Coteaux du Lyonnais is a relatively small appellation for red, white and rose wines from the hillsides west of Lyon, the town at the northern end of the Rhone wine region in France.
These wines are of a lighter style than those produced in the rest of the Rhone region, and are closer in style to those produced in Beaujolais. The red wines, in fact, are produced from the Gamay grape variety using carbonic maceration - precisely the same combination which creates the distinctive wines of Beaujolais.
Despite its small geographical area, the region is split into three areas; the Mont d'Or to the north, the Arbresle valley in the center, and a southern area around the hills just outside Vienne.
The appellation was created in 1984, to represent the wine styles of the area, and to encourage the increasing quality of production.
A small amount of white wine is made under the appellation, from Chardonnay and Aligote, and occasionally an addition of Pinot Blanc. These are traditionally dry, floral styles, some of which are matured in oak barrels for up to a year to produce a slightly more structured, weighty version.
The co-operative Saint-Bel is responsible for the production of about half of all Coteaux du Lyonnais wines, the majority of which are consumed within France and are rarely exported.
