Ep 321: The Greats -- Côte Rôtie, Rhône Valley

<p>One of the greatest wines of the world is the Syrah-based Côte Rôtie, from the northernmost appellation in the northern Rhône. Named "roasted slope" after the sun that bathes the south-facing slopes, the region is less than 25 miles south of Lyon near the town of Ampuis, and is at the cool-climate limit for growing Syrah.</p> <div>On the right bank of the Rhône, across 3 communes of Saint-Cyr sur Rhône, Ampuis, and Tupin-Semons, the vineyards are on extremes slopes at 180m/590 ft and 325m/1070 ft above sea level.</div> <div class="O0"> </div> <p><img style= "display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src= "https://assets.libsyn.com/secure/show/45638/cote-rotie-larmat-section.jpg" alt="" width="455" height="224" /></p> <p>This week we explain what makes these wines, from this tiny, historic area, so very fascinating and why they truly are one of the greatest wines in the world. </p> <p> </p> <p>I think the best thing to do in the show notes this time is to list the things that are hard to catch on the show. Rather than a lengthy recap, this time I'll list the regions and producers mentioned!</p> <p style="text-align: center;"> </p> <p style="text-align: center;"><u>Sub</u> <u>areas</u></p> <p> <u>Ampuis:</u> The area that lies above Ampuis town contains the best sites. The Reynard River serves as the geological dividing lie between the schist soils of the northern part of the appellation, and the granite soils in the south. </p> <p>Schist: </p> <ul> <li><strong>Cote Brune</strong> – Schist soils make  powerful, tannic, darker</li> <li><strong>Chavaroche </strong>– Borders Cote Brune. Bernard Levet produces a single vineyard Cote Rotie from here</li> <li><strong>La Landonne</strong> – Famed for Guigal’s La Landonne but Gerinn, Rene Rostaing, Delas and Xavier Gerard also make wine from here</li> <li><strong>Cote Rozier- </strong>some of the steepest sites in Cote Rotie. Great wines include Ogier’s Belle Helene, and wines from Jamet, Guigal, Bonnefond and Gangloff</li> </ul> <div><img style= "display: