Chorey-lès-Beaune

Chorey-lès-Beaune, a discreet appellation to discover

While Burgundy's vineyards abound with prestigious names and highly prized wines, to the point that some bottles are very hard to come by and often require a hefty price tag, there are a few more discreet appellations that are well worth a visit. Chorey-lès-Beaune, an appellation located on the Côte de Beaune, is one of them. In red, and more rarely in white, it knows how to make pinot noir or chardonnay vibrate.

An atypical situation

Although Chorey-lès-Beaune, like the rest of the Côte d'Or vineyards, has a long history of vine-growing, it was not until 1970 that it was classified as an AOC (Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée). The commune has just 134 hectares of vines, which were hit hard by phylloxera and mildew in the early 20th century. Until 1970, grapes grown in Chorey-lès-Beaune were sold under the appellation names of neighboring villages. Recognition as an AOC, however, marked the acknowledgement of a particular terroir, with its own personality, and an atypical situation. While the vast majority of Côte d'Or vineyards (known as climats) are planted on hillsides, in Chorey-lès-Beaune most of the vines grow on the plain. This partly explains the absence of climats classified as grand cru or premier cru, the highest levels of appellation. These levels are reserved for climates that combine exceptional terroir, optimal exposure and the ability to drain off rainwater... The wines of Chorey-lès-Beaune benefit, from one climate to the next, from the Burgundy appellation or the Chorey-lès-Beaune communal appellation. Because of their small size, these wines "don't flood the market". Less prestige, modest volumes - this explains the relative discretion of the appellation. But this discretion and the atypical aspect of its exposure are becoming assets. The price range remains very reasonable, and the lesser exposure to the sun produces well-balanced wines that let Pinot Noir (over 90% of the wines produced) and Chardonnay express themselves.

Supple, elegant, gourmet wines

The soils of the Chorey-lès-Beaune appellation are predominantly clay-limestone, with marl-limestone alluvium and a sandy subsoil. For red wines, Chorey-lès-Beaune offers Pinot Noirs with little tannin and a strong fruity character. For a long time, the appellation was criticized for producing wines that were pleasant, but not very persistent, with a limited aromatic palette. These criticisms are no longer valid. Controlling yields, allowing vines to age to achieve greater concentration, and producing cuvées en parcellaire (grapes from a single climate) have all played their part. Now, when you taste a Chorey-lès-Beaune red, you'll discover a wine with a light color, a subtle nose combining notes of blackcurrant and dried flowers, and a delicate, suave palate that lets the crisp, juicy fruit shine through. The few plots planted with Chardonnay have a higher concentration of limestone, but the soils are still fairly deep. Chorey-lès-Beaune whites are light gold in color, with a nose reminiscent of honeysuckle, and a slight minerality on the palate that awakens the palate and gives the wine length. Notes of yellow fruit and hazelnut, and a fairly pronounced fatness make these salivating wines ideal as aperitifs or at the table, with risotto or tabbouleh. In both colors, the roundness and elegance of these wines make them ideal for the arrival of fine weather.