France, Burgundy, Côte d'Or, Côte de Nuits

Côte de Nuits is the northern part of the Côte d'Or and includes the most famous vineyards and wine communities in the world. There are more Grand Cru appellations in the Côte de Nuits than anywhere else in Burgundy. Of the fourteen communes or villages in the Côte de Nuits, six produce Grand Cru wines. They are Gevrey-Chambertin, Morey-St.-Denis, Chambolle-Musigny, Vougeot, Flagey-Échezeaux and Vosne-Romanee. Some vineyards in the Côte de Nuits are small, which adds to their prestige. The legendary Grand Cru vineyard La Romanee is barely two square hectares in size. There are twenty-four Grand Cru in total. The region takes its name from the village of Nuits-Saint-Georges. Côtes de Nuits mainly produces red wines from Pinot Noir and wines have been in demand for centuries. During the 18th century, King Louis XIV's physician advised that the king drink only wines from Nuits-Saint-Georges for his health. Like most of Burgundy, the soil of the Côte de Nuit can vary greatly from one vineyard to another, although most are a base soil of limestone mixed with clay, gravel and sand.