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Val de Loire · Loire du Massif central · Red, rosé and white

Côtes d'Auvergne — terroir, soils & grape varieties

On the volcanic soils of the Puy-de-Dôme, between the Chaîne des Puys and the Allier, Côtes d'Auvergne grows gamay and pinot noir. A high-altitude vineyard on basalt soils, famous for the rosé of Corent, with five local crus.

A Volcanic Vineyard

Across fifty-four communes in the Puy-de-Dôme, from Riom to Issoire via Clermont-Ferrand, between the Chaîne des Puys and the Allier river, Côtes d'Auvergne forms the southernmost vineyard of the Loire basin. Granted AOC status in 2011, the appellation includes five local denominations: Madargue, Châteaugay, Chanturgue, Corent and Boudes.

Terroir and Style

The soils are highly varied: sandy-siliceous, clay-limestone and, above all, basaltic — a volcanic legacy that gives the terroir its distinctiveness. Gamay and pinot noir give reds that are fruity and easy-drinking or more structured depending on the variety; chardonnay gives fresh whites. The renowned dry rosé of Corent is its best-known ambassador.

The grape varieties of Côtes d'Auvergne

Gamay →fruity, easy-drinking reds and rosés
Pinot noir →more structured, complex reds
Chardonnay →whites, sometimes aged in oak
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Sources: Wikipédia — Côtes d'Auvergne (AOC)