Cote de Beaune
Named for the primary town in the area, Beaune, the Cote de Beaune is an important wine-producing area in Burgundy, France. As part of the larger Cote d'Or region, along with Cote de Nuits, the best wines of the Cote de Beaune are amongst the finest in the world, with prices to match. The Cotes d'Or escarpment is the region's spine, and the best vineyards lie on the slopes, with limestone-rich soils. Vineyard class and status is determined by the quality of these soils, based on over 100 years of classifications.
The area has a continental climate, with warm days and very cool nights, and there is a danger of springtime frosts and hail damage - in 2013, 70 percent of the crop was lost. Well known appellations in the Cote de Beaune include Meursault, Puligny-Montrachet, Volnay and Corton and there several Grand Cru and Premier Cru vineyards across the region. Outside of these smaller, premium growing areas, many vineyard sites have the regional Bourgogne appellation applied to them.
