Côte de Beaune-Villages

The Côte de Beaune extends from Ladoix-Serrigny south to Santenay, encompassing Burgundy's most celebrated white wine territory. While the Côte de Nuits claims Pinot Noir supremacy, the Côte de Beaune reigns over Chardonnay—and produces elegant reds that deserve greater recognition. The transition happens at Corton, the only Grand Cru in Burgundy producing both red and white wine. Corton-Charlemagne's white and Corton's red both rank among the region's finest. Moving south, Beaune and Pommard produce structured reds, while Volnay offers silky elegance. But white wine defines this stretch. Meursault's rich, nutty Chardonnays give way to Puligny's crystalline precision and Chassagne's powerful structure. At the center lies Montrachet, the greatest dry white wine on Earth—a mere 8 hectares whose bottles command stratospheric prices. The landscape is gentler here than in the Côte de Nuits: the escarpment less severe, the villages spread wider. This geography creates more climatic variation, explaining why both colors thrive depending on exact position and soil composition.