The backdrop is a series of complex soils farmed with respect for the natural, cultural and historic heritage of the Rhone Valley.

Daronton, a legendary vineyard site

Our winegrowing heritage has its roots in the heart of the Rhone Valley, in the picture-perfect setting of the Dentelles de Montmirail mountains. This unique terroir owes its emergence to a distinctive geological formation: a cold volcano, whereby Triassic salts and gypsum several kilometres below the surface were thrust upwards as a result of pressure from the so-called ‘Nîmes’ fault.

A combination of limestone and marl from the Jurassic and Cretaceous eras and sand and sandstone from the Tertiary Era, the Dentelles rose up due to plate tectonics 60 million years ago, when dinosaurs still roamed the Earth.

For nearly 15 years, Rhonéa’s wineries in Vacqueyras and Beaumes de Venise have been studying and mapping this unique terroir. With the help of experts such as Georges Truc, the renowned wine geologist and close associate of INAO tasked with mapping the Rhone Valley growths, Rhonéa has precisely identified its vineyard sites, soils and the origin of its quality. Being familiar with vineyard sites and their geological characteristics are major assets for our artisan winegrowers. Daronton is a pristine growth terroir which is unique due to its ancient history and fundamental characteristics.

Cru Vacqueyras

From the Latin Vallea Quadreria, Vacqueyras means Valley of the Stones. A mosaic of myriad plots of land located on the Garrigues plateau, the Ponche and the foothills of the Dentelles, the soils originated in the ancient Quaternary period and are formed of pebbles, gravel, sandy marl, wind-blown sand and clay. Bathed in sunshine and exposed to winds from all directions, the white pebbly terraces of differing depths offer the vines a rich subsoil from which to draw their unique characters: wines with complex and harmonious minerality and an incomparable velvety feel.

Cru Gigondas

Between Carpentras, Orange and Vaison la Romaine, nestled at the foot of a singular hill range, Gigondas has a distinctive and rare terroir combining complex geology, incredible mineral diversity, ideal North/North-West aspect, elevation and a significant difference in altitude. Its old vines are buffeted by the Mistral wind and put down roots on terraces lining the rocky slopes. The resultant wines are complex, powerful and structured.

Cru Beaumes de Venise & Muscat

The birthplace of Cru Beaumes-de-Venise is set in the heart of the Dentelles mountain range where the soils are multi-faceted and range from the Triassic (red soils), whose origins date back 200 to 230 million years BCE, to the white Cretaceous soils of Bel Air deposited between 100 and 140 million years ago, via the grey-blue soils of the Farisiens. Bearing the hallmark features of this multi-faceted terroir, all our Muscats are single varietal Muscat Petits Grains. They draw their dense, floral and delicate characters from this very crumbly, compact sandy soil that is more than 14 million years old: Miocene sandy marl known as Terre Blonde.