Domains in Côte de Beaune discovering winegrowers and their know-how

The Côte de Beaune boasts an incredible variety of terroirs and expertise. From the big names based in Beaune to the family-run estates of Meursault, Pommard, Chassagne-Montrachet and Santenay, each estate offers a unique experience. Visitors can discover the richness of a vineyard where each hillside and exposure gives rise to a different expression of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Some wineries offer guided tours, blind tastings or walks between vineyards and hamlets, such as Échevronne, Magny-lès-Villers and Orches.

Wine houses such as Bouchard Père & Fils, Chanson and Louis Latour offer an overview of the Côte de Beaune and Côte de Nuits appellations, comparing terroirs and vintages. Family-run estates, located in villages such as Volnay, Auxey-Duresses and Saint-Aubin, focus on proximity: you can visit the winery and talk directly to the winemaker, who sometimes practises biodynamic viticulture. Wine châteaux, such as Château Philippe le Hardi or Château de Meursault, combine heritage, tasting and cultural immersion. The tour often includes a visit to the vaulted cellar, followed by a tasting of vintages from the surrounding plots on the Route des Grands Crus de Bourgogne.

The Côte de Beaune produces both great reds from Pinot Noir and exceptional whites from Chardonnay.

In Pommard or Monthélie, the reds are powerful and full-bodied.
In Volnay, Savigny-lès-Beaune or Santenay, they are finer and more delicate.
In Meursault, Puligny-Montrachet or Chassagne-Montrachet, the whites display a unique elegance and aromatic richness.
Each village has its own personality, and comparative tastings reveal these subtle nuances.

Burgundy’s appellations come in a variety of forms:

• Regional: like “Bourgogne Côte d’Or”, ideal for a first discovery.
• Villages: such as Meursault, Volnay, Saint-Romain or Santenay, which express the full typicity of a terroir.
• Premiers Crus and Grands Crus, from exceptional plots, where the precision of the work and the ageing potential are remarkable.

During a visit, the winegrowers explain how to read these distinctions and understand what each climate says about the soil and the know-how.

Yes, and that’s one of the great assets of the Côte de Beaune estates! After a tasting, you can buy directly from the cellar or have your bottles shipped. Prices vary according to appellation and vintage, but buying from the estate guarantees both authenticity and personalised advice.

Most of the estates on the Côte de Beaune, from Chorey-lès-Beaune to Santenay, offer an online booking system. It is advisable to book in advance, especially during the high season. Some estates offer themed experiences: an introduction to wine tasting, a blending workshop or a discovery of neighbouring villages such as Saint-Aubin, Pernand-Vergelesses or Santenay.

There’s no shortage of options: wine tasting in a troglodyte cellar, a bike ride between Meursault and Puligny-Montrachet, an aroma recognition workshop, or a guided tour through typical hamlets such as La Rochepot, Nantoux or Baubigny. Some estates are even opening their doors to the public for participatory harvests or wine and food pairing evenings.

The Côte de Beaune owes its renown to the diversity of its soils, altitudes and microclimates. The limestone slopes of Pernand-Vergelesses, the deep clay of Pommard and the stony soils of Santenay all give rise to wines with a rare personality. Between tradition, innovation and passion, the winegrowers of the Côte de Beaune share the same credo: to make the earth speak through each vintage.

It all depends on your mood… and the menu of the day! In this region of Burgundy, the red wines (made from Pinot Noir) have a more earthy character, with notes of red fruit, spices and sometimes undergrowth. The whites, on the other hand, play the elegance card: a round, buttery Meursault, a straightforward, mineral Puligny-Montrachet, a fresh Saint-Aubin. The ideal combination? Taste both! It’s often on the spot, visiting several estates, that you realise what you really like, between power and finesse.

The Côte de Beaune vineyards cover a mosaic of communes, from the north of Beaune to Santenay. Each appellation produces a limited number of bottles, because here, quality is preferred to volume. Some estates produce just a few thousand bottles a year, while others keep a minimum stock for the big years. That’s the charm (and sometimes the rarity) of Burgundy wines: it’s all a question of patience, vintage and climate.

Because here, every metre of vineyard tells a story. The Côte de Beaune is home to some of the region’s most emblematic appellations: Pommard, Volnay, Meursault, Puligny-Montrachet, Chassagne-Montrachet… These terroirs are ranked among the best in Burgundy, on a par with those of the Côte de Nuits. They produce white and red wines of incredible depth, capable of ageing for a long time, often from small plots where the winemaker works almost bottle by bottle.

Yes, and it’s a unique pleasure! Following the Route des Grands Crus de Bourgogne, you pass through a succession of wine-producing villages where each stop reveals a different atmosphere. A morning in Meursault for a dazzling white, lunch in Volnay or Pommard to discover a silky red, then a stroll around Santenay or Saint-Romain… The distances between villages are short, perfect for combining several tastings without running. The important thing is to take your time: here, each wine deserves to be listened to as much as tasted!