The Côte Chalonnaise is a wine-growing region in the department of Saône-et-Loire in Burgundy, eastern France. It is composed of five key communes, separated from each other by only a few kilometres. From North to South, they are: Bouzeron, Rully, Mercurey, Givry and Montagny. It takes its name from the commune of Chalon-sur-Saône.
The main Grape varieties of the Côte Chalonnaise are Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Gamay and various other red and white mutations of the Pinot family are planted in smaller quantities.
The Chalonnaise Lies between the Côte de Beaune to the north and the Mâconnais, just to the south. There is a Clear division between these two areas, clearly delineated by the border between the departments of Côte d'Or and Saône-et-Loire.
Malbec, a high-yielding red grape variety, produces tannic and colourful wines. It is produced in different wine-growing regions and changes its name according to the grape variety. Called Auxerrois in Cahors, Malbec in Bordeaux, it is also known as Côt. 6,000 hectares of the Malbec grape are grown in France (in decline since the 1950s). Malbec is also very successful in Argentina. The country has become the world's leading producer of Malbec and offers wines with great potential.
wines from the region of Côte Chalonnaise go well with generally quite well with dishes of beef, veal or game (deer, venison) such as recipes of cicadas at the chib, sliced endives with ham or duck parmentier.
On the nose in the region of Côte Chalonnaise often reveals types of flavors of citrus, oak or citrus fruit and sometimes also flavors of forest floor, mushroom or earth. In the mouth in the region of Côte Chalonnaise is a with a nice freshness.
