All the fruit comes from Valréas, which is distinctive for two reasons. Its hilly location on the east side of the Rhône means much cooler nights and gentler ripening relative to the valley floor. It’s also the traditional breaking point in the Rhône where you see a shift to more Syrah than Grenache. Grenache is more heat loving than Syrah, and Valréas generally marks where it was potentially too cool to ripen Grenache properly, which was very much the case. Over the last decade, particularly the relatively warm vintages have been a godsend to Valréas, as the principal grape, Grenache, is ripening beautifully and slowly, meaning loads of flavor and developed structure. This balance of power and freshness is what drew us into Valréas, as so much of the southern Rhône, particularly on the valley floors, has become incredibly hot. Most of our vineyards are North and West facing on a mix of limestone and galets (river stones).