Côte-Rôtie is a French wine Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée (AOC) in the northern Rhône wine region of France. The vineyards are nestled around the tiny town of Ampuis just south of Vienne. The vineyards are unique because of their vertical slopes and their stone walls.

Côte-Rôtie can be rendered in English as "the roasted slope" or "the burning coast" and refers to the long hours of sunlight that these steep slopes receive. The wines are red, made with Syrah grapes and up to 20% Viognier, a white grape used for its aroma. According to appellation rules, Syrah and Viognier must be fermented at the same time, a process known as cofermentation.

Côte-Rôtie wine typically exhibits an almost paradoxical combination of meat aromas (including bacon) and floral aromas. However, even Côte-Rôtie from 100% Syrah can smell floral. The earliest record of viticulture in the region dates to the 2nd century BC when the Romans first encountered the Allobroges tribe whose territory included the regions around Vienne.

While winemaking continued to have a long history in the region, the Côte-Rôtie didn't receive much recognition until the 18th century when Parisians began discovering the wines of Beaujolais and Rhône. Around the same time, the British also discovered the wines with the purchase logs of John Hervey, 1st Earl of Bristol providing one of the earliest English records of "Côte-Rôty" (sic) wine. There were added considerations with the transportation of Côte-Rôtie wine, with the region using 20 gallon (76 liters) amphora-like vases for transport instead of barrels or early wine bottles.

The origins of the Côte-Rôtie most famous planting-Syrah, is confirmed to be indigenous to the Rhone valley. Syrah has been genetically proven to be a cross between Mondeuse Blanche and Dureza. The Côte-Rôtie has a continental climate that is very different from the more Mediterranean climate of the southern Rhône.

Winters are wet and marked by the cold le mistral winds that can last into the Spring. During the late spring and early autumn, fog can settle on the vineyards making ripening of the grapes a challenge. The wine region covers nearly 500 acres (202 hectares) along the western bank of the Rhône River near the village of Ampuis.

In the Côte-Rôtie, the Rhône flows southwest for 6 miles (9.7 kilometers). To maximize the amount of sunshine that the vines receive (especially with that fog that often develops near harvest time), vineyards will more often be planted on the south or southeast facing slopes along this part of the river. The Côte-Rôtie is sub-divided into two main sections of varying soil compositions-The Côte Brune ("brown slope") in the north on dark, iron-rich schist and the Côte Blonde with its pale granite and schist soil.

Erosion is a common viticultural hazard with the steep vineyards because the granite and schist soils are vital in retaining heat throughout the day to protect the vines from the chilly temperatures during the mistral seasons. Stone walls are built around the lands and the hillsides are often heavily terraced to try and counter the issues. Some vineyards owners will even gather the eroded soils and rocks in buckets and carry them back up the slope to the vines.

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