Crozes-Hermitage Le Tout
At a Glance
- Size: 0.11 ha (0.27 ac)
- Varieties: Marsanne
- Vine Age: Planted in the late 1930s
- Terroir: Gentle slope, facing south. Deep silty soils on limestone bedrock. Surrounded by fruit trees, especially Apricots, that are delicious.
- Viticulture: Lutte raisonnée
- Vinification: Directly pressed, indigenous yeast fermentation. Aged for 12 months in older oak barrels, light fining or filtration if necessary.
Additional Info
Site: Le Tout is located 3.5 kilometers northwest of the village of Crozes-Hermitage. The slope is gentle with small undulations in the topography. It faces south. The vineyard is at approximately