Ladoix

The thirsty traveller, having lunched in Dijon and travelling south through the Cote de Nuits for refreshment in Burgundy, will eventually reach Ladoix-Serrigny. It marks the start of the Cote de Beaune. That it should be associated with ‘beginnings’ is particularly apt, for the name Ladoix means ‘water spring’ in old French. To get technical, Ladoix is actually made up of the village of Serrigny and two hamlets – Ladoix and Buisson. But for now, let’s leave that aside and focus on the more important matter at hand – the wines produced here.

Ladoix wines are not widely known, but amongst those who have tried them they have developed a devoted following. This, then, is one of those ‘lesser appellations’ (lesser in terms of renown, not quality), that we at burgudywine.com specialise in. The vast majority of the wines from Ladoix’s 90 hectares of vineyards are red, though the small amount of white produced here is of the very highest quality. They share some of the most hallowed ground in all of Burgundy – the hill of Corton – with the nearby Aloxe-Corton appellation and also Pernand-Vergelesses. On the hill they benefit from better elevation towards the sun, different wind patterns and a slightly lower temperature. To the north, however, the soils are more reminiscent of the Cote de Nuits.

There are several Ladoix wines on burgundywine.com. From the Maison Capitain-Gagnerot – a benchmark Burgundy producer with an inimitable style – there is the Ladoix 1er Cru ‘Bois Roussot’  from vines which grow in thick limestone rock, lending this wine a very mineral character with supple tannins.

There is also the Domaine D’Ardhuy Ladoix Clos des Chagnots Monopole  which is another great expression of the Ladoix terroir, and showcases the complexity of the appellation with its toasty vanilla notes and approachable red berries.

Food-wise, try pairing the red wines of Ladoix with subtler meats like rabbit, Parma ham or game – but they’ll also stand up to curries and a good number of the local cheeses. The white wines of this region complement Asian cuisine too – spiced seafood dishes in particular.

For a wine-producing village in relative obscurity, Ladoix has certainly been part of the wine scene for a long time. First mentioned in 1305, and made up of properties of the Hospices de Beaune, it has a thirteenth-century church and an eleventh-century chapel. The volume of wines made here may not be huge, but the quality and historical importance of Ladoix-Serrigny more than make up for it.

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