Nuits-Saint George to Gevrey-Chambertin, France – Day 7
While we skipped the Côte de Nuit yesterday, today you will see plenty of it! It’s Time Trial Day!
One at a time, each Tour de France rider will leave from Nuits-Saint Georges and ride as fast as possible to Gevrey-Chambertin. The route is 25 kilometers, looping out of the wine region to the west for a bit, then turning east to return to Chambolle-Musigny and Morey Saint-Denis before finishing in Gevrey Chambertin.
This is Pinot Noir country. If you love Burgundy and Pinot Noir, some of those names I just mentioned probably have you tingling! These are world renowned Grand Cru sites.
Nuits-Saint Georges
The Côte de Nuits gets its name from Nuits-Saint Georges, which translates to “Nuits Hillside.” Nuits, in this case, does not come from the French “nuit,” meaning “night,” but rather from the Latin term “nutium,” meaning “walnut.” The region has long been known for walnuts and hazelnuts.
Almost all the wine produced here is Pinot Noir, with a tiny bit of Chardonnay.
We head west to Villars-Fontaine, where more vineyards can be found. We swing wide of wine country to Messanges, L’Étang-Vergy, and Curley, returning to wine country in Chambolle Musigny.
Chambolle Musigny
The Chambolle Musigny commune is tiny. The village itself has less than 400 citizens. The wine region was originally named Chambolle, which translates roughly to boiling field. This referred to the fast-moving water that poured down the hills when rainfall caused the nearby stream to overflow its banks.
Wines from this village are considered delicate, elegant, and subtle and are almost exclusively Pinot Noir.
Morey-Saint-Denis
Again, the grape here is primarily Pinot Noir, but you can find parcels of Pinot Blanc or Chardonnay.
Morey-Saint-Denis wines are the middle ground in power, style, and flavor between Chambolle-Musigny to the south and Gevrey-Chambertin to the North.
Gevrey-Chambertin
You might have goosebumps at that name if you are a Bourgogne lover. These are some of the world’s most expensive red wines.
All of the wines in Gevrey-Chambertin are Pinot Noir, and they are some of the richest and most structured wines from the Côte de Nuits region. These wines are meant to age.
It’s sad to think that the riders will not be able to sit and enjoy a glass of wine from this amazing region while they are here. Perhaps we should sip in their stead.
Find more information on this region on the Vins de Bourgogne site
For more information on all of the Stage’s of the “Tour de France”
Wine along the “Tour de France” – 2024
Robin Renken is a wine writer and Certified Specialist of Wine and WSET 3 Certified. She and her husband Michael travel to wine regions interviewing vineyard owners and winemakers and learning the stories behind the glass.
When not traveling they indulge in cooking and pairing wines with food at home in Las Vegas.
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