Côte de Brouilly
GREAT WINES FROM THE HEIGHTS
At the summit of Mont Brouilly – the veritable emblem of the appellation – the Côte de Brouilly vines cover a small area across four communes: Saint-Lager, Odenas, Quincié-en-Beaujolais and Cercié. The wines are generous with delicate tannins and aromas evocative of pepper, small macerated black fruit and mineral notes.
The Côte de Brouilly appellation: an overview
Côte de Brouilly wines are produced in an idyllic natural setting, sometimes referred to as the “green horn”. They are an invitation to explore their tastes and the countryside at the same time.
Stroll through the heart of the protected landscapes on the slopes of Mont Brouilly, and discover the geo-site (UNESCO Global Geopark label). Then, relish in the breath-taking beauty of the surroundings and the delicate aromas of a Côte de Brouilly wine…
- CommuneOdenas, Quincié-en-Beaujolais, Cercié, Saint-Lager
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Lieux-dits
- Chardignon
- L’Héronde
- Croix Dessaigne
- Brouilly
- Chavannes
- Le Pavé
- Godefroy
- Berthaudières
- Côte de Brouilly
- Altitude300 metres
- SoilBlue stone (40%), granite (24%), piedmont deposits (12%)
- Surface Area310 hectares
Characteristics
of Côte de Brouilly appellation
- TastingExpressive, delicate, spirited
- Tasting occasionBig gatherings
- NoseFresh grapes and iris flowers
- Culinary suggestionsThai-style clam chowder, Bresse chicken with morel mushrooms
- ColourIntense garnet red
- Serving temperature13-15°C
- PalateStructured and lively
Learn more
about the Côte de Brouilly appellation
Passionate about the terroir
In all, there are over 100 winegrowers who toil to produce the elegant Côte de Brouilly wines with their purple robe and intense flavours. After all, in such a striking natural environment, how could anyone not want to get the most out of the vines?
The winegrowing conditions on steep slopes are sometimes heroic, and the growers make every effort to ensure that the flavour of the terroir comes out in the bottles in order to produce outstanding crus whose character is gradually revealed over the passing years.
Wines at their height, in every sense of the word!
A wine that rises to the occasion
The Côte de Brouilly appellation is grown on the slopes of Mont Brouilly and benefits from the mild, sunny climate of the Beaujolais region.
Shrouded in mystery, Côte de Brouilly wines have their very own protection… The Notre-Dame aux Raisins chapel that has kept a benevolent eye on harvests since 1854.
This charming chapel stands here proudly because this was the place winegrowers used to come to beseech the Virgin Mary to wrap the vines in her protective cloak to keep the mushrooms from harming the harvest.
But the Côte de Brouilly vines have more than just a breath-taking landscape and a guardian angel, the terroir the grow on is quite simply divine…
A terroir that produces an intense wine
Gamay vine stocks draw their strength from a rich terroir of volcanic rocks and the famous “Brouilly blue stone.” This outlandish name given to the rocks scattered around this part of the Beaujolais region comes from the blueish glints caused by the stone as it weathers away.
Côte de Brouilly wines, with their intense garnet red colour, offer a complex palette: aromas of red fruit like nice notes of fresh plums, combined with floral, peppery and mineral notes.
The palate is lively and structured: the blue stones and sunshine are conducive to the tannin and give the wines a powerful, mineral and spicy character. After a few years of keeping, Côte de Brouilly wines boast a delightful potential for ageing, with the palate becoming more full-bodied and rounder.
Côte de Brouilly enjoys an ideal environment allowing the grapes to flourish and a harvest of intense fruit. With its intense garnet red, this appellation is the star of Beaujolais wines, offering wine lovers a bouquet enhanced by the volcanic terroir. The region is worth visiting for its green hillsides and idyllic setting as much as for its wineries that produce excellent crus.
