Côtes de la Charité French wine appellation guide: location, history, wines, climate & soil
IGP Côtes de la Charité is a small protected geographical indication in the upper Loire Valley, near Pouilly-Fumé, producing fresh Chardonnay and Sauvignon whites and light Pinot Noir reds.
More info about Côtes de la Charité
Geographic position
Central France, in the Nièvre department, on the hills along the right bank of the Loire around the town of La Charité-sur-Loire, about 15 km south of Pouilly-sur-Loire and 25 km north of Nevers.
Origin & history
Benedictine monks of the Priory of La Charité-sur-Loire, founded in 1059 and now a UNESCO World Heritage Site on the road to Santiago de Compostela, planted these slopes in the Middle Ages. The vineyards vanished after phylloxera and were replanted from the 1980s; the Vin de Pays des Côtes de la Charité was recognised in 1987 and became an IGP in 2009.
Wines & grape varieties
Whites from Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Blanc, with citrus, white flowers and a mineral finish; reds and rosés from Pinot Noir and Gamay, with bright red fruit.
Climate & soil
Semi-continental climate. Kimmeridgian and Portlandian limestone and marl, similar to Chablis and Sancerre.
Wine region: Loire
Grape varieties: Chardonnay, Gamay, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc