Burgundy

A benign climate, limestone-clay soils and perfectly exposed slopes combine to make Burgundy the greatest region in the world for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Its mosaic of tiny vineyards and enormous roster of producers make it all the more fascinating. The region stretches 140 miles from Chablis in the North to Pouilly-Fuissé in the South. In between is the Côte d’Or, an escarpment which neatly divides into the Côte de Nuits and Côte de Beaune. The former includes villages such as Gevrey-Chambertin, Nuits-St-Georges, Vosne-Romanée and Chambolle-Musigny; the latter, Beaune, Volnay, Pommard, Meursault and Puligny-Montrachet. Travelling south, and before reaching the Mâconnais, lies the Côte Chalonnaise with less-discovered red and white burgundies made from Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Aligoté grapes.