Côte de Nuits

The northern counterpart to the Côte de Beaune, the Côte de Nuits is a mecca for lovers of febrile Pinot Noir. Home to the most expensive renditions of this variety in the world, it boasts 25 Grand Cru vineyards and 135 Premier Cru sites.

The villages here read like a who’s who of Pinot: Nuits-Saint-Georges, Vougeot, Vosne-Romanée, Chambolle-Musigny, Morey-Saint-Denis and Gevrey-Chambertin.

Here you’ll find some of the most prized vineyard land in the world, including monopole sites such as La Romanée-Conti, La Grande Rue, Clos de Tart and Clos des Lambrays.

There are few bargains to be had along this narrow, 12-mile strip of land, which climbs the limestone escarpment above the road – the RN74 – from Dijon to Beaune, but if you want to experience the apogee of Pinot Noir and get to grips with the essence of terroir, this is hallowed turf.

Marsannay and Fixin – less fashionable names that are home to a swathe of younger producers – can offer brilliant value. Marsannay is the only village permitted to make rosé under its appellation rules.

While some white wine is made, production in the Côte de Nuits is heavily dominated by Pinot Noir.