Bourgogne Hautes-Côtes de Beaune rouge Altitude AOP 2022

Wine Description for Bourgogne Hautes-Côtes de Beaune rouge Altitude AOP 2022 by Boris Champy

Colour & Appearance

Transparent, luminous ruby red – clear and of positively crystalline purity in the glass. A Burgundy that announces its origins from cool high-altitude sites visually from the outset.

Nose

The nose is elegant and multi-layered: wild raspberry, red mulberry and sour cherry form the fruity foundation, embedded in notes of undergrowth, cedar and a hint of balsamic spice. Fine accents of allspice and juniper lend the nose an unmistakable cool-climate character – precise, fresh, unadorned Burgundian.

Palate

On the palate, the Altitude reveals itself as refined and crystalline – a Pinot Noir without rough edges, yet one that proves its character. The light red berry fruit shines with hedonistic lightness, carried by a vibrant, flow-accelerating fresh acidity. The wine is smooth, transparent and joyful – no heavyweight, but rather a wine to be savoured.

Finish

Medium-length, clean finish with lingering fruit and a delicate mineral note. The finish underscores the wine’s lightness and elegance – pleasant and inviting right to the last sip.

Terroir & Origin

The grapes come from two parcels in Nantoux (Hautes-Côtes de Beaune): En Bignon with loamy soil on hard limestone, and Le Clou with white limestone and yellow marl. The elevated location – once considered too cool – represents the future of Burgundy for Boris Champy in light of climate change.

Grape Variety & Vinification

Pure Pinot Noir, hand-harvested at optimal ripeness. Vinified with 50% whole bunches for gentle extraction and aromatic depth. Aged for 12 months in wooden casks, with only 15% in new casks – a deliberately restrained use of oak that places fruit in the foreground. The estate operates biodynamically under Demeter certification – the first estate ever to do so in Burgundy.

Food Pairing Suggestions

A versatile companion: ideal with aubergine caviar with pomegranate seeds and parsley, grilled mackerel with muhammara or the elegant veal loin poached in red wine with young vegetables.

Special Features

Boris Champy took over in 2019 one of Burgundy’s biodynamic pioneer estates – founded in 1984 by Didier Montchovet, the region’s first Demeter-certified winemaker. Champy brings experience from houses such as Dominus, Louis Latour and Clos de Lambrays – and a clear vision for the potential of high-altitude sites that climate change is redefining.