Burgundy

This famous centre and main town of the Côte d´Or in the southern section of the Côte de Beaune is considered to be the wine capital of Burgundy in France (politically the capital of the region is Dijon). The city was founded by Julius Caesar (100-44 v. Chr.) as a Roman camp, and was the seat of the kings of Burgundy until the 13th century. Under duke Philipp the Good (1396-1467), Nicolas Rolin founded the world-famous „Hôtel Dieu (hotel of god) in 1443, the Christian Hospices de Beaune. The charity auction that takes place here each year is an international event. The first major wine merchant houses were established in the city in the 18th century, these included, for example, Champy (1720) and Bouchard (1721). The city is still surrounded by walls today, and is riddled by numerous wine cellars below the surface. The appellation of the same name, Beaune, has a total vineyard area of 414 hectares, 90% of the wines produced are red wines made from Pinot Noir, with small proportions of Pinot Gris and Pinot Liébault permitted. The small volume of white wines is made from Chardonnay, with a small share of Pinot Blanc permitted. There are no Grand Cru vineyards. There are more than 40 Premiers Crus with a total vineyard area of 322 hectares, the best-known are Avaux, Bichot, Bressandes, Cent Vignes, Champs Pimont, Clos des Mouches, Clos du Roy, Fèves, Gréves, Marconetts, Teurons and Vignes Franches. The most important producers include André, Besancenot-Mathouillet, Bouchard, Drouhin Joseph, Hospices de Beaune, Jadot, Louis Latour, Morot and Tollot-Beaut. See also the entries for the Côte de Beaune and Côte de Beaune-Villages appellations.