The Terroir
“Grés”, terroir in the noblest sense of the word!
A gravelly, poor, and well-drained earth where only grapevines or olive trees can bear fruit…
Such is our identity, so characteristic of our terroir. Borrowed from the Occitan word “grés”, which means pebbles), carrying our distinctive accent with pride, and reinforced by our attachment to our capital, Montpellier, the Grés de Montpellier invites you to discover a truly unique terroir.
The landscape
The terroir of ‘Grés de Montpellier’ extends over 46 municipalities, from the Vidourle valley in the east to the Hérault valley in the west, and from the Pic Saint Loup region in the north to the coastline in the south.
Sheltered from the northern winds, and with a climate strongly influenced by the proximity of the sea, the vineyards are located on softly rolling hills parallel to the coast, at an average altitude of 150 meters, but which can vary in elevation from 30 meters to over 300 meters.
The landscape is generally open, marked by urbanization, and the Mediterranean Sea is easily visible from high points. It benefits from a low annual rainfall (500 to 700 millimeters) with a marked summer rainfall trough. Benefiting as well from a high average temperature, the area is strongly influenced by proximity to the sea, which causes relatively mild winters and moderates the maximum summer temperatures, generating daily variations of 11 to 12°C during the maturation period.
The soils classified by the appellation are developed on geologic formations ranging from the Jurassic to the Quaternary era, and are characterized by a stony matrix ranging from pebbles to limestone fragments.
The vineyards are located on the hillsides, in the valleys, and on the peaks, bordered by or nestled in the Garrigue. the native and typically Mediterranean scrubland of southern France and the Languedoc region. The natural vegetation of the garrigue is characteristically marked by the kermes oak and holm oak, and the cistus of Montpellier, as well as clusters of Aleppo pine and parasol (or stone) pine.
