Coteaux du Layon Rochefort-sur-Loire wines are sweet white wines produced under the Coteaux du Layon appellation, specifically from the parish of Rochefort-sur-Loire in the Anjou district of the western Loire Valley.
Rochefort-sur-Loire is a village at the northern edge of the Coteaux du Layon area, situated right on the Louet – an arm of the Loire that runs between Juigne-sur-Loire and Chalonnes-sur-Loire. The southern banks of the Loire itself lie just a short distance away from Rochefort, while two miles (3.25km) to the south is the Layon river which gives the appellation its name. The finest vineyards of Rochefort-sur-Loire are covered by two of the Loire Valley's most prestigious appellations, Chaume and Quarts de Chaume – the region's first Premier Cru and Grand Cru respectively.
The quality of the area's sweet wines is largely due to the local topography – itself due in no small part to the nearby rivers, including the Layon. Over the millennia the river has carved out gentle south-facing slopes around Rochefort-sur-Loire, creating a sheltered mesoclimate that protects the vineyards from cold continental winds blowing in from the north and east. In late summer, the morning mists rising from the river promote the development of botrytis (noble rot) – an essential ingredient in the best Coteaux du Layon Rochefort-sur-Loire wines.
The sweetest and most expressive wines from the appellation are sold with Selection de Grains Nobles mentioned after the appellation title. These are made from grapes harvested in tries successives – i.e. multiple passes through the vineyard, during which only grapes affected by noble rot are picked. This title was brought to the Loire from Alsace to replace the former sweetness statements Demi-Sec, Moelleux and Liquoreux, although the tries successives harvesting method is credited to the top chateaux of Sauternes.
All Coteaux du Layon wines are made exclusively from Chenin Blanc grapes, which thrive on the schistous soils here. Chenin, or Pineau de la Loire as it is known locally, is by far the most widely used variety in the sweet wines of the Loire, and is at its peak within the catchment area of the Coteaux du Layon.
