Côte Rôtie

The Côte-Rôtie vineyard is one of France's oldest and most prestigious Côtes du Rhône vineyards. It extends over 235 hectares on the right bank of the Rhône, south of Lyon, shared between the communes of Saint-Cyr-le-Rhône, Ampuis and Tupin-Semons. The Côte-Rôtie appellation is unique in that it can blend a maximum of 20% white grapes (Viognier) with 80% red grapes (Syrah).
In the 19th century, these wines almost disappeared. Indeed, the steep slopes of both terroirs made them difficult to cultivate. But it was these very typical growing conditions that enabled them to produce great wines. The name Côte-Rôtie comes from the image of these hillsides combining the warmth and sunshine of the temperate continental climate known as Lyonnais. Côte-Rôtie wines have powerful aromas from Syrah and great finesse from Viognier. They are quality wines, colorful and rich in tannins. With age, these wines gain exceptional fullness. The best vintages can be kept from 5 to 30 years. Some of the greatest houses producing bottles of Côte-Rotie are: Etienne Guigal, Maison Chapoutier, Domaine Paul Jaboulet, Domaine Georges Vernay, Delas..