Côte de Nuits
Overview
The Côte de Nuits runs from Marsannay just south of Dijon down to Nuits-St-Georges, and is where the world’s greatest Pinot Noirs are made. The most celebrated communes — Gevrey-Chambertin, Morey-St-Denis, Chambolle-Musigny, Vougeot, Vosne-Romanée, and Nuits-St-Georges — produce wines of extraordinary depth, perfume, and longevity. Grand crus include Chambertin, Bonnes-Mares, Musigny, Clos de Vougeot, Échézeaux, Grands Échézeaux, La Romanée-Conti, and many others.
Key Villages
- Marsannay — northernmost; Pinot Noir rosé; emerging reds
- Gevrey-Chambertin — most northerly of the great villages; powerful, muscular reds
- Morey-St-Denis — small; both power and elegance; 5 grand crus
- Chambolle-Musigny — the most feminine, perfumed village; Musigny and Bonnes-Mares
- Vosne-Romanée — the apex of Burgundy; DRC, Leroy, Mugneret-Gibourg; Vosne spice and black fruit
- Nuits-St-Georges — robust, earthy; no grand crus but excellent premiers crus
Grape Varieties
Exclusively Pinot Noir for reds (the only wines made here). A tiny amount of white is made in some villages (Morey-St-Denis, Vougeot).
Style Notes
Côte de Nuits wines tend toward darker fruit (black cherry, plum, cassis), earthy/truffle notes, and firmer structure than Côte de Beaune. Villages in the northern sector (Gevrey, Morey) are typically more structured; Chambolle is the exception with its ethereal lightness. Vosne is the synthesis: perfume, power, precision.
Vintage Notes
- 2024: Harder-hit than Côte de Beaune. Cold snap at flowering was later and more severe north of Chambolle; some areas reported 20+ treatments for mildew vs. 2–3 in a normal year. Corridor from Nuits-St-Georges to Chambolle was particularly rain-affected. But quality is exceptional — sappy, terroir-driven wines with high acidity.
My Tastings
(none yet)
Sources
sources/articles/VFTC/VFTC Jan-Feb 2026 #121.pdf