Coteaux du Layon
Styles
Principal grape varieties
Terroir
Natural factors
- Predominantly schist bedrock, which may be overlaid by detrital formations from the Cenomanian or Pliocene depending on topography.
- Soils in places derived from rhyolites, spilites, Carboniferous puddingstones/sandstones, or Silurian quartz and phtanites.
- A mesoclimate with a distinctly southern character, evidenced by the presence of holm oaks and stone pines in the local flora; 13 communes in Maine-et-Loire.
Human factors
- Late harvesting is documented as far back as 1600: Olivier de Serres noted that Anjou grapes 'begin to fall to the ground' before picking, a practice confirmed by Comte Odart in 1845.
- The growth of the vineyard was driven by Dutch brokers (16th century) and by the canalisation of the Layon in 1780 to accommodate 'the large vessels of the Dutch fleet'.
Product characteristics
- Wines from the slopes of Beaulieu, Faye-d'Anjou, and Saint-Aubin are shaped by noble rot (Botrytis cinerea), yielding aromas of dried and candied fruits with honeyed notes.
- Deep yellow with green highlights in youth, evolving to golden-amber with age; aromas of quince, pear, and honey; capable of ageing up to 20 years, or even a century.
Terroir / wine link
- Morning mists over the Layon encourage Botrytis cinerea (noble rot), enabling the grapes to achieve full overripeness.
Facts drawn from the cahier's terroir-link section (Lien au terroir) by automatic interpretation — see the source.
Sources
- Product specification (BO Agri, PDF), JORF 17 décembre 2025
- Official INAO text (show_texte)
- INAO product entry
- Official trade body site — InterLoire