Cote Rotie, an Appellation d’origine contrôlée (AOC) located in France’s northern Rhône region, features vineyards in the communes of Saint-Cyr-sur-le-Rhône, Ampuis, and Tupin-et-Semons, just south of Vienne. Its vineyards stand out for their steep, river-facing slopes and terraced stone walls. The name “Côte-Rôtie,” translating to “the roasted slope,” highlights the extensive sunlight exposure these steep terrains enjoy.
The area primarily produces red wines from Syrah grapes, with the option to blend up to 20% Viognier for its fragrant qualities. Appellation regulations mandate simultaneous fermentation of Syrah and Viognier, a technique known as cofermentation. This unique method results in Côte-Rôtie wines that distinctively combine meaty (including bacon) and floral aromas, creating a complex sensory experience.
Climate and Geography
Situated in the Northern Rhône, the Côte-Rôtie AOC stands out among the region’s wine areas due to its continental climate, distinct from the Southern Rhône’s Mediterranean weather. Characterized by wet winters and the cold mistral winds extending into spring, the area faces challenges such as fog during late spring and early autumn, complicating grape ripening. Spanning 202 hectares (500 acres) along the Rhône River’s western bank near Ampuis, the river courses southwest for 9.7 kilometers (6.0 miles) through Côte-Rôtie. Vineyards are strategically planted on south- or southeast-facing slopes to capture maximum sunlight, crucial during foggy harvest times. Côte-Rôtie is divided into the Côte Brune (“brown slope”) with its dark, iron-rich schist soil, and the Côte Blonde, known for its lighter granite and schist composition. Erosion poses significant challenges on these steep terrains, necessitating the construction of stone walls and extensive terracing to mitigate soil loss. Vineyard owners often manually transport eroded soil and rocks uphill to replenish the vineyards, emphasizing the region’s dedication to viticulture.
In the Côte-Rôtie AOC, Syrah and Viognier are the exclusive grape varieties permitted, with many wines crafted entirely from Syrah, though up to 20% Viognier may be blended in. These wines typically reach their peak 5–6 years post-vinification, yet the finest examples may require 10–15 years to fully mature, with some even surpassing 20 years of aging potential. The hallmark of Côte-Rôtie wines is their aromatic profile, marked by unique scents of green olives, raspberry, violets, and bacon, alongside flavors of both black and white pepper, blueberry, blackberry, plum, and leather. The region’s vines, averaging 40 years old and yielding concentrated fruit due to their age, are mostly planted on steep slopes with inclines nearing 60°. While the appellation encompasses flatter areas yielding lesser-quality wines labeled under the broader Côtes du Rhône AOC, the steeply inclined vineyards are where the finest expressions are born.
The two distinct sectors of Côte-Rôtie, Côte Blonde and Côte Brune, are said to be named after the contrasting hair colors of a local lord’s daughters, mirroring the divergent profiles of the wines they produce. The iron-rich soils of Côte Brune yield robust, tannic wines suited for aging, while Côte Blonde’s offerings are more balanced and elegant, designed for relatively earlier consumption. Traditionally, Côte-Rôtie wines blend grapes from these areas to combine their unique traits.
Lately, the trend has shifted towards single vineyard wines that showcase the specific terroir of their origin, a movement pioneered by Marcel Guigal. Among the most celebrated vineyards are La Chatillone, La Chevalière, La Garde, La Landonne, La Mouline, and La Turque, each known for producing distinguished wines that reflect the unique character of Côte-Rôtie.
Winemaking Practices
In the realm of wine appellations, Côte-Rôtie stands out for permitting the incorporation of white wine grapes into red wine blends, a distinction it shares with the Châteauneuf-du-Pape AOC in the southern Rhône. This region pioneered the aging of wines in new oak barrels, a technique that waned in popularity towards the end of the 19th century due to the phylloxera crisis. However, wine merchants rejuvenated this method in the 1980s, and its application now depends on the preferences of individual winemakers.
History of Côte-Rôtie Vineyards
Viticulture in the vicinity of Vienne can trace its origins back to the 2nd century BC, initiated by the Romans upon their encounter with the Allobroges tribe, in what is now known as the Rhône region. Despite a longstanding tradition of winemaking, Côte-Rôtie only began to gain prominence in the 18th century when Parisians, and subsequently the British, developed an appreciation for the wines of Beaujolais and Rhône. This British interest is evidenced by the purchase records of John Hervey, 1st Earl of Bristol, noting an early mention of “Côte-Rôty” wine. Uniquely, the region transported its wine in 20-U.S. gallon (approximately 76-liter) amphora-like vessels, differing from the barrels or bottles commonly used.
For many years, Côte-Rôtie lived in the shadow of Hermitage, the northern Rhône vineyard with international acclaim. However, the 1970s marked the beginning of a rising demand for Rhône wines, a trend that notably intensified in the late 1970s and early 1980s, partly due to Marcel Guigal’s Côte-Rôtie wines, such as La Mouline and La Landonne, which earned high praise from global wine critics. This surge in interest encouraged the development of new vineyards, with the area dedicated to vines expanding from 102 hectares (250 acres) in 1982 to 231 hectares (570 acres) by 2005.
Furthermore, the famed Syrah vines of Côte-Rôtie have been confirmed through genetic research to be native to the Rhône valley, identified as a hybrid of Mondeuse Blanche and Dureza varieties.
