Viognier Collines Rhodaniennes

The Terroir:
Geographical location: The vines are planted at the top of southeast-facing hillsides at an altitude of 350 m.
Soil type: Granite subsoil and very light, pebbly sandy soil.
Climate: Sub-Mediterranean, cold winters and hot and dry summers.
Rains regularly during the other seasons (approximately 600 to 700 mm per year).
Grape variety: 100% Viognier, yield 40 hl / ha
Pruning method: Single Guyot method of pruning – trellising on wires.
Cultivation: De-hydrated organic compost (bovine-manure based), treatment with herbal teas, bio-dynamic preparations, sulphur and Bordeaux mixture to maintain the balance between the vines and the soil. Leaf-thinning, removing laterals. Mechanical ploughing of the soil, alternate rows are left for natural grasses to grow.
Harvesting: Hand-picked harvest when grapes are ripe, selective grape picking in the vineyard, the grapes are harvested in buckets then tipped into harvesting bins which can contain up to 50kg of grapes, these bins are then taken to the wine cellar.
The Cellar:
Arrival: Selective grape sorting by hand on a vibrating sorting table.
Pressing: Whole bunches of grapes are placed in a pneumatic press, racking of the must after 24 hours and fermentation in temperature controlled stainless steel tanks.
Maturing: Systematic malolactic fermentation followed by a maturing period of 6 months in oak barrel (70%) and tank (30%).