AUXEY DURESSES

Localization : Côte de Beaune
Total vineyard area : 170 ha. of which 32 ha. Premier Cru
Varieties and types of wine :
pinot noir for the red wines
chardonnay for the white wines
Classification : Villages, Premier Cru.

Premier Cru "Climats":

Formerly belonging to the Abbey at Cluny, (10th and 11th centuries), Auxey added to the name of the Village that of the Premier Cru "Climat" les Duresses in 1924. The Clous river which runs through the Village led to mills being built early on (from the 13th century), replaced nowadays by grape presses.

South of Monthélie, between the cliffs of Saint Romain and the Village of Meursault, the ground at the bottom of the slope is chalky marl lending itself to the production of white wines. On the slopes higher up the presence of clay in the chalk produces Premiers Crus of which 75 % are red wines. Sold for a long time as Pommard or Volnay, the red wines of Auxey Duresses have pleasant finesse, intense notes of fruit (black currant, raspberry) evolving towards more animal, smoky notes. Their style and balance are the very example of what is to be expected of the wines from the Côte de Beaune.

The white wines are very supple and pleasantly lively often with aromas of apples and fresh almonds.

Photographic credit: Dominique Pernin