By turning our attention to the climate, it's easy to see how today's dramatic shifts are changing the status quo, leading us to say that the terroir is either altering or redefining itself. Just as centuries of dynamic geology have crafted the soils and subsoils of vineyards, today, climatic changes—regardless of whether they are human-induced—are shifting or transforming the paradigms of our terroirs.

The terroirs of the Rhône Valley are the culmination of a long history. Nestled between the Massif Central and the Alps, the valley winds from north to south, weaving through plains and hills flanked by distant heights. The granites and rocks of the Massif Central have worn away, as have the Alpine foothills; these marks have sculpted the landscape of the Rhône Valley vineyards, with sediments carried by the river and its deposits, including the famous pebbles found in the south.

This stretch of land, spanning 230 km from Vienne to Arles and covering nearly 70,000 hectares, is the second-largest wine region in France after Bordeaux. It boasts a magical variety of soils, grape varieties, and climates. To the north, from Vienne to Valence, the continental climate envelops steep slopes carved out of the ancient rocks of the Massif Central. In the south, between Montélimar and Avignon, the Mediterranean influence blends with limestone, rocky, and sandy soils, and, of course, the mistral wind.

At Xavier Vignon, the terroir is at the heart of everything; it's also our tool and our environment, which we must work with and, therefore, protect and care for. Xavier Vignon wines draw from the 1000 plots across the Dentelles de Montmirail territory in the heart of the northern Rhône Valley. A region that has always captivated him: "When I arrived on these lands in 1996, I was completely dazzled by the beauty of the landscape." He explains, "Back then, in this still emerging southern Rhône Valley, known almost exclusively for its flagship appellation Châteauneuf-du-Pape, there was everything to be done. It was an eldorado to be explored. Over just a few square kilometers, I could experiment with 25 grape varieties.” The winemaker's touch blended with the landscape, extracting the best from it and imprinting a new, bold, and passionate vision.

Today, both grape varieties and the climate are changing, and while the vineyard remains, its character is undergoing transformation. This change signals the arrival of new wines, possibly of a distinct style, heralding a new era. We wholeheartedly hope these wines will be as enchanting and exciting as ever!