Côte Rotie

Discover the Côte Rôtie appellation

The Côte Rôtie vineyard is one of the oldest and most famous vineyards in the entire Rhône Valley. The first texts mentioning the place were from the 6th century. They focused on the town of Ampuis, which used to be a trading post for the Greeks and the Romans, back then. In the Middle Ages, the wines produced in the Côte Rôtie were appreciated by many French kings and their courts. In the 18th century, the United Kingdom, Russia, the United States and Prussia were some of the biggest importers of Côte Rôtie wines. The appellation was nicknamed "Côte Rôtie", because the heat of the sun often scorched the grapevines growing on the Rhône Valley hills ("rôtir" means "to burn", in French).

The appellation is located on the communes of Ampuis, Saint-Cyr-sur-le-Rhône and Tupin-et-Semons, on the banks of the Rhône River, 30 kilometers from the city of Lyon. The region's soils are a blend of mica stones (which are very rich in aluminum and potassium) and random screes. With its 73 localities and its 308 hectares surface area, the sunny Côte Rôtie vineyard can produce up to 6,800 hectoliters of wine each year. Around 60 winemakers work there every day.

Browse our selection of Côte Rôtie wines.