Coteaux du Lyonnais
Encyclopedia
Coteaux du Lyonnais is an Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée
(AOC) for wine in central-southeastern France
. This wine-growing area is located on the slopes of the Monts du Lyonnais
, a mountain range to the west of Lyon
and in the eastern part of Massif Central
.
. Previously Coteaux du Lyonnais was classified as VDQS
from 1952, and could also be called Vins du Lyonnais.
, and are centered on L'Arbresle
in the north and Brignais
in the south.
They are bounded to the east by the Rhône
and the Saône
rivers, to the west by the mountains of the Monts du Lyonnais, and to the north and south by the wine-growing areas of Beaujolais
and Rhône. Coteaux du Lyonnais is typically not seen as part of any of the nearby larger wine region, but as an isolated AOC on its own.
The AOC's vineyards cover approximately 370 hectares (914.3 acre), shared by 49 wine-growing communes in the Rhône département, and between them they produce approximately 22,000 hectolitres of wine.
Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée
Appellation d’origine contrôlée , which translates as "controlled designation of origin", is the French certification granted to certain French geographical indications for wines, cheeses, butters, and other agricultural products, all under the auspices of the government bureau Institut National...
(AOC) for wine in central-southeastern France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. This wine-growing area is located on the slopes of the Monts du Lyonnais
Monts du Lyonnais
The monts du Lyonnais are a range of low-altitude mountains and eastern foothills of the Massif Central located in the Loire and Rhône departments in France.-Geography:The monts du Lyonnais' highest summit is the crêt Malherbe ....
, a mountain range to the west of Lyon
Lyon
Lyon , is a city in east-central France in the Rhône-Alpes region, situated between Paris and Marseille. Lyon is located at from Paris, from Marseille, from Geneva, from Turin, and from Barcelona. The residents of the city are called Lyonnais....
and in the eastern part of Massif Central
Massif Central
The Massif Central is an elevated region in south-central France, consisting of mountains and plateaux....
.
Appellation
AOC status was granted on May 9, 1984, and was signed by the then Minister for Agriculture, Louis MermazLouis Mermaz
Louis Mermaz is a French politician. He became an ally of François Mitterrand in the late 1950s and in 1971 became a member of Mitterrand's staff in the French Socialist Party. From 1981 to 1986, he was president of the French National Assembly. He served as Minister of Agriculture from 1990 to...
. Previously Coteaux du Lyonnais was classified as VDQS
VDQS
Vin Délimité de Qualité Supérieure , usually abbreviated as VDQS, is the second highest category of French wine, below Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée in rank, but above Vin de pays . VDQS is sometimes written as AOVDQS, with AO standing for Appellation d'Origine...
from 1952, and could also be called Vins du Lyonnais.
Wine-growing area
The vineyards belonging to the Coteaux du Lyonnais AOC are spread across two main areas, both about 10 kilometers distance from LyonLyon
Lyon , is a city in east-central France in the Rhône-Alpes region, situated between Paris and Marseille. Lyon is located at from Paris, from Marseille, from Geneva, from Turin, and from Barcelona. The residents of the city are called Lyonnais....
, and are centered on L'Arbresle
L'Arbresle
L'Arbresle is a commune of the Rhône department in eastern France. Composer Claude Terrasse was born in L'Arbresle.-References:*...
in the north and Brignais
Brignais
Brignais is a commune of the Rhône department in eastern France....
in the south.
They are bounded to the east by the Rhône
Rhône
Rhone can refer to:* Rhone, one of the major rivers of Europe, running through Switzerland and France* Rhône Glacier, the source of the Rhone River and one of the primary contributors to Lake Geneva in the far eastern end of the canton of Valais in Switzerland...
and the Saône
Saône
The Saône is a river of eastern France. It is a right tributary of the River Rhône. Rising at Vioménil in the Vosges department, it joins the Rhône in Lyon....
rivers, to the west by the mountains of the Monts du Lyonnais, and to the north and south by the wine-growing areas of Beaujolais
Beaujolais (wine)
Beaujolais is a French Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée wine generally made of the Gamay grape which has a thin skin and is low in tannins. Like most AOC wines they are not labeled varietally. Whites from the region, which make up only 1% of its production, are made mostly with Chardonnay grapes...
and Rhône. Coteaux du Lyonnais is typically not seen as part of any of the nearby larger wine region, but as an isolated AOC on its own.
The AOC's vineyards cover approximately 370 hectares (914.3 acre), shared by 49 wine-growing communes in the Rhône département, and between them they produce approximately 22,000 hectolitres of wine.