Côtes du Forez

Styles

Principal grape varieties

Terroir

• The geographical area extends along the eastern edge of the Monts du Forez, which reach a peak elevation of 1,634 metres, near Montbrison, 60 kilometres south of Roanne.
• The relief separating the Monts du Forez from the Loire basin corresponds to a fault formed during the Tertiary era as a result of Alpine uplift; the Forez plain is a graben of granitic or metamorphic character where the subsidence was accompanied by volcanism, with around ten volcanoes recorded at the heart of the geographical area.
• The vines are planted at altitudes of between 400 and 600 metres, on substrates that are mainly granitic and metamorphic (schists and gneiss), and occasionally basaltic, derived from Tertiary volcanism.
• The weathering of the granites and gneiss of the basement produces a coarse grus bearing sandy, light soils, while the basaltic veins derived from Tertiary volcanism give locally more clay-rich soils.
• The climate is oceanic with continental and mountain nuances, shaped by the Monts du Forez, which act as a barrier to moist Atlantic disturbances and induce a foehn effect; a pocket of dryness stretches at the foot of the relief on either side of Montbrison.
• The vineyard, which dominates the plain, is sheltered from late spring frosts and morning mists dissipate quickly, while cold winters average 81 frost days.

• The vineyard at Annet in Boën is documented as early as 980 in a charter from the cartulary of the Abbey of Savigny, with other sites mentioned in 1024 and 1252.
• The Fédération des vins des Côtes du Forez, founded in 1932, organised trade fairs and then wine markets in 1935 and 1937 before disbanding during the Second World War.
• The construction of a cooperative cellar at Trelins in 1962 encouraged the pooling of production resources, better control over winemaking, and the organisation of commercialisation.
• Gamay is the only grape variety cultivated from generation to generation within the geographical area, with no other variety associated with it.

• The red wines show a deep colour with cherry-red highlights, a nose frequently offering aromas of small red fruits, and a supple palate with silky tannins.
• Cuvées from plots on basaltic soils show a darker colour, mineral and spiced notes on the nose, more prominent tannins, and a good capacity for ageing.
• The rosé wines are still wines with a delicate colour, aromas of small fruits, and a supple, refined palate.

• The foehn effect linked to the Monts du Forez tempers the harshness of the climate and limits Atlantic precipitation over the geographical area of the appellation.
• Wines from the granitic grus display mineral, sometimes spiced, nuances, while those from the basaltic flows of the volcanic sectors offer more concentrated and more mineral flavours.

Facts drawn from the specification's terroir-link section by automatic interpretation — see the source.

All appellations in France

Sources

• Product specification (BO Agri, PDF)
• Official INAO text (show_texte)
• INAO product entry