AOC Côte de Brouilly

The Appellation d'Origine Protégée (AOP) Côtes de Brouilly is one of the ten appellations crus of the Beaujolais, located in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region of France. Renowned for its elegant, structured red wines, this appellation is nestled on the slopes of Mont Brouilly, offering a unique terroir and high-quality wines.

The Côtes de Brouilly PDO is located on the slopes of Mont Brouilly, a volcanic hill that dominates the Beaujolais winegrowing landscape. The terroir is characterized by granitic and schist soils, with the presence of diorite, also known as "blue stone", giving the wines a distinctive minerality. The vineyards are mainly south- and south-east-facing, benefiting from optimal sunshine and good ventilation, which favors even, healthy ripening of the grapes.

The red wines of the Côtes de Brouilly PDO are made exclusively from the Gamay Noir grape variety with white juice. This grape variety, typical of the region, produces fruity, elegant and well-structured wines. The wines are distinguished by their aromas of red fruit (cherry, raspberry), black fruit (blackberry, blackcurrant) and floral (violet) and spicy notes. On the palate, they are often well-balanced, with fine tannins and refreshing acidity, offering good length and interesting ageing capacity.

The Côtes de Brouilly PDO covers around 320 hectares of vineyards. Annual production is around 12,000 hectoliters, which represents a limited quantity enabling high quality to be maintained. This modest production contributes to the rarity and exclusivity of this appellation's wines.

The wines of AOP Côtes de Brouilly are often considered among the finest and most complex of the Beaujolais crus. Their distinctive minerality, due to the bluestone soils, and elegant structure set them apart from other wines in the region. They are particularly appreciated for their ability to age, developing deeper aromas and an even more harmonious texture with time.