Each grape variety gives wine a specific bouquet and flavour, as well as expressing the character of the terroir in a different way.
A wine's quality depends greatly on how well the variety adapts to its terroir. A perfect balance between grape variety, climate, and soil is one of the basic criteria for the French appellations contrôlée system.

Great red and white Burgundy wines are each made from a single grape variety: Pinot Noir (red) and Chardonnay (white). Two other grape varieties, Gamay (red) and Aligoté (white), are also grown to a lesser extent.

Burgundy is like a vast patchwork quilt of small vineyard plots, often surrounded by low stone walls. The complex soil profile of each terroir, as well as its altitude and sun exposure, give Burgundy wines their subtle, highly-individual character.
Due to its geology, the Côte de Nuits is particularly suited to producing red wine. The vineyards are located on mid-Jurassic limeston.

The top part of the Côte is steep, with a more gentle incline towards the lower third, where red earth from the plateau is combined with limestone scree. The soil is very stony.
Soil formations in the Côte de Beaune vineyards are more recent than the Côte de Nuits.

The Côte de Nuits and Côte de Beaune are located in an area with a continental climate - hot summers and dry autumns - which ripens the grapes to perfection.
The sun exposure of the vineyards is ideal, and the lack of surface water enhances the effects of the sunshin

The wonderful quality of light in this area is conducive to photosynthesis, which increases sugar levels and colour in the grapes.