DIVING INTO BURGUNDY: BEAUNE AOC
Understanding the Burgundy region can be a very daunting task.
Not only is Burgundy one of the world’s most coveted and renowned regions for wine production, it is also one of the world’s most complicated. It has been said that it can take a lifetime to even come close to mastering the wines of Burgundy, and maybe even this is an understatement. Just ask the likes of Jasper Morris, MW., the author of the encyclopedic text “Inside Burgundy” and surely he (who has indeed devoted a lifetime to mastering this region) will agree.
But mastery doesn’t have to be the goal all the time. Sometimes, you just want and need to know enough…..to known enough.
That’s where we come in. We can’t be sure what brought you to this page - perhaps you are studying for wine exams, or planning a trip and wanting to visit the Burgundy region, or simply drinking a wine that you want to know more about - whatever the reason, our “Diving Into Burgundy” series will help you get a handle on some of the most important aspects of the wines of Burgundy.
For starters, consider looking at this article that we published, which provides a high level overarching view of the Burgundy region.
Next, let’s consider one of the most important appellations in Burgundy, and a great place to start any deep dive, that being the Beaune AOC.
UNDERSTANDING BEAUNE AOC IN BURGUNDY
Hospices de Beaune
How To Pronounce Beaune
The right way to say Beaune for someone who is not a native french speaker but is fluent in english lies somewhere between “Bun” and “Bone”. Put a little more emphasis on the the “B” and the “U” in “Bun” and you’d be in the right ballpark.
One Name, Many Applications
While it is tempting to simply say “Beaune” and start launching into an explanation of the wines from this appellation, it is imperative to first clarify that this is a name that has many uses and applications. To illustrate:
Beaune is the name of the town that is the commercial heart of the Burgundy region.
Côte de Beaune and Hautes Côtes de Beaune, jointly, is one of five recognized wine producing regions in Burgundy, specifically within the Côte d’Or. Both Côte de Beaune and Hautes Côtes de Beaune are discrete appellations in their own right, with their own winemaking rules and regulations.
Côte de Beaune-Villages is yet another discrete appellation that bears the Beaune name within it. This appellation can only be used by 14 communes that have been granted the right to use it, and only for the production of red wines.
Beaune AOC is a large appellation that surrounds the town of Beaune.
From this stage forward, any reference to the Beaune appellation in this article will be specifically limited to Beaune AOC only. Perhaps we will construct another article on the other appellations listed above in due course!
A Quick Overview of Beaune, France
Beaune, France is located approximately 300km, or a little over 3 hours by car, away from Paris. It can easily be accessed via the A6 highway.
With a population of just over 20,000 inhabitants, Beaune is the economic centre of the Côte d’Or when it comes to wine, and some would even argue that it holds this status for the Burgundy region as a whole.
A longtime centre of political and economic activity, Beaune has played a significant role in French history over the centuries, from hosting the first Burgundian Parliament in 1227 to being a residence for the Dukes of Burgundy. There is evidence that settlement took place here in the pre-Roman era and that the town was a centre for viticulture as far back as Roman times.
As the wine capital of the region, Beaune has much to offer wine lovers, from well-curated wine shops, endless vineyards and Michelin starred restaurants to cute boutique hotels and lively wine bars where you may very well rub elbows with famous winemakers without even knowing it. It is worth noting that Beaune is where many of the great wine négociant names in the region - for example, the likes of Chanson, Drouhin, Jadot and Latour - are based.
All in all, Beaune makes a great place to base yourself if you are touring through the Burgundy region and if you don’t want to stay there, it is definitely a pit stop you don’t want to miss!
In addition, if you are interested in wine, there is definitely one site in Beaune that you won’t want to miss, namely the Hôtel-Dieu/Hospices de Beaune.
The Hospices de Beaune
No discussion about the town of Beaune is complete without adequate reverence to its most prized piece of architecture, Hôtel-Dieu.
Located at the heart of Beaune, the magnificent Hôtel-Dieu, also known as the Hospices de Beaune, was founded in 1443 under the rule of Burgundy Duke Philip the Good as a hospital for the poor and is a stunning example of 15th-century Gothic architecture renowned for its colorful, glazed tile roof.
The building continued to serve as a hospital for the poor until the 1970s. Today, the Hôtel-Dieu serves as a museum. One of the museum’s most famous holdings is "The Last Judgment" altarpiece painted by Flemish artist, Rogier van der Weyden. Visitors are also able to visit the areas that functioned as primary spaces for the hospital.
The Hospices de Beaune Annual Auction
Beyond being a museum, the Hospices de Beaune is also a private wine estate that operates under the name “Domaine Hospices de Beaune”.
The Domaine owns 60 hectares of vineyards (50 h.a. of Pinot Noir and 10 h.a. of Chardonnay), 85% of which are classified as Premier Cru or Grand Cru. Most of the land is in the Beaune AOC, however some parcels are located in neighbouring appellations within Burgundy. In all, they produce over 50 different wines.
Annually, Domaine Hospices de Beaune holds one of the world’s most important wine auctions on the third Sunday of November, just shortly after harvest. They are essentially selling the current year’s wines “en primeur” and the funds raised (approx. 25 million euros in recent years!) are used to fund numerous hospital projects. The annual auction draws lots and lots of wine lovers to this small commune in France every year!
