A terroir and its climate
The wine we offer is the fruit of its terroir, the Roussillon, a French region characterized by the quality of its agriculture and hosting the largest proportion of organic production in France.
Just a stone’s throw away from the sea and at the foot of the mountains, our Roussillon vineyards are exposed to a sophisticated climate: Mediterranean par excellence, characterized by hot summers, mild winters and intense rainfall in autumn and spring. This proximity to the coast is accompanied by the dominant presence of Canigou, the majestic mountain of Roussillon. Every other day, our vineyard is swept by the tramontane, a strong and dry wind coming from the Pyrenees. From time to time, the marine wind interposes itself between two tramontanes and blows the salty Mediterranean spray to our vines.
A terroir and its soils
Geologically, the Roussillon underwent profound upheavals in the Tertiary and Quaternary periods, resulting in the uplift of the Pyrenees. These transformations have created a multitude of terroirs with very distinct characteristics.
On our 5 hectares, we work with different soils that require from us to adapt our agricultural practices:
On our fluviosol soils that come from alluvial deposits and are made up of silts and sands, we use compost extracted from manure that we compost for several months to compensate for the low retention of the soil. The silicious soil allows us to produce rather fine and light wines.
On our salisols, which are rich in soluble salts, we need to consider their dryness and a particular vegetation. We therefore take care to maintain the water retention of the soils as well as the humus rate by increasing the mycorrhization rate of the roots. This soil allows us to cultivate a tasty and clear wine.
On our “red soils”, the fersialsols, which have a clayey texture and contain iron crystals, we have to juggle between the rains to work the root of the vines without restructuring the soils which harden very quickly. However, they offer a good capacity of exchange and retention for water and nutrients. This clay soil allows us to produce voluminous and full-bodied wines.
We cultivate living soils by ensuring to make them true reservoirs of microbial, animal and plant biodiversity. Through our practices, we try to develop and regenerate the activity of fungi and mycorrhizae, true allies of each of our vines. This requires time and patience so that each one finds its place and can work harmoniously.
Through this practice we contribute to the national commitments to stop the regular loss of carbon that alters the sustainability of agricultural production and threatens food security. We are particularly sensitive to the COP 21´s international commitments of carbon sequestration in the soil.
To understand why carbon sequestration in the soil is fundamental for all living things, watch the video!
