nuits-St.-Georges Premier Cru AOC utterly complex wine. Dubois & Fils • Faiveley • Forey Père & Fils NUITS-ST.-GEORGES AOC • Henri Gouges • Jean Grivot • Alain gPinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Pinot Liébault Hudelot-Noëllat • Robert Jayer-Gilles • k15–35 years More than any other, the name of this town Dominique Laurent • Philippe & Vincent graphically projects the image of full flavor and tde la Romanée-Conti Léchenaut • Leroy B • Thibault Liger-Belair sturdy structure for which the wines of the Côte • Alain Michelot • Mugneret-Gibourg • de Nuits are justly famous. ROMANÉE-ST.-VIVANT AOC Gérard Mugneret • Gilles Remoriquet • RED Grand Cru These are deep-colored, full, and firm Daniel Rion & Fils • Michelle & Patrice Rion wines, but they can sometimes lack the style • Patrice Rion • Antonin Rodet • Jean The largest of the six grands crus on the lowest and character of wines from Gevrey, Chambolle, Tardy • de la Vougeraie B slopes and closest to the village. and Morey. RED This is the lightest of the fabulous grands gPinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Pinot Liébault RICHEBOURG AOC crus of Vosne-Romanée, but what it lacks in k7–15 years Grand Cru power and weight it makes up for in finesse. WHITE I have not tasted this wine. (See white One of the six grands crus at the heart of gPinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Pinot Liébault Nuits-St.-Georges premier cru). Vosne-Romanée’s vineyards. k10–25 years 150 FRANCE

VINEYARDS OF CLOS DE VOUGEOT ON THE COTE DE NUITS The Château du Clos de Vougeot has played a big part in the region’s wine industry for many years. However, the 124 acres (50 hectares) of vineyards surrounding the château are split into more than 80 plots. tRobert Arnoux • Sylvain Cathiard • J.-J. could expect from the finest of burgundies, and tde l’Arlot • Robert Arnoux • Albert Bichot Confuron • Joseph Drouhin • Follin-Arbelet no other wine surpasses La Tâche for finesse. (Clos Frantin) • Sylvain Cathiard • • Alain Hudelot-Noëllat • Lucien Lemoine • gPinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Pinot Liébault Confuron-Cotétidot • Engel • Jean Grivot • Leroy B • de la Romanée-Conti k12–30 years Alain Hudelot-Noëllat • S. Javouhey • Henri Jayer • Lamarche • Lucien Lemoine • Leroy tde la Romanée-Conti RUCHOTTES- B • Vicomte Liger-Belair • Méo-Camuzet • CHAMBERTIN AOC VOSNE-ROMANÉE AOC Gérard Mugneret • Perrot-Minot • Nicolas Gr Potel • Daniel Rion & Fils • Michelle & and Cru This is the most southerly of the great villages Patrice Rion • Emmanuel Rouget This is the second-smallest of the nine grands of the Côte de Nuits. Some Vosne-Romanée crus of Gevrey-Chambertin. It is situated above vineyards are in neighboring Flagey-Echézeaux. VOUGEOT AOC Mazis-Chambertin and is the last grand cru This village includes the Romanée-Conti vineyard. before the slope turns to face north. RED The modest village wines of Vougeot are a Sleek, stylish, medium-bodied wines of the relative rarity, this appellation covering less than purest Pinot Noir character and with the silky RED Normally one of the lighter Chambertin 12 acres (5 hectares), which is less than one- texture so typical of the wines of this village. look-alikes, but top growers like Roumier and tenth of the area encompassed by the Clos de Rousseau seem to achieve a bagful of added gPinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Pinot Liébault Vougeot grand cru itself. ingredients in their splendidly rich wines. k10–15 years RED Little-seen, fine-flavored, well-balanced gPinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Pinot Liébault tRobert Arnoux • Sylvain Cathiard • Bruno wines that are overpriced due to their scarcity. k8–20 years Clavelier • Engel • Confuron-Contédidot • It is better to buy a premier cru. Bernard Dugat-Py • Forey tFrédéric Esmonin • Mugneret-Gibourg • (Vieilles Vignes) gPinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Pinot Liébault Père & Fils • Jean Grivot • Anne Gros • Christophe Roumier • Georges Roumier • k8–20 years Michel Gros • Méo-Camuzet • Mugneret- Armand Rousseau WHITE Gibourg • Perrot-Minot • Emmanuel Rouget A rarity. • Fabrice Vigot tBertagna • Mongeard-Mugneret LA TÂCHE AOC Grand Cru VOSNE-ROMANÉE VOUGEOT PREMIER CRU AOC PREMIER CRU AOC Premiers crus: Les Crâs, Clos de la Perrière, Premiers crus: Les Beaux Monts, Les Beaux Les Petits Vougeots, La Vigne Blanche. Monts Bas*, Les Beaux Monts Hauts*, Les The premiers crus are located between Clos de Brûlées, Les Chaumes, La Combe Brûlées, La Vougeot and Musigny and, from a terroir point Croix Rameau, Cros-Parantoux, Les Gaudichots, of view, should produce much better wines. Les Hauts Beaux Monts, Aux Malconsorts, En RED Can be nicely colored, medium bodied, Orveaux*, Les Petits Monts, Clos des Réas, Aux and have an attractive flavoºr with a good Reignots, Les Rouges du Dessus *, Les Suchots. balance and a certain finesse. *These premier cru vineyards of Vosne-Romanée gPinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Pinot Liébault are actually in Flagey-Echézeaux. k10–20 years RED These are well-colored wines with fine WHITE A clean, rich, and crisp wine of variable One of Vosne-Romanée’s six grands crus, this aromatic qualities that are often reminiscent of quality, called Clos Blanc de Vougeot, is fabulous vineyard belongs to the world-famous violets and blackberries. They have a silky texture produced by L’Héritier Guyot from the premier Domaine de la Romanée-Conti (DRC), which and a stylish flavor that is pure Pinot Noir. The cru of La Vigne Blanche. also owns the Romanée-Conti grand cru. best premiers crus to look out for are: Les Brûlées, Cros-Parantoux, Les Petits-Monts, Les gChardonnay, Pinot Blanc RED While this wine is indeed extremely rich Suchots, and Les Beaumonts (an umbrella name and very complex, it does not in comparative k4–10 years for the various Beaux Monts, high and low). terms quite have the richness of Richebourg, tBertagna (Clos de la Perrière monopole) • nor the complexity of Romanée-Conti. It does, gPinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Pinot Liébault Lamarche • de la Vougeraie B (Clos du however, have all the silky texture anyone k10–20 years Prieuré monopole)