Côte roannaise
Styles
Principal grape varieties
Terroir
Natural factors
- Vineyard on the eastern slopes of the Monts de la Madeleine, between 350 m and 550 m elevation, across 14 communes, over a 35 km stretch.
- Soils of granitic sand derived from granites, schists, and gneisses of the Palaeozoic bedrock: sandy, light, free-draining, and quick to warm.
- Relief of tectonic origin (Tertiary fault / Alpine uplift) separating the Monts de la Madeleine from the collapsed graben of the Roanne plain.
- Oceanic climate with continental nuances: hot summers (above 20 °C in July–August), 73 frost days per year, and moderate rainfall.
- A foehn effect from the Monts de la Madeleine: a westerly wind, dried and warmed as it descends, creates a pocket of aridity and accelerates grape ripening.
Facts drawn from the cahier's terroir-link section (Lien au terroir) by automatic interpretation — see the source.