Côte Rôtie

The Côte-Rôtie vineyard is one of the oldest in France and one of the most prestigious in the Côtes du Rhône. It covers 235 hectares on the right bank of the Rhône, south of Lyon, divided 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 grape variety (Viognier) with 80% red grape variety (Syrah).
In the 19th century, these wines almost disappeared. The very steep slopes of the two terroirs made it difficult to grow vines. 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 the Lyonnais. Côte-Rôtie wines have powerful aromas from the Syrah grape and great finesse from the Viognier grape. They are quality wines, colourful 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 leading houses producing bottles of Côte-Rotie are: Etienne Guigal, Maison Chapoutier, Domaine Paul Jaboulet, Domaine Georges Vernay, Delas..