Beaune AOC
Now that we’ve discussed the town that is called Beaune, let’s get into the Appellation d’origine Côntrollée (AOC), or winemaking region, known as Beaune AOC:
Map of Beaune AOC vineyards in the Cote d’Or, Burgundy, France. Plots demarcated in orange are all Premier Cru vineyards; those in yellow are village level vineyards.
Type of Appellation
Beaune AOC is classified as a village-level appellation in the hierarchy of Burgundian appellations.
Appellation Location, Size, Altitude and Aspect
First granted AOC status in 1936, this appellation consists of approximately 400 hectares of vineyards which situated on the hillsides that sits above the town. It is the largest village appellation in the Côte d’Or.
Most of the vineyard land in the Beaune AOC faces east, and rises in altitude from 220 - 300 metres above sea level. Beaune is the only commune that produces Beaune AOC wines (this is not always the case - sometimes, the communes/villages producing wines differ from the name that is on the bottle!)
Soils
Beaune AOC soils are composed of brown limestone, interspersed with clay and sand.
Wines Produced
85% of the vineyards in the Beaune AOC are planted to red grapes. Accordingly, while the Beaune AOC is able to produce both red and white wines, there is a lot more red wine produced in this appellation vs. the amount of white wine that is produced.
Following the typical pattern in the Burgundy region, red wines from the Beaune AOC are based on Pinot Noir, while white Beaune AOC wines are made from Chardonnay. The general style of the wines tends to be pleasant and fruit-driven, rather than powerful and structured. These wines can often to be enjoyed earlier and tend to have medium-term aging windows of 2-7 years.
Not all wines from the Beaune AOC are created equal however - the soils and altitude of a vineyard, along with the choices made by a winemaker, can have a great impact on what is in the bottle. It is worth noting that the best vineyards tend to be the ones that are located mid-slope and directly above the centre of Beaune (commune).
Notable Producers
Given the size of the appellation, there is a large number of producers who make wines under the Beaune AOC. Names that many wine lovers will recognize, and are usually pretty widely available, include Albert Bichot, Bouchard Père & Fils, Domaine Chanson, and Louis Jadot amongst many.
Grand Cru Vineyards
As of now, Beaune AOC does not contain any Grand Cru vineyards. This is not likely to change in the near future.
Premier Cru Vineyards
The Beaune AOC actually has a very high proportion of Premier Cru vineyards compared to other appellations, representing almost 75% of the total hectares under this AOC. There are a total of 42 Premier Cru “climats” which stretch across the appellation in a wide band, from the border with neighbouring Pommard to the other border with Savigny-les-Beaune.
It is worth noting that experts argue that the designation of Premier Cru vineyards in the Beaune AOC was too generous, and that not all of the Premier Crus are of a good enough quality to bear this moniker. Most agree however that the standout Premier Cru vineyards include the likes of Clos des Mouches (owned by Maison Drouhin), Clos des Ursules, Les Bressandes and Teurons and that the best wines can rival Grand Cru wines from other appellations in Burgundy.
The full list of the Premier Cru climats in the Beaune AOC is as follows:
A l'Ecu
Aux Coucherias
Aux Cras
Belissand
Blanches Fleurs
Champs Pimont
Clos de l'Ecu
Clos de la Feguine
Clos de la Mousse
Clos des Avaux
Clos des Ursules
Clos du Roi
En Genêt
En l'Orme
La Mignotte
Le Bas des Teurons
Le Clos des Mouches
Les Aigrots
Les Avaux
Les Boucherottes
Les Bressandes
Les Cents Vignes
Les Chouacheux
Les Epenotes
Les Fèves
Les Grèves
Les Marconnets
Les Montrevenots
Les Perrières
Les Reversés
Les Sceaux
Les Seurey
Les Sizies
Les Teurons
Les Toussaints
Les Tuvilains
Les Vignes Franches
Montée Rouge
Pertuisots
Sur les Grèves
Sur les Grèves-Clos Sainte-Anne
Clos Saint-Landry
Note that in terms of labelling, producers will label their Premier Cru wines as “Beaune - [climat name]”, followed by the term “Premier Cru”. If a wine is designated as a Premier Cru, 100% of the fruit must come from the named vineyard. You can use this knowledge to help you decide if you are choosing a Premier Cru that is ranked well or not, or is interesting to you or not!
Worth Bearing in Mind - Other Lieux-Dits
Aside from the parcels (“climats”) designated as Premier Cru as noted above, there are 26 other parcels that are known as “lieux-dit” that may also appear on a bottle label.
By law, producers are permitted to use these lieux-dit in their labelling in the grapes used come from these parcels.
One must be careful about assuming that the name of a lieux-dit on a bottle automatically means the wine is special; in many cases, it is not any more special than wine from the generic Beaune AOC…..rather, the fruit simply comes from a parcel of land that is specifically registered in the land registry.
So buyer beware - if you don’t see “Premier Cru” on a bottle of wine from the Beaune AOC, remember that it is not a Premier Cru wine!
Final Thoughts
And there you have it - a summary of all things Beaune in Burgundy! We hope you have found this article helpful! Be sure to check back for more articles that dive into the Burgundy region in detail!
Wishing you love, light and of course, good wine from Burgundy! Cheers! ;-)