The Domaine de La Tour Saint Martin of Côtes de Millau of South West

Discovering the wine region of Côtes de Millau

Côtes de Millau is the easternmost of the appellations associated with the wine region of southwest France. The vineyards are located on steep, terraced slopes in the Deep, gorge-like Tarn valley in the Aveyron department. Light, supple red wines made from Gamay and Syrah are the most important wines produced here, although the appellation also covers white and rosé wines. The Côtes de Millau watershed covers 17 communes in the Tarn valley.

Here the river has cut a path through the limestone plateau over time and, while the surrounding areas in the southern parts of the Massif Central are too cold for viticulture, the mesoClimates in the gorge make viticulture possible. The boundaries of the Côtes de Millau appellation are closer to the Mediterranean Sea than to the Atlantic, and the Languedoc-Roussillon wine region Lies just east of the area. A mountain range separating the region from the coast means that the climate is largely continental, certainly more so than in many other south-western appellations. Temperatures are moderate throughout the year, as the area is sheltered within the gorges from the strong northerly winds.