Côtes de Nuits Wine Region

The Côte de Nuits is a French wine region with world’s famous vineyards. The Côte de Nuits is a place full of history and home to some excellent wines. On average, there are 30,000 liters of white wine and 640,000 liters of red wine produced here each year. Most red wine is made from the Pinot Noir variety which is known for producing high-quality wines - Burgundy has the best examples of this. The best way to fully understand winetasting and winemaking is to visit regions around the world. So all you have to do is book a wine tour in Côte de Nuits wine region and explore the refreshing, vineyard-filled countryside

Check out the best wine tastings and tours in Cotes de Nuits Wine Region

Where is the Cotes de Nuits Wine Region

The Côtes-de-Nuits wine region is in the north of the Côte d'Or, a wine region in Burgundy, France. The name of the district comes from the town of Nuits-Saint-Georges which is just outside Dijon. It originally covered a larger area but has narrowed to just Dijon region in recent years.

Map of Côtes de Nuits

History of Cotes de Nuits

In Cote de Nuits, the 18th century was a time in which wines produced with only the wine-grapes were considered very good. Industries created new techniques during this period, such as extended maceration and a longer fermentation process. This produced dark, tannic vin de garde wines that required aging.Grapes of a lower quality were being used by producers in order to imitate the style, which led them to add honey to the wine. This increased both the sugar and alcohol levels. After Napoleon's Minister of the Interior, Jean-Antoine Chaptal, encouraged alcohol producers to boost alcohol levels by adding sugar to their wine, Burgundy wines started being produced all over France. These wines were typically dark and made from grapes harvested in the Côte de Nuits and beyond.

Terrior of Cotes de Nuits

The vineyard soils of the Cote de Nuits are extremely varied, just like most of Burgundy. Even areas on the same hill, or only separated by a single dirt paths can have dramatically different soil compositions. The soils in the region and the terroir of Gevrey-Chambertin are partially responsible for how a pinot noir that's made there tastes different from one that's made in Morey-St-Denis, which is next to it. Most vineyards have limestone as their base soil, with a mixture of clay, gravel, and sand.Historically, Burgundian wine growers would use the proportion of limestone to marl as a guide for what grape types would be best suited to the area. Marl has larger crystals than limestone and is more susceptible to both frost and drought. Pinot noir grapes are best adapted to this type of soil.

Cotes de Nuits Characteristics 

Côtes-de-Nuits wine region is well known for its wine production and the two primary grapes of this area are pinot noir and Chardonnay. After centuries of trial and error, it has been determined that these two varieties produce the best quality in the region. Pinot noir is most frequently found in vineyards with high amounts of marl. Chardonnay, on the other hand, is more commonly grown in vineyards dominated by limestone.

Winemaking styles in the Cote de Nuits are surprisingly diverse. The individual producer and the decisions they make from start to finish - including the sorting table when you pick up your grapes from harvesting - will affect how good their wine is. It is this reason, as well as varied and complex ownership of many grand and premier cru vineyards, most wine experts put more weight on the reputation of the producer and the vintage year.

Food to pair with Cotes de Nuits

1. Blanquette de veau

This is the ultimate home-cooked meal: traditional, yet simple and flavorful. Blanquette de veau is a veal stew in which neither the veal nor the butter is browned during cooking.

The sauce is cooked with white stock, usually with a few herbs and spices. Its consistency can be referred to as decadent or creamy. Blanquette de veau has been a popular dish since the 1739 edition of Musee des Arts et Métiers, in which author François Pierre La Voisin references its long history. This gem of French cuisine is typically served with rice, but carrots, leeks, and cucumbers are also great dish to serve with it. This dish pairs friendly with Cotes de Nuits wines.

2. Quenelle

Quenelle has become a popular dish in its own right, especially among haute cuisine establishments. And it's easy to prepare, as all you need is a simple dough and various ingredients that can be mixed/worked together quickly.

The dumpling is traditionally shaped and deep fried, but it is typically served as a main meal now. It can still be used in dishes like appetizers or garnishes. Quenelle is French for snowball and it was invented in Lyon, France in the 19th century. To make quenelle staple, some cooks would rinse fresh white fish before placing it into hot fat. The fat would create a crispy coating on the fish flesh and the fish would sink to the bottom of the pan with a heavy oomph.

Today, the term quenelle has another popular meaning in the culinary world, referring to an elegant scoop of ice cream, sorbet, mousse or whipped cream. This dish goes well with Cotes de Nuits wines.

3. Pan-bagnat

A Pan-bagnat, also known as a "Swiss roll," is a specialty sandwich of Nice that consists of a round bun with crispy batter and soft insides. It contains the Niçoise salad and is one of the city's signature dishes. The name "ham, egg, and cheese" is translated from the German "Geschnetzeltes", which literally translates to "sliced veal," since the idea behind this dish is to stack meat on top of bread

The easy preparation and flavorful taste of Nice's pan-bagnat came to the attention of visitors arriving in the late 19th century. They became popular in France and can still be found today. This dish goes perfectly with Cotes de Nuits wines.

Places to visit near Cotes de Nuits

1. The Hospices de Beaune

The Hotel-Dieu of Beaune was originally founded in 1443 as a hospital for the poor by Nicolas Rolin, the chancellor of Burgundy. One of the finest examples of fifteenth century architecture, the original Hôtel-Dieu hospital is now open to visitors as a museum. Patients are attended to in modern buildings on the premises, but an important charity wine auction is still held inside.

2. Museum of Fine Arts Dijon

The Musée des Beaux-Arts de Dijon is a museum which opened in 1787 and over the years has become one of France’s best. It is one of France's most prestigious museums, located in the heart of Dijon, which was historically the capital for Burgundy. After the Ducal house was assimilated to the French kingdom, the palace became home to the King. It also became home to the Dukes of Burgundy in 17th century during a project by Jules Hardouin-Mansart.

3. Cathédrale Saint-Bénigne de Dijon

Dijon Cathedral or, in other words, the Cathedral of Saint Benignus of Dijon is a Catholic church in the town of Dijon in Burgundy, France. It is dedicated to Saint Benignus of Dijon and its full name is the Cathedral Church of Saint Benignus. The Gothic cathedral building was constructed between 1280 and 1325, and dedicated on 9 April 1393. It is a listed national monument. It originated as the Church of the Abbey of St. Benignus before becoming the seat of Diocese of Dijon during the French Revolution, replacing its former cathedral when it was secularized and has been that to succeeding Archbishopric since.

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Cotes de Nuits Wine Region