We are spending three weeks in Burgundy — the region, the white wines, the Chardonnay map from Chablis to Côte de Beaune. This week we turn to the red side.

One grape. One region. A range that extends from approachable, honest, genuinely affordable wines to some of the most studied and most expensive bottles in the world. The same classification system — Régionale, Villages, Premier Cru, Grand Cru — applied now to Pinot Noir, and the same fundamental principle: the ground is what is classified, not the producer.

Burgundy's red wine map has two primary territories. The Côte de Nuits in the north, where Pinot Noir reaches its most complex and prestigious expression. And the Côte de Chalonnaise in the south, where the same grape produces honest, food-friendly wines at prices that make Burgundy actually accessible. Understanding both — the aspiration and the entry point — gives you the complete picture.

The Côte de Chalonnaise — Where Burgundy Becomes Accessible

The Côte de Chalonnaise (shown in purple below) sits south of the Côte d'Or, its vineyards less celebrated and its prices considerably more reasonable. This is not a consolation prize. These are genuine Burgundy Pinot Noirs — the same grape, similar limestone and clay soils, made by producers who take their work seriously — at prices that allow you to drink them regularly rather than treating them as special occasions.

The four main appellations worth knowing (these areas in shown in gold):

Mercurey. The largest and most important Côte de Chalonnaise appellation. Structured, age-worthy Pinot Noir with genuine Burgundian character — red fruit, earthiness, the quiet elegance that defines the region's red wines. Has its own Premier Cru vineyards. Excellent value at $20–45.

Givry. Historically associated with Henri IV, who is said to have favoured it. Lighter, more immediately charming than Mercurey, with bright red fruit and a silky texture that makes it excellent for everyday drinking. $18–35.

Rully. Primarily known for white wine (Chardonnay) but produces red Pinot Noir of genuine quality. Lighter style, aromatic, worth knowing. $18–30.

Montagny. Almost exclusively white wine — mentioned for completeness. For red Chalonnaise, focus on Mercurey and Givry.

The Côte de Chalonnaise is where your audience should start with Burgundy Pinot Noir. Not because it is inferior, but because it is honest and accessible and genuinely representative of what Burgundy red wine is and how it behaves at the table.

The Côte de Nuits — Where Pinot Noir Gets Serious

The Côte de Nuits (shown in red below) is a narrow strip of limestone and clay hillside running from Marsannay in the north to Nuits-Saint-Georges in the south. It contains more Grand Cru vineyards than anywhere else on earth. The village names on its labels — Gevrey-Chambertin, Chambolle-Musigny, Morey-Saint-Denis, Vougeot, Vosne-Romanée, Nuits-Saint-Georges — are among the most recognised in wine.

What distinguishes the Côte de Nuits from everything else Pinot Noir can do anywhere in the world is precision. These wines are not loud. They do not announce themselves with exuberant fruit or obvious oak. What they offer instead is a kind of concentrated quietness — layers of red and dark fruit, floral notes (violet, rose), earthiness that deepens into forest floor and truffle with age, and a silky, impossibly fine tannin structure that allows the wine to age for decades while remaining recognisably itself.

Côte de Nuits Vineyard

Gevrey-Chambertin. The largest and most robust of the Côte de Nuits villages. Structured, firm, needs time. The Chambertin Grand Cru was Napoleon's preferred wine. Village level: $45–80. Grand Cru: $300–1,000+.

Chambolle-Musigny. The most elegant and perfumed of the Côte de Nuits villages. Lighter in colour and body than Gevrey, with extraordinary floral aromatics — violet, rose, delicate red fruit. Musigny Grand Cru is among the most delicate and complex red wines in the world. Village level: $55–90.

Vosne-Romanée. Home to Romanée-Conti — one of the most expensive wines on earth (a single bottle can exceed $20,000). But even village-level Vosne-Romanée shows the extraordinary perfume, silkiness, and depth that makes this the most celebrated Pinot Noir address in the world. Village level: $65–100+.

Nuits-Saint-Georges. No Grand Cru vineyards, but excellent Premier Cru wines with more structure and rusticity than Vosne. A more accessible entry point to Côte de Nuits character. Village level: $40–70.

The Côte de Nuits is not an everyday proposition for most wine lovers. It is a destination — the aspiration that explains why Burgundy Pinot Noir commands the attention it does globally. Knowing where it sits in relation to the Chalonnaise gives you the complete map.

The Côte de Beaune — Where Pinot Noir Shares the Stage

The Côte de Beaune runs south from Beaune itself to Santenay, and it is Burgundy’s other major red wine territory — less celebrated for Pinot Noir than the Côte de Nuits, but genuinely important and, for most wine lovers, considerably more approachable in price. The same limestone hillsides, the same classification system, the same grape.

What differs is character: Côte de Beaune Pinot Noirs tend toward elegance and early drinkability rather than the concentrated power and longevity of the north.

Volnay. The most elegant red wine village in the Côte de Beaune. Silky, perfumed, floral — the character here leans toward the delicacy of Chambolle-Musigny rather than the structure of Gevrey. Excellent Premier Cru vineyards. Village level: $45–75.

Pommard. The more structured counterpart to Volnay, just to its north. Darker fruit, firmer tannins, more grip — the most robust red wine in the Côte de Beaune. Needs time more than most village-level wines from this part of Burgundy. Village level: $45–80.

Beaune. The commercial heart of Burgundy and a significant red wine appellation in its own right, with an extensive Premier Cru portfolio owned largely by the region’s great négociant houses. Accessible, consistently well-made, a reliable entry point to Côte de Beaune red wine character. Village level: $35–65.

The Côte de Beaune completes the red wine picture of Burgundy. This is where I spent time on my trip — the villages, the Premier Cru vineyards, the négociant cellars of Beaune itself. I’ll be sharing those specific experiences and bottles in the coming weeks. For now: know that this part of Burgundy gives you genuine Pinot Noir at prices slightly below the Côte de Nuits prestige premium, in a style that is approachable, food-friendly, and very much worth your attention.

We held a side-by-side tasting on the River Cruise the night we floated down through the Côte de Beaune...

Tasting This Week

For those who really want to get a feel for a quintessential Red Burgundy, a Mercurey or Givry is the right bottle to open this week — honest, representative, at a price that allows you to open it without ceremony. If you have access to a village-level Côte de Nuits, tasting them side by side is one of the most instructive exercises in wine education.

Thursday: roast lamb and Burgundy Pinot Noir — a pairing that arrives just in time for the Easter weekend. Share what you find in our community. 👉 Click here → Expand Your Palate