Côtes d’Auvergne AOC is located near Clermont-Ferrand in the extreme upper Loire. It began life in 1977 as a VDQS and in 2010 became an AOC. Since 1977, the generic appellation “Cotes d’Auvergne” can be followed by one of the five local appellations, presented which are, from north to south Madargue, Châteaugay, Chanturgue, Corent and Boudes.

Terroir: The Côtes d’Auvergne wine is produced exclusively in the Puy-de-Dôme department of France, on the hillsides bordering the Limagne plain. The boundaries of the vineyard extend over 60 kms from just north of the city of Clermont-Ferrand to south of the cities of Issoire and Saint-Germaine-Lembron.

Roger Voss (1997) says the Auvergne is not strictly speaking a Loire vineyard. But the Allier valley, across which the vines face, runs northwards to meet the Loire near Nevers, and in his view, the wines of the Auvergne are stylistically closer to those of the main Loire vineyards than they are to any other French wine style. Despite their proximity to the Rhône, where southern warmth is so much in evidence, these vines live in a landscape and a climate which are more northern, Voss says. There are ash, birch and fern trees rather than pines and olives, he says plus mountain streams and green pastures rather than dry hills. The summers are rarely hot; the winters can be cold and damp. It is a remote part of France, dominated by the wild, volcanic mountains of the Puys d’Auvergne and the Massif Central, Voss concludes.

Wine production & vineyard area: 2002 15,695hl (of which 913hl was white) from 370ha (Guide Hachette des Vins 2004, p.974).

Wine grapes: Vineyards: 90% red wine grapes, mainly Gamay. Older vineyards were planted with Gamay d’Auvergne (a biotype it seems) which often has large winged clusters. From the 1990s onwards new plantings have mostly been of “Beaujolais gamay”, from the Val de Loire department. This grape variety is known for its light weight and early harvest. Pinot noir made up a large percentage of the vineyard several centuries ago but today accounts for around 20% of the vines. Chardonnay, a recent addition, is well adapted here and is the only variety authorized for use in the white wines of the Côtes d’Auvergne appellation.

Wines

Côtes d’Auvergne AOC Blanc: Chardonnay.

Côtes d’Auvergne AOC Rouge: Based on Pinot noir.

Bibliography

Roger Voss, ‘Voyage of Discovery’, Wine Magazine February 1997, p.51-53.