Bourgogne · Grand Auxerrois

The Grand Auxerrois covers the vineyards of the Yonne département around Auxerre that do not belong to Chablis. The vines stand on the slopes of the Yonne valley and its side valleys in northern Burgundy; the villages include Irancy, Saint-Bris-le-Vineux, Coulanges-la-Vineuse, Chitry, Épineuil, Tonnerre and Vézelay. In the 19th century the vineyard area was much larger and supplied Paris, among others, by river; phylloxera and the railway caused it to shrink.

The climate is cool and continental, with spring frost risk; south-east and south-facing slopes are decisive for ripening. The soils are rich in limestone: Kimmeridgian limestone and marl dominate large parts, with Portlandian limestone around Chitry and Saint-Bris, plus clay and flint-bearing soils. In Irancy the vines lie in a natural amphitheatre with sites such as Palotte.

Pinot Noir is the main red variety, supplemented in Irancy by the local César. Saint-Bris is Burgundy's only appellation for Sauvignon Blanc; Chardonnay and Aligoté define the whites of Vézelay, Chitry and Coulanges-la-Vineuse. The wines are fresh, acid-driven and usually better value than those of the Côte d'Or.