A prestigious appellation in the Rhône Valley, the French wine-growing region that runs along the Rhône from south of Lyon to just outside Arles, Côte Rôtie is one of the 17 crus du Rhône, alongside Saint Joseph and Châteauneuf-du-Pape, for example. Let’s discover the particularly remarkable 2015 vintage.

The Côte-Rôtie appellation

Located in the Northern Rhône (north of the Rhône Valley), the appellation covers 280 hectares, planted between 140 and 320 meters above sea level. A veritable temple to syrah (black grapes), the Côte Rôtie appellation gives pride of place to this heat-loving grape variety. A distinction is made between the Côte Brune and the Côte Blonde, with the Côte Brune owing its name to the micaschists that make up the soil, and the Côte Blonde to the Viognier (a grape variety with golden berries), which is in the majority. Yes, in Côte Rôtie, Syrah is the main grape variety, but Viognier (a white grape) is also used in blends (up to 20%) to “round out” the wines.

The year 2015

2015 was the hottest and sunniest year since meteorological statistics began. A heatwave in July and August benefited the vines, then rain at the end of August perfected the ripening of the grapes, followed by glorious sunshine and a light breeze to ensure that the grapes remained healthy right up to harvest. The rainy winter enabled the water table to be replenished (fortunately, given the summer heatwave!) and the mild spring temperatures preserved the vines. At harvest time, the flavor of the first bunches of Syrah and Viognier is dazzling.

For the experts, 2015 was an exceptional year, unprecedented for many. In the words of Marcel Guigal, director of E. Guigal, “The 2015 vintage is the greatest vintage produced in 55 years.” The 2015 vintage is therefore unquestionably one of the best in history, with the added bonus of very satisfactory production volumes (40 hectoliters per hectare or more).