Côte d'Or: The wines and winemakers of the heart of burgundy (Classic Wine Library)

"The Côte d'Or may be small in size but its influence is huge and its reputation alone can intimidate even the most seasoned wine professional. Divided into two halves, the Côte de Nuits and the Côte de Beaune, it is little more than a 30-mile stretch of vineyard but some of the world's best known - and most expensive - wines are produced here. Of all the world's wine regions it is here that terroir pushes itself to the fore, explaining the eye-watering prices paid for even the most modest parcels of vineyard. Raymond Blake's companionable Côte d'Or demystifies this notoriously complicated region, explaining succinctly the history of winemaking in this part of Burgundy, the complexity of the subdivided vineyards and the special role played by geology and climate in the creation of these wines. Visiting a selection of notable producers, Blake provides his take on each, along with a suggestion of that winemaker's most distinctive or interesting wine for readers to try. After a rundown of the characteristics of each vintage from the last thirty years, and notes on some outstanding earlier vintages, Blake considers what the future might hold for the Côte, including the challenges of premature oxidation, extreme weather and world events. He ends the book by providing some ideas to help those planning a trip to the region get the most out of their visit. This fresh take on one of the world's most influential wine regions is an essential addition for the library of any burgundy enthusiast."--Publisher Annotation The Côte d'Or may be small in size but its influence is huge and it can strike terror into the heart of even the most seasoned wine professionals. The Côte d'Or is located in the very heart of Burgundy and stretches for a narrow 35-mile band. It's on this terroir that some of the world's best known wines are produced. There are two main sections. The Côte de Nuits, named after the village of Nuits-Saint-Georges, is a mere one mile by 12 miles but it's home to 24 Grand Cru vineyards and some of the world's most expensive vineyard real estate. This is the northernmost region, starting just south of Dijon and running to Courgoloin, a few kilometres south of Nuits-Saint- Georges and it grows mainly Pinot Noir and other red grapes. It is responsible for some of the great names of French wine, Gevrey-Chambertin, Nuits-Saint-Georges and Beaune itself. The second part, the southerly Côte de Beaune, is well-known for its whites but actually grows both Chardonnay and red grapes. One of the most famous villages in the Côte de Beaune is Pommard, known for its heavy, full-bodied reds. It's an intimidating terroir but Raymond Blake's companionable The wines of the Côte d'Or shows clearly how illusory those confusing labyrinths are. There is hardly another wine region where knowledge of the back-story is so critical to understanding the wine, for it is impossible to understand burgundy without reference to the place it comes from and the people who make it. The wines of the Côte d'Or tells the whole story of Burgundy and paints a complete picture of life there: the history, the culture, the people, the place, the geography and the climate. Blake transports the reader to the heart of Burgundy "The Côte d'Or may be small in size but its influence is huge and its reputation alone can intimidate even the most seasoned wine professional. Divided into two halves, the Côte de Nuits and the Côte de Beaune, it is little more than a 30-mile stretch of vineyard but some of the world's best known - and most expensive - wines are produced here. Of all the world's wine regions it is here that terroir pushes itself to the fore, explaining the eye-watering prices paid for even the most modest parcels of vineyard. Raymond Blake's companionable Côte d'Or demystifies this notoriously complicated region, explaining succinctly the history of winemaking in this part of Burgundy, the complexity of the subdivided vineyards and the special role played by geology and climate in the creation of these wines. Visiting a selection of notable producers, Blake provides his take on each, along with a suggestion of that winemaker's most distinctive or interesting wine for readers to try. After a rundown of the characteristics of each vintage from the last thirty years, and notes on some outstanding earlier vintages, Blake considers what the future might hold for the Côte, including the challenges of premature oxidation, extreme weather and world events. He ends the book by providing some ideas to help those planning a trip to the region get the most out of their visit. This fresh take on one of the world's most influential wine regions is an essential addition for the library of any burgundy enthusiast."--Publisher "Côte d'Or is small but its influence is huge and it can even strike terror into the heart of wine professionals. It's an intimidating terroir but Raymond Blake's companionable Côte d'Or paints a complete picture of life there: the history, the culture, the people, the place, the geography and the climate."--Provided by publisher