Climate

The area has a temperate climate typical of the Lyonnais region: mild winters, hot summers, and relatively uniform rainfall. The key feature that sets it apart is its wind regime - and this element plays an important role in the vines' existence. The AOC's slopes - mainly facing south or south-east - are relatively sheltered from the cold northerly wind (the bise) and exposed to the warm wind from the south, which often has a drying effect. This causes the grapes to ripen faster, helps protect the vines from diseases - and even, in the case of late harvesting, prompts the grapes to dehydrate and develop complex chemical compounds that affect the eventual flavours of the wine (a process called passerillage).

ESSENTIAL CLIMATIC FEATURES
- Average rainfall is 700-800 mm a year.
- It rains on 80-110 days in the year.
- Average annual temperature is about 11°C.
This area is part of the "Rhône corridor" and has one of its characteristics: prevailing northerly and southerly winds.