an exceptionnel terroir

The rather unique notion of what is known in France as a terroir (Terroir is a complex interactive system between soil, climate, and hyman factors, enhanced by a product to which it confers its originality) was always at the forefront of Gerard Samson’s mind in his search for the perfect spot to start his vineyard. The understanding of the value of the land that he received whilst studying in Burgundy, (area world renowned for its high quality of land and which epitomizes the concept of the ‘terroir’) served to reinforce his ambition to find a superior quality terroir for his own vineyard.

Teams of scientists have worked long and hard to unravel the mysteries of the certain areas of land and its different soils. They are able to demonstrate that most of the land upon which the Grand Cru wines are grown have a regular water supply throughout the growing cycle, and that their soils have the capacity to reheat quickly. These same characteristics are similarly found in the soil of Arpents du Solei .  Moreover; such quality makes Arpent du Soleil comparable to the finest vineyard of the Côte d’Or, particularly from the “Chevalier- Montrachet”, a Grand Cru wine grown on the Cote de Beaune.

The soil of ARPENTS DU SOLEIL itself is a clay-limestone soil, shallow and very stony, beneath which lies hard, but cracked, Jurassic limestone. Such conditions allow the drainage to function perfectly, and the vine roots run to a depth of several metres, which means that the thin layers of marl are able to continue providing a  water supply even in severely dry weather.  

This soil combined with a dry microclimate, less than 600mm, and 25 fewer days of rain per  year than Caen, 25km away (as the crow flies), allows the grapes to ripen in autumn without the potential of much rot.

Regardless of the differences in the vintage the wines are consistently high-quality products. They need to mature several years to bring out their true potential, revealing aromas of rare minerals, mild spices and honey which are nice evidence of their terroir.