 |
The climate here is clearly Mediterranean and, with an average of 2800 hours of sunshine, is at a European record level. After an often humid spring, the summers here are usually very dry - only it is not always as hot as one would expect. The main culprit is the mistral, an often stiff, cold downdraft wind that rushes down the Rhone from the northwest, often literally out of the blue and then for days on end. What can cost holidaymakers their last nerve is a blessing for viticulture here. Diseases have a very hard time because the wind dries moisture quickly. The additional cooling plays a decisive role in ensuring that the grapes retain fresh aromas even when they are very sugar-ripe.