Discovering the Côte-Rôtie Appellation

The most northerly AOC of the Côtes du Rhône, this appellation, which produces only red wines, is spread over the communes of Ampuis, Saint-Cyr-sur-Rhône and Tupins-Sémons. Situated to the south of the Vienne river and around thirty kilometres south of Lyon, the vineyards stretch along the right bank of the Rhône, clinging to the steep slopes of the Côte Brune, made up of micaschists, and the Côte Blonde, made up of gneiss.

A true gateway to the Rhône Valley, the Côte-Rôtie appellation is a very old vineyard in the northern Rhône Valley, planted on very steep slopes (coteaux in French). The slope, which can be as steep as 60%, allows the vines to roast (rôtir in French) in the summer sunshine. The AOC owes its name to the exposure of the hillsides, which benefit the vineyard's sloping soils, which are ‘burnt’ by the sun during the summer months.

The emblematic Côte Rôtie wine region is made up of two distinct terroirs: the Côte Brune to the north and the Côte Blonde to the south.

• The Côte to the north of the appellation has a richer, deeper subsoil with a high iron content, giving structure and rigour to the wines. The soils are terraced and very steep, covered with shale. The terroir produces very dark, tannic, powerful and animal wines. With age, leather and notes of undergrowth blend with aromas of violets and raspberries.
• The Côte to the south differs in that its soil is finer, lighter, chalky, light-coloured and made up of clayey sands. As Viognier makes up a larger proportion of the grape variety blend, the wines from this slope are rounder, more supple and offer an excellent aromatic bouquet. All the magic of blending a red and a white grape variety!

This fine red wine, with its slightly spicy flavour, has a very dark colour due to its main grape variety, making it ideal for ageing. It's perfect for those who love ageing wines!

A red wine of this quality can be enjoyed with a wide range of dishes! With its power and finesse, Côte-Rôtie is the ideal wine to accompany dishes of character such as red meat, game or truffle dishes. Beef bourguignon, coq au vin, lamb mice and fillet of beef are all traditional dishes in which Syrah is perfectly suited. The spiciness of this fine red wine is also a wonderful accompaniment to roast or grilled meats. It will surprise you with cheese or even as an aperitif with a local cured ham.

For the first 8 years, decant 2 hours before drinking.