The terroir is spread across the villages of Beaumes de Venise, Lafare, La Roque-Alric and Suzette.
Beaumes de Venise wines come from three major terroirs that give the Cru its unique personality.
Triassic Earth (Les terres rouges du Trias)
The Triassic (252 to 201 million years ago) is the name given to the first period of the Mesozoic era. Normally, in this region the layer of rock dating from this period is found buried 1500m below the surface.
The emergence of the Dentelles de Montmirail brought these deposits to the surface around the town of Suzette by a type of compression, unique to the Rhone Valley, known as “Suzette Diapir”.
These soils are shallow and are composed of fine earth in varying colors of ochre, which reveals the presence of iron. The earth hardens during droughts, but it remains porous due to numerous fissures which allow the root systems to develop.
The low fertility of the soil helps protects vines from the stresses of drought, as well as humidity.
Cretaceous White Earth (Les terres blanches du Crétacé)
The Cretaceous White Earth (90 million years ago) is located mainly around the area of the village of La Roque Alric. Visually the rock is grayish and can be tinged red reflecting iron content. The soils are mainly marly clay and limestone. Vines are cultivated mainly in terraces and receive a maximum of sunshine which is perfectly suited to the two main grape varieties: Grenache and Syrah..
