Bourgogne Hautes-Côtes de Beaune AOC

Winemaking on the Hautes-Côtes de Beaune has deep medieval roots. Red wines from the area are said to have been drunk at the coronation of Philippe Auguste in the 12th century, and the Dukes of Burgundy championed Côte de Beaune wines throughout the Middle Ages. The phylloxera epidemic of the 19th century devastated the vineyards, and further infestations between 1910 and 1936 destroyed more than half of what had been replanted. From 1945 onwards, growers worked systematically to restore the appellation's reputation. The movement for a dedicated AOC began in the village of Orches, where a group of growers formed a cooperative in 1957. Their efforts paid off when the Bourgogne Hautes-Côtes de Beaune AOC was officially ratified on August 4, 1961.

• Medieval winemaking tradition: red wines attributed to the region were reportedly consumed at the coronation of Philippe Auguste in the 12th century
• Phylloxera and post-phylloxera infestations between the 19th century and 1936 destroyed the majority of the appellation's vineyards
• The cooperative movement began in Orches in 1957, directly driving the successful 1961 AOC application
• Recent decades have attracted prestigious Côte d'Or names, including Domaine Leflaive, which purchased and planted 4 hectares in Nantoux in 2021

The Hautes-Côtes de Beaune occupies the elevated plateau and valleys to the west of the main Côte de Beaune escarpment. Vineyards run from Ladoix-Serrigny in the north to Les Maranges in the south, covering communes in both the Côte-d'Or department and the Saône-et-Loire. The appellation includes 22 communes in the Côte-d'Or, partly on the escarpment and partly in the Côte de Beaune, plus seven communes in Saône-et-Loire. Altitudes range from approximately 280 to 550 metres, considerably higher than the mid-slope village appellations. On the Hautes-Côtes de Beaune, soils tend to be mixed limestone, clay, and marl of Bajocian origin, with valley orientations that often run perpendicular to the main Côte, creating diverse aspect and drainage conditions.

• Appellation covers 22 communes in Côte-d'Or and 7 in Saône-et-Loire, spanning roughly 800 hectares under vine
• Vineyard elevations of 280 to 550 metres create a cooler, later-ripening climate compared to the mid-slope Côte de Beaune villages
• Soils are dominated by limestone, clay, and marl of Bajocian origin, with limestone scree on steeper valley slopes
• The northern boundary with Hautes-Côtes de Nuits passes through the village of Magny-lès-Villers

Pinot Noir dominates, accounting for roughly 80 percent of the appellation's output. The cooler altitude and later harvest dates preserve natural acidity, producing wines with red-fruit freshness, lighter body, and silky tannins rather than concentration-driven weight. Chardonnay, used for the remaining approximately 20 percent of production, tends to deliver citrus-led aromatics and a mineral, sometimes floral character. AOC rules permit Pinot Blanc alongside Chardonnay in white wines, and allow up to 15 percent Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc, and Pinot Gris as accessory varieties in red wines, though this is rarely practiced. Rosé and clairet from Pinot Noir represent only a tiny fraction of total production.

• Red wines (Pinot Noir) represent approximately 80 percent of production; whites (Chardonnay) approximately 20 percent
• Higher altitude slows ripening, preserving acidity and producing lighter, fresher styles than lower-slope Côte de Beaune villages
• Pinot Blanc is permitted alongside Chardonnay in whites; Pinot Blanc and Pinot Gris may be minor components in reds
• Rosé and clairet are permitted but form only a tiny fraction of total production

Domaine Henri Naudin-Ferrand, based in Magny-lès-Villers and run by Claire Naudin since 1994, is one of the appellation's most celebrated estates. The domaine covers approximately 22 hectares and is known for low-sulphur, minimally interventionist winemaking. Claire Naudin's distinctive wildflower-named bottlings, such as Orchis Mascula and Bellis Perennis, have attracted an international following. Domaine Boris Champy, based in Nantoux and farming biodynamically, is among the newer generation of quality-focused producers. The Cave des Hautes-Côtes, now operating under the Nuiton-Beaunoy brand, is the only cooperative cellar in the Côte-d'Or, founded in Orches in 1957 and today uniting around 80 member growers with a tasting room located in Beaune.

• Domaine Henri Naudin-Ferrand (Claire Naudin), Magny-lès-Villers: benchmark low-sulphur estate covering around 22 hectares across Hautes-Côtes de Beaune and Hautes-Côtes de Nuits
• Domaine Boris Champy, Nantoux: biodynamic producer focusing on single-vineyard, terroir-expressive Pinot Noir from elevated sites
• Cave des Hautes-Côtes (Nuiton-Beaunoy), Beaune: founded in Orches in 1957, the only cooperative in the Côte-d'Or, with around 80 member growers
• Prestigious Côte-d'Or estates including Domaine Leflaive (Nantoux, from 2021) and Michel Gros (near Chaux, from the 1970s) have invested in Hautes-Côtes de Beaune vineyards

Bourgogne Hautes-Côtes de Beaune is classified as a regional AOC and is one of 14 Dénominations Géographiques Complémentaires within the Bourgogne regional appellation framework, as restructured in 2017. A single AOC covers the entire subregion; there are no village-specific appellations, no Premier Cru vineyards, and no Grand Cru sites within its boundaries. INAO regulations set maximum permitted base yields at 50 hl/ha for red wines and 55 hl/ha for white wines. Wines that do not pass the required tasting panel are declassified to the broader Bourgogne appellation. The appellation permits red, white, and rosé wines under the Bourgogne Hautes-Côtes de Beaune designation.

• Regional AOC and Dénomination Géographique Complémentaire of the Bourgogne regional appellation, as restructured by INAO in 2017
• No Premier Cru or Grand Cru vineyards; a single AOC covers the entire subregion without village-level sub-designations
• Maximum permitted base yields: 50 hl/ha red, 55 hl/ha white
• Wines failing tasting panel assessment are declassified to the broader Bourgogne AOC

The Hautes-Côtes de Beaune offers a quieter, more intimate wine tourism experience than the famous villages of the Côte de Beaune below. The appellation sits only about 9 kilometres from Beaune, approximately 55 kilometres from Dijon, and around 160 kilometres from Lyon, making it straightforward to combine with visits to the wider Côte d'Or. The Cave des Hautes-Côtes, now trading as Nuiton-Beaunoy, operates a tasting room in Beaune at 97 route de Pommard, open daily, offering guided tastings across its full range of appellations. Individual family domaines, particularly around Nantoux, Orches, and Magny-lès-Villers, welcome visitors by appointment, often providing direct access to vineyards and winemakers.

• Located approximately 9 km from Beaune, 55 km from Dijon, and 160 km from Lyon
• Cave des Hautes-Côtes (Nuiton-Beaunoy) tasting room in Beaune offers daily free tastings across regional, village, Premier Cru, and Grand Cru appellations
• Nantoux, Orches, and Magny-lès-Villers are key villages offering domaine visits and direct-from-producer tastings
• September harvest season brings active vendange across the hillside vineyards and is an ideal time to visit