century.

– In those days, the Corton hill was planted with aligoté grapes when people wanted to make white wine, explains Maurice Chapuis at Domaine Chapuis in Aloxe-Corton. The chardonnay imposed itself only after World War 1. But your have to understand that in those days white wine was a rarity in our village, and most of the hill was planted with pinot noir to make red wine, not white wine. The Languettes, Pougets, le Corton, part of Corton Renardes were planted with pinot noir. It was only in the 1970's that Corton-Charlemagne became in vogue and that Pougets or Languettes for example, were planted with chardonnay.

In the red department things were different as well. Danguy & Aubertin tell us that in 1892 when they published their book onthe other it was definitely the most exclusive jogging track I have had access to. The Corton hill is also a good place to go for a picnic. Up at the top by the Bois de Corton you will have a stunning view.

In Galloroman times Aloxe was strategically located along the Roman road from Autun to Besançon. Aloxe was first mentioned in print in 696, as Hauriacum. Halfway through the ninth century the name had changed to Alussia when Moduin, bishop of Autun, decided to donate his land holdings in Aloxe to his cathedral. During the 13th and 14th centuries the name changed from Alossia, Aloxa and Alouxe to Alorsa and Alorse.

The prefix "al" in Aloxe, which is of Gallic origin, suggests an elevated place. The name Corton,