Region: Rhône Valley

Côte-Rôtie, the “roasted slope,” rises up a southeasterly aspect behind the riverside town of Ampuis, home to E. Guigal, the largest producer in the appellation. On parts of the slope, the gradient is a precipitous 55 degrees or more. While Côte-Rôtie has grown to include other communes, the two slopes nearest Ampuis — the Côte Brune and Côte Blonde — are considered the heart of the appellation’s terroir. The wines derived from these two hillsides are said to mirror their feminine namesakes: Côte Blonde yields softer, alluring wines, whereas the wines of Côte Brune are stronger and more assertive. La Landonne, a cru bottled as a vineyard designate by Guigal, René Rostaing, and others, fetches prices that can equal those commanded by the first growths of Bordeaux. Our recommended bottle: E. Guigal Côte-Rôtie La Turque.