Bouzeron
A tiny village with a unique claim: the only village appellation for Aligoté.
- Wine village
- 25 min from Beaune
- White wine
€290for a half-day wine tour from Beaune, up to 4 guests
At a glance
- Appellations
- Bouzeron
- Grapes
- Aligoté
Getting there
Private driver from Beaune: 25 min by road (20 km), €90 one way for the whole car.
Coming by train or plane? Transfers from stations and airports →
About Bouzeron
Bouzeron is a small village in a quiet valley just south-west of Chagny, about 25 minutes from Beaune. It is home to around 140 people and one rare appellation. Here Aligoté, usually sold as simple Bourgogne, carries a village name of its own and is taken seriously.
The wines
Bouzeron is white only, made from Aligoté. About 60 hectares face east or south-east at 270 to 350 metres. White marls from Oxfordian limestone cover the upper slopes, with brown marly soils lower down. Growers speak of Aligoté doré, golden Aligoté: here the grapes have thinner skins that turn golden in the sun, which helps balance ripeness and acidity. The wines are fresh and light-bodied, with subtle spice, and are best within about five years.
History
In 872 King Charles the Bald gave Bouzeron to the monks of the abbey of Saint-Marcel-lès-Chalon. The small hillside church is still dedicated to Saint Marcel. It has a wooden-beamed nave, a bell tower beside the choir, a portal decorated with a fleur-de-lis cross and a forecourt paved with old funeral slabs. Nearby, on the plateau of Chassey-le-Camp, a Neolithic hilltop camp gave its name to a whole prehistoric culture, the Chasséen.
The village built its reputation on Aligoté. In 1979 it gained the regional name Bourgogne Aligoté Bouzeron. A decree of 17 February 1998 then made Bouzeron a village appellation, covering vines in Bouzeron and Chassey-le-Camp. Only white wine from Aligoté may carry the name. Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grown in the same place are sold under regional appellations, which keeps the spotlight firmly on Burgundy's second white grape.
What to see
Church of Saint-Marcel
A small medieval church on the hillside, with a wooden-beamed nave, a fleur-de-lis cross on the portal and a forecourt paved with old funeral slabs.
Camp de Chassey
A few kilometres away, this nine-hectare Neolithic hilltop camp gave its name to the Chasséen culture. The GR7 footpath crosses it, and a path with information panels explores the site.
Tips for your visit
Bouzeron is close enough for a short stop on the way south. Combine it with Rully and Mercurey for a Côte Chalonnaise day, or taste here before lunch in nearby Chagny.
Around here
What to combine with Bouzeron on the same day, nearest first.
Guides about Bouzeron
Questions
Bouzeron is about 25 min from Beaune by road (20 km). With a private driver, the trip from Beaune starts at €90 for the whole car, up to 4 guests.
Did you know? Bouzeron is the only village appellation in France devoted to Aligoté. Elsewhere in Burgundy, the grape is mostly sold under the regional name Bourgogne Aligoté.
Sources
Bouzeron with a private driver
Half-day wine tour from Beaune: €290 for the car, up to 4 guests