Beaune

Styles

Principal grape varieties

Accessory grape varieties

Terroir

• The vineyard lies within the rectilinear, tectonically formed escarpment of the Côte de Beaune, which extends for approximately 25 kilometres in a general north-east/south-west direction.
• This tectonic escarpment separates the limestone plateaux of the Hautes Côtes, situated to the west at altitudes of between 400 and 500 metres, from the Bresse plain to the east, which lies at around 200 metres above sea level.
• The climate is cool oceanic with continental or southerly influences carried along the Rhône–Saône axis, a moderate annual rainfall of around 750 millimetres, and a mean annual temperature of 10.5 °C.
• The vine-growing slope has a general east/south-east aspect, divided by a deep dry valley and interrupted by combes that offer varied aspects facing south, south-west, or east/north-east.
• The lithological sequence of the slope begins with platy Callovian limestone, overlain by Oxfordian limestones, the whole sequence terminating in a hard limestone cliff that is often wooded.
• The soils are weakly developed, generally calcareous, thin, and well-draining, arranged in topo-sequences ranging from lean, highly calcareous soils at the top of the slope to deeper, surface-decarbonated soils on the piedmont outwash fans, reaching a depth of around 0.50 metres.
• The parcels delimited for production lie between 225 and 340 metres above sea level, with the Beaune appellation's upper boundary set at the wooded cliff.

• The controlled appellation of origin «Beaune» was recognised in 1936, while the list of climats entitled to carry the «premier cru» designation was recognised in 1943.
• The 1860 classification by the Viticulture Committee of the arrondissement of Beaune ranked each climat planted with noble varieties on a quality scale, forming the basis for the crus subsequently recognised.
• The development of the négociant-éleveur trade in Beaune during the eighteenth century organised the marketing of the wines and contributed to the structuring of the vineyard and to its reputation.

• The red wines are often characterised by a certain power underpinned by a well-balanced tannic structure, with animal notes and red-fruit aromas.
• Depending on the diversity of the natural environment, some red wines are silky and elegant with a well-present underlying structure, others more rustic with a certain firmness, but all share good ageing potential.

• The delimited harvest parcels lie on substrates — marly or limestone slopes mixed with Jurassic dolomite, or gently sloping gravelly outwash fans — that guarantee an optimal level of ripeness and a moderate yield.
• Varied slopes and aspects, together with a mosaic of soils, impart distinct characters to the wines from the different climats, which are highlighted by the mention of the climat name on the label.

Facts drawn from the specification's terroir-link section by automatic interpretation — see the source.

Dénominations géographiques complémentaires

• Beaune premier cru AOC (PDO)
• Beaune premier cru A l'Ecu AOC (PDO)
• Beaune premier cru Aux Coucherias AOC (PDO)
• Beaune premier cru Aux Cras AOC (PDO)
• Beaune premier cru Belissand AOC (PDO)
• Beaune premier cru Blanches Fleurs AOC (PDO)
• Beaune premier cru Champs Pimont AOC (PDO)
• Beaune premier cru Clos de l'Ecu AOC (PDO)
• Beaune premier cru Clos de la Feguine AOC (PDO)
• Beaune premier cru Clos de la Mousse AOC (PDO)
• Beaune premier cru Clos des Avaux AOC (PDO)
• Beaune premier cru Clos des Ursules AOC (PDO)
• Beaune premier cru Clos du Roi AOC (PDO)
• Beaune premier cru Clos Saint-Landry AOC (PDO)
• Beaune premier cru En Genêt AOC (PDO)
• Beaune premier cru En l'Orme AOC (PDO)
• Beaune premier cru La Mignotte AOC (PDO)
• Beaune premier cru Le Bas des Teurons AOC (PDO)
• Beaune premier cru Le Clos des Mouches AOC (PDO)
• Beaune premier cru Les Aigrots AOC (PDO)
• Beaune premier cru Les Avaux AOC (PDO)
• Beaune premier cru Les Boucherottes AOC (PDO)
• Beaune premier cru Les Bressandes AOC (PDO)
• Beaune premier cru Les Cents Vignes AOC (PDO)
• Beaune premier cru Les Chouacheux AOC (PDO)
• Beaune premier cru Les Epenotes AOC (PDO)
• Beaune premier cru Les Fèves AOC (PDO)
• Beaune premier cru Les Grèves AOC (PDO)
• Beaune premier cru Les Marconnets AOC (PDO)
• Beaune premier cru Les Montrevenots AOC (PDO)
• Beaune premier cru Les Perrières AOC (PDO)
• Beaune premier cru Les Reversés AOC (PDO)
• Beaune premier cru Les Sceaux AOC (PDO)
• Beaune premier cru Les Seurey AOC (PDO)
• Beaune premier cru Les Sizies AOC (PDO)
• Beaune premier cru Les Teurons AOC (PDO)
• Beaune premier cru Les Toussaints AOC (PDO)
• Beaune premier cru Les Tuvilains AOC (PDO)
• Beaune premier cru Les Vignes Franches AOC (PDO)
• Beaune premier cru Montée Rouge AOC (PDO)
• Beaune premier cru Pertuisots AOC (PDO)
• Beaune premier cru Sur les Grèves AOC (PDO)
• Beaune premier cru Sur les Grèves - Clos Saint-Anne AOC (PDO)

All appellations in France

Sources

• Product specification (BO Agri, PDF) — approved 2 décembre 2011, JORF 6 décembre 2011
• Official INAO text (show_texte)
• INAO product entry
• Official trade body site — BIVB