Meaning ‘high’, the ‘hautes’ Cote de Beaune appellation is found above the mid slopes of the southern Cote d’Or. This is mostly red wine country, at around 80% of production. Rosé wines are made here too, though as a very small percentage of a total of some 5 million bottles every year. The higher the altitude the grapes grow at, the lower the temperatures and the harsher the climate can be. Thus, ripening can be somewhat harder at altitude, and lead to less flavorsome wines. For this reason, many ‘haute’ vines are planted on south-facing slopes, to maximise the exposure to sun.
Hautes-Côtes de Beaune