The Terroir

The history of the soil

Six million years ago, when the Mediterranean had withdrawn completely, the river Aygues, a mountain torrent, had dragged down from the Alpes the rocks which now constitute the conglomerate of the plateau of Vinsobres. This is a hilly terrain, situated north of Mont Ventoux, in the heart of the Miocene sedimentary basin of Valréas. It rises 500 meters above sea level and represents very rocky hilltops. The ground is mainly covered with galets roulés, with marl giving the land the red and brown colors.

The plateau of Vinsobres

At 500 meters altitude, on the plateau of Vinsobres, the pebbles absorb the heat during the day and warm at night the old vines of Grenache, Syrah and Carignan, thus contributing to their perfect ripening. The soil is well-drained, which requires the vines to develop deep roots to draw resources from deep below the surface of the ground. The Mistral, which often blows strongly, dries the soil and also protects the vines from fungal diseases during their long period of growth.

The land plots of Château MontPlaisir each have their own identity. A parcel planted in 1945 with Grenache and Carignan grown in espaliers to accommodate for steep slopes, another one planted with syrah in the fifties dominating the top of a hill, a third one of Grenache and Mourvèdre, oriented north-west, surrounded by a forest and thus less susceptible to the burning of the sun. There are also the plots with whites, Viognier and Marsanne, which grow more comfortably in sandy soils. All these terroirs represent the wealth of Château MontPlaisir by bringing depth to the grape varieties and transmitting their personality to the wines: complex and homogeneous wines, composed of the specific identities of each of the plots.

The grape varieties

The cultivation of vines in the region Vinsobres is introduced by the Greeks. The Romans perpetuated this tradition and the Roman legions stationed in Vaison-la-Romaine, used to spent their vacations in Vinsobrium.

Based on the identity and reputation of its red wines, the Vinsobres area was recognized as a cru appellation in 2006.

The wines are made primarily from Grenache, Mourvèdre and Syrah. They are concentrated, with good olfactory capacity. The young wines possess a nose marked by fruity notes (fresh fruits), evolving later towards fragrant nuances of fruits confits, brandy, spices (pepper) and aromas. The aging brings notes of vanilla, toast and smoke.

White varieties are mostly composed of Viognier, Clairette, Grenache Blanc, Roussanne, Marsanne and Picpoul.