What do the designation terms on Coteaux du Lyonnais wines mean?

AOP: An AOP identifies a product whose production stages take place using recognised know-how within the same geographical area, which gives the product its characteristics. These terms describe geographical or regulatory categories; they do not by themselves guarantee that one producer or bottle is better than another.

How much wine data does WhatDrink have for Coteaux du Lyonnais?

The current regional catalogue contains 7 linked wines from 1 linked producers. Counts describe WhatDrink catalogue coverage and may change as source data is refreshed.

Wine region

Coteaux du Lyonnais

Coteaux du Lyonnais is a wine region in France, home to 1 wineries, producing red, white wines.

Coteaux du Lyonnais at a glance: predominantly red.

On this page

Coteaux du Lyonnais's 1 wineries produce predominantly red wine; wines carry AOP designation.

About the Coteaux du Lyonnais region

Location

The vineyards belonging to the Coteaux du Lyonnais AOC are spread across two main areas, both about 10 kilometers distance from Lyon, and are centered on L'Arbresle in the north and Brignais in the south.

Climate

The climate is very similar to that of the Beaujolais wine-growing area, except that there is a stronger Mediterranean influence.

Soils

Coteaux du Lyonnais PDO soils include light clay-sandy soils over granite and moraine deposits, calcareous and sometimes clay-rich soils in the Mont d’Or, and lean, often leached soils on moraines.

Region facts sourced from European Commission eAmbrosia, Coteaux du Lyonnais, file PDO-FR-A0202, attachment 10807. (Commission Decision 2011/833/EU on the reuse of Commission documents), Wikipedia contributors, "Coteaux du Lyonnais", Wikipedia, revision 1247048261, retrieved 2026-07-11. (Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International).

Wine profile

Coteaux du Lyonnais is predominantly a red-wine region (about 71% of its wines).

7 distinct Coteaux du Lyonnais wines tracked, spanning the colours and styles below.

Red5 · 71%
White2 · 29%

Types: Still.

Representative Coteaux du Lyonnais wines

Selected from stable product-to-region relationships for diversity — not a claim that these are the region's best wines.

Guillaume Clusel (Clusel Roch) — Traboules Rouge
Cave Coteaux Lyonnais — Fleurieux Village Annee
Jean Loron — Coteaux du Lyonnais
Guillaume Clusel (Clusel Roch) — Galet
Will Arnold — Fond Cajou
Guillaume Clusel (Clusel Roch) — Traboules Blanc
Guillaume Clusel (Clusel Roch) — L'Hecto

Quality designations

Wines here carry AOP status — a controlled quality designation.

AOPThe EU protected-origin label (Appellation d'Origine Protégée) — the modern equivalent of AOC.

France wine designations

AOC: AOC is the French national controlled-origin recognition for a product whose production stages are carried out using recognised know-how within the same geographical area, giving the product its characteristics.
AOP: An AOP identifies a product whose production stages take place using recognised know-how within the same geographical area, which gives the product its characteristics.
IGP: An IGP identifies a product whose quality, reputation or other characteristics are linked to its geographical origin.
PDO: PDO is the European Union protected designation of origin category.
VdF: Vin de France is the French country-of-origin wording used for wine in the category without a protected geographical indication.

Classifications

2eme Cru Classe: Within the 1855 Sauternes and Barsac classification, 2ème Cru Classé is the third of three sweet-white-wine levels.
3eme Cru Classe: Within the 1855 Bordeaux red-wine classification, 3ème Cru Classé denotes the third of five ranked levels.
4eme Cru Classe: Within the 1855 Bordeaux red-wine classification, 4ème Cru Classé denotes the fourth of five ranked levels.
5eme Cru Classe: Within the 1855 Bordeaux red-wine classification, 5ème Cru Classé denotes the fifth of five ranked levels.
Cru Classe: In the Graves classification, Cru Classé denotes an estate authorised to use the title Grand Cru Classé de Graves; all current classified estates are in Pessac-Léognan.
Grand Cru: In Burgundy, Grand Cru is an AOC category applied to 33 appellations identified by individual Climat names.
Grand Cru Classe: In the current Saint-Émilion classification, Grand Cru Classé is a classified-estate level for red wines of Saint-Émilion; the 2022 edition lists 71 estates at this level.
Premier Cru: In Burgundy, Premier Cru identifies precisely defined individual plots, known as Climats, within certain Village appellations.
Premier Cru Classe: Within the 1855 Sauternes and Barsac classification, Premier Cru Classé is the middle of three sweet-white-wine levels.
Premier Cru Superieur: Within the 1855 Sauternes and Barsac classification, Premier Cru Supérieur is the highest of three sweet-white-wine levels.
Premier Grand Cru Classe A: In the current Saint-Émilion classification, Premier Grand Cru Classé A is the distinguished A level within the Premier Grand Cru Classé category; the 2022 edition lists two estates.

Understanding the wine data

Designation: The protected-origin or administrative category associated with the wine, interpreted using country-aware rules. The same abbreviation can mean different things in different countries, so we only show the meaning approved for that country.
Classification: An additional quality, hierarchy, vineyard, site, ageing or producer classification where supplied. Its meaning varies by country — it is not a universal quality score.

How this ranking is built

Producers are included when WhatDrink has a canonical producer-to-region relationship supported by the catalogue data. Display order may use represented wine count and relationship confidence to provide useful coverage; it is not a ranking of winery quality, prestige, production volume or critical acclaim.

Representative wines are selected from products with a stable relationship to this region, with preference for clear producer identity and a useful spread of producers, wine styles and designations. Inclusion is not an editorial score and does not mean these are the region’s best wines.

How to choose a good Coteaux du Lyonnais wine

Look for the AOP designation — it signals a controlled-origin Coteaux du Lyonnais wine.

FAQs

Where is Coteaux du Lyonnais?: The vineyards belonging to the Coteaux du Lyonnais AOC are spread across two main areas, both about 10 kilometers distance from Lyon , and are centered on L'Arbresle in the north and Brignais in the south.
What do the designation terms on Coteaux du Lyonnais wines mean?: AOP: An AOP identifies a product whose production stages take place using recognised know-how within the same geographical area, which gives the product its characteristics. These terms describe geographical or regulatory categories; they do not by themselves guarantee that one producer or bottle is better than another.
How are wineries and producers selected for Coteaux du Lyonnais?: Producers are included when WhatDrink has a canonical producer-to-region relationship supported by the catalogue data. Display order may use represented wine count and relationship confidence to provide useful coverage; it is not a ranking of winery quality, prestige, production volume or critical acclaim.
How are representative Coteaux du Lyonnais wines selected?: Representative wines are selected from products with a stable relationship to this region, with preference for clear producer identity and a useful spread of producers, wine styles and designations. Inclusion is not an editorial score and does not mean these are the region’s best wines.
How much wine data does WhatDrink have for Coteaux du Lyonnais?: The current regional catalogue contains 7 linked wines from 1 linked producers. Counts describe WhatDrink catalogue coverage and may change as source data is refreshed.

Regional data is aggregated from wine directory and product-catalogue sources; grape and style associations reflect characteristic varieties and may vary by producer and vintage.