Côte d’Or, the heart of the burgundy wine region in eastern France in the form of an escarpment supporting a narrow band of vineyards for nearly 50 km/30 miles southwards (and a touch west) from Dijon, capital of the département of the same name (see map under burgundy). The name Côte d’Or apparently translates directly as ‘golden slope’, evoking its autumnal aspect, but some think it may be an abbreviation of Côte d’Orient, a reference to the fact that the escarpment on which the vines flourish faces east. Viticulturally it is divided into two sectors, the Côte de nuits, in which great red wines are made from the Pinot Noir vine, and the Côte de beaune, where the reds are joined by the finest white wines made from Chardonnay.
