Discover the Tavel appellation and its exceptional terroir on the right bank of the Rhône. Tavel is the only appellation to produce only rosé.
Terroirs
There are three main soil types in the lands of Tavel:
• quartz round pebbles on the villafranchienne terrace: Vallongue.
• flat lime stones originating from the Barremien crumbled hill-stones: Campey, la Vaute, Romagnac, Torette, la Vau et Clos, Les Vestides, les Comeyres, Vaussières.
• Astien fluvial sands: Vaucrose, Vaucrose et Vacquières, Genestière, Codoyères, Le Palai, Roquaute, Bou-vette, Olivet.
Some parcels have mixed subsoils, as in Cravailleux, where round pebbles and flat stones can be found as well as Astien fluvial sands and pebbles.
The soils are mostly poor in humus and organic matter, making Tavel an ideal land for winegrowing.
Pebbles and stones have a definite effect on the vines: Barremian flat stones are whitish and tend to reflect most sunrays during the day, activating the maturation of the berries. As for Villafanchian pebbles, they accumulate heat during the day that they release during the night.
Grapes varieties
The grapes authorized in Tavel AOC (Appelation dOrigine Contrôlée) are the following :
• Grenache, Cinsault, Clairette white and pink, Picpoul, Calitor (out of fashion : : there are only a few dozens of vines left), Bourboulenc, Mourvèdre, Syrah and Carignan.
None these grapes must exceed 60 % of a vineyards total, and Carignan must not exceed 10%.
The Tavel appellation vines exploited by the Domaine de la Mordorée are located on the plateau of Vallongue, at Palai, Roquaute, and Romagnac ; their composition is as follows : Grenache 60 % , Mourvèdre, Syrah and Cinsault 10%, Bourboulenc and Clairette 5%.
Le climat
Climat Mediterranean climate
• Sunshine: 200 days a year
• Average temperatures: 22 ° in summer and 7.3 ° in winter
• Rainfall: 201 mm in summer and 503 mm the rest of the year.
• The mistral blows 158 days a year on average.
