Côte de Brouilly

Côte de Brouilly occupies the highest south and east-facing slopes of Mont Brouilly, an extinct Paleozoic-era volcano rising to 484 meters in the southern reaches of Beaujolais. The appellation covers 301 hectares across four communes, Cercié, Odenas, Quincié-en-Beaujolais, and Saint-Lager, all within the Rhône department. Though it sits within the broader Brouilly zone, Côte de Brouilly is recognized as a distinct cru and is among the smallest and most southerly of the 10 Beaujolais crus.

• Elevation ranges from 250 to 450 meters above sea level
• South and southwest-facing aspect with slopes sometimes reaching 45%
• Among the first Beaujolais vineyards harvested each vintage due to its southerly exposure
• Holds UNESCO Global Geopark and protected landscape status on Mont Brouilly

The defining feature of Côte de Brouilly is its blue volcanic diorite bedrock, known locally as 'pierres bleues' or 'blue stone of Brouilly,' and also referred to as 'cornes vertes' (green horns). Granite appears on the lower west-facing slopes, and schist is also present across the appellation. These thin, stony, well-drained soils limit vine vigor and yields, concentrating flavors in the fruit. The volcanic substrate imparts the characteristic flinty, mineral edge that distinguishes Côte de Brouilly from neighboring Brouilly.

• Blue diorite (volcanic stone) is the dominant and most distinctive soil type
• Granite on lower west-facing slopes; schist also present
• Thin, stony soils with clay restrict vigor and concentrate grape flavors
• Volcanic minerality is the hallmark of the appellation's wine style

Viticulture on Mont Brouilly dates to the 4th century. The name Brouilly appeared in historical records as early as 1179, when the Sires de Beaujeu donated vines to the Abbey of Belleville. In 1854, the Notre-Dame aux Raisins chapel was constructed on the summit, a gesture of protection against phylloxera and mildew that devastated vineyards across Europe in that era. Côte de Brouilly was officially separated from the broader Brouilly designation and recognized as its own AOC on October 19, 1938, driven by vineyard owners determined to protect the unique character of the volcanic slopes.

• Vineyards first planted in the 4th century
• Name recorded in 1179 via a donation of vines to the Abbey of Belleville
• Notre-Dame aux Raisins chapel built in 1854 for protection from phylloxera and mildew
• Côte de Brouilly granted independent AOC status on October 19, 1938

Gamay Noir à Jus Blanc is the primary grape of Côte de Brouilly, as it is throughout Beaujolais. The regulations also permit Chardonnay, Aligoté, and Melon de Bourgogne, each up to 15% of the blend. Grapes are hand-harvested and arrive intact in vats. Minimum alcohol is set at 10.5% vol with a maximum yield of 56 hectoliters per hectare. The steep slopes and thin volcanic soils naturally limit yields, producing wines of greater concentration and structure than those from flatter Beaujolais terroirs.

• Gamay Noir à Jus Blanc is the primary variety
• Chardonnay, Aligoté, and Melon de Bourgogne permitted up to 15% each
• Hand-harvesting required; grapes arrive intact in vats
• Minimum 10.5% alcohol; maximum yield 56 hl/ha

Côte de Brouilly produces elegant, medium-bodied red wines that stand out among the Beaujolais crus for their mineral intensity and structural depth. Aromas range across fresh red fruits including plum, cherry, raspberry, and strawberry, with floral notes of violet, iris, and peony. A distinctive flinty, mineral, and peppery quality runs through the wines, a direct expression of the blue diorite soils. These wines are more concentrated and complex than those from the surrounding Brouilly appellation, with balanced acidity and refined tannins that support aging. Wines develop well over 4 to 6 years, gaining complexity and a fuller body with time in the cellar.

• Aromas of plum, cherry, raspberry, and strawberry with violet, iris, and peony florals
• Distinctive mineral, flinty, and peppery notes from volcanic diorite soils
• More concentrated and structured than surrounding Brouilly
• Age potential of 4 to 6 years with increasing complexity