Coteaux de l’Auxois is an IGP title covering an area of land in the west of the Cote d’Or administrative department in eastern France. The wines made under the appellation – predominantly from Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Gamay – have been significantly overshadowed by those from the AOC-classified vineyards of Burgundy to the east. However, the IGP remains to cover wines that are made outside of the geographical boundaries of the Bourgogne appellation.
The officially delimited area of the IGP stretches from the village of Montbard in the north to Bligny-sur-Ouche in the south, following a northwest-southeast path of about 40 miles (65km). At its southern end, the IGP territory is just 9 miles (15km) from the famous wine villages of Pommard, Mersault and Beaune.
© Wikimedia/Renaud Mavré
The permitted vineyard zone lies atop a series of small hills and valleys west of the Cote d’Or escarpment that plays host to most of Burgundy's viticulture. Instead, Coteaux de l'Auxois vineyards are most often planted at the top of south- and southeast-facing hills, where the stony, clay limestone soils offer good drainage, leading to better-quality grapes. At the bottom of the hills, soils with a higher proportion of clay hold more water, resulting in an environment which is too cold to ripen grapes.
The Coteaux de l’Auxois IGP law has a fairly short list of permitted grape varieties, focusing – perhaps not surprisingly – on the traditional Burgundy varieties. While Pinot Noir and Chardonnay dominate, Melon de Bourgogne, Gamay, Pinot Gris and Aligote are all permitted in the wines. A range of wine styles are made here, from light, drink-now styles to slightly richer wines that can be aged.
Vineyards were first planted in the region in the Middle Ages by the surrounding abbeys, although mildew and phylloxera saw a significant decline in the 19th Century. Since then, cattle farming for AOC-classified Auxois beef has dominated the land in the Coteaux de l’Auxois area, although some vineyards remain.
The IGP covers a similar area to the previous Vin de Pays Coteaux de l’Auxois appellation. The Vin de Pays category of wines has been phased out since 2009, making way for the similar Indication Géographique Protégée (IGP) classification. This method of classification more closely follows the wine-labeling stipulations set out by the European Union.
