Échezeaux, Grand Cru vineyard in Flagey-Echézeaux, France

Échezeaux is a Grand Cru vineyard in Flagey-Echézeaux, Côte-d'Or, planted mainly with Pinot noir on a gentle slope between Clos de Vougeot and Les Suchots. In 2008, 34.79 hectares were in production, divided into climats such as En Orveaux, Les Treux, Clos-Saint-Denis, Les Cruots, Les Rouges du Bas, Champs-Traversins, Les Poulaillières, Les Loâchausses, Les Quartiers de Nuits and Échezeaux du Dessus. Rows of vines run along horizontal wires supported by grey posts, with wooded hills behind.

In 1816 André Jullien ranked the Échezeaux wines just after Romanée-Conti, Richebourg and La Tâche. Flagey-lez-Gilly added the name of its best-known cru in 1886, becoming Flagey-Echézeaux. The AOC Échezeaux was created by decree on 31 July 1937, alongside Grands-Échezeaux, and its cahier des charges was revised in 2009 and 2011.

The name Échezeaux comes from old French for ruined buildings, referring to the farm of the Abbey of Saint-Vivant de Vergy. Neighbouring climats also recall past uses: Les Poulaillères (henhouses) and Les Loâchausses (from Latin apes, beehives). Today about 80 owners farm plots, and Domaine de la Romanée-Conti is the best-known.

The vines grow in rows on a slope between the wall of Clos de Vougeot and Les Suchots, with wooded hills above; the ground is worked by hand and horse, as the old enjambeur tractors replaced horses only in the 1960s-70s. The plots belong to about 80 owners, so the land is private vineyard rather than a site open to visitors; the wines can be tasted at domaines and négociants in Flagey-Echézeaux and Vosne-Romanée.

Each parcel here is managed under strict rules, including a minimum planting density of 9,000 vines per hectare. This high density requirement is among France's most demanding wine regulations.