The terroir
Fifteen hectares
of red stone
and southern light.
The Cérinhac hillsides stretch above the Orbelle river, facing south and south-east, strewn with the stony scree that people here call les grèzes.
Beneath our feet
Clay, limestone,
and pebbles.
The terroir of Grèzes Rouges is made of three layers. Deep down lies a fissured limestone bedrock, left by an ancient sea, which forces the roots to dive in search of water. Above it, a layer of red clay — the iron-rich signature of the estate — brings density and freshness. On the surface, rolled pebbles, carried down from the plateau thousands of years ago, drain the rain and store the sun.
These layers set a rhythm: the vine struggles, but never too much. It gives little, and what it gives is concentrated.
Climate & aspect
The valley breathes
in gusts.
The Orbelle carves a valley running north-west to south-east. In the morning, cold air slides down from the heights and settles on the valley floor; our hillsides, halfway up, escape the late frosts. In the afternoon, the rock stores the heat, then gives it back through the night.
The north wind — dry and sharp — cuts through the scorching days of July and August. It drives off the damp, keeps disease at bay, and spares us from having to step in.
At a glance
The terroir in figures
15
hectares under vine
220m
average altitude
SE
main aspect
600mm
rainfall / year