Côte Chalonnaise
Côte Chalonnaise: sincere crus with character
The Côte Chalonnaise is located west of the city of Chalon-sur-Saône, and connects with the Côte de Beaune region to the south. Even far from the prestigious top sites, Chardonnays and Pinots originate here which embody the best of the Burgundian characteristics, even if they do not have the fullness and complexity of premium wines from Beaune. They are sincere wines that, with their edges and corners, are ideal for pairing with food. The refreshing Crémant de Bourgogne is a particular specialty of this region.
White wines from Côte Chalonnaise
Red wines from Côte Chalonnaise
South of the city of Chagny, Burgundy loses its extremely clear topographic profile. The limestone hills on which the wines are cultivated are located in the midst of fertile agricultural land with fruit orchards and pastures. This rich variety lends the region a special charm. On the roughly 2,500 hectares of vineyard area, red wine dominates – especially Pinot Noir, with a share of almost 75 percent. Nonetheless, unique white wines also originate in the region, primarily from Chardonnay grapes, but also from the Aligoté and Pinot Blanc varieties. While there are no grand crus in the Côte Chalonnaise, there is a whole range of premier crus with very strong reputations.
Five communal appellations
Of the 44 villages where wine is cultivated here, the five municipalities of Bouzeron, Rully, Mercurey, Givry and Montagny, which have their own communal appellation, have an outstanding reputation. In the small village of Bouzeron, in the north of the growing area, Aligoté is cultivated on slopes with a high lime content, which has yielded wines with astonishing finesse in recent years. Neighbouring Rully is also considered a white wine stronghold: Chardonnay, especially, presents the finesse that typifies the variety here. On the brown limestone soils of Givry and Mercurey at the centre of the cultivation area, Pinot Noir again clearly plays the leading role. The premier crus, especially, are guarantors of solid growths with robust tannins and a refreshing acidity. In Montagny, the southernmost village appellation of the Côte Chalonnaise, Chardonnay again takes the reins. Wines from here present the same finesse as those from neighbouring Mâcon.
Land of the Crémant sparkling wines
Viticulture in the Côte Chalonnaise goes back to Roman times. The port of Chalone-sur-Saône has, since then, been of great significance to trade in Burgundy vintages. Thus, in this section of the Saône River, hundreds of amphorae have been found during excavations. King Henry IV (1533-1610) is considered a special ambassador for the wines from the Côte Chalonnaise. He is said to have had a special preference for the red crus from Givry. The sparkling wines produced here (Crémant de Bourgogne) – the best of which achieve the level of quality of Champagnes – are currently growing in importance.
