Côte d’Or is the central and most prestigious wine district of Burgundy, running along a narrow limestone escarpment from the area south of Dijon toward Santenay. It is divided into the Côte de Nuits and Côte de Beaune, with vineyards arranged by village, vineyard, and climat, reflecting Burgundy’s intense focus on site-specific identity.
The Côte de Nuits is most associated with Pinot Noir, including many of Burgundy’s most famous red grands crus, while the Côte de Beaune produces both major red wines and some of the world’s benchmark Chardonnay from villages such as Meursault, Puligny-Montrachet, and Chassagne-Montrachet. The region’s importance rests on its hierarchy of regional, village, premier cru, and grand cru appellations, which links wine quality and reputation directly to place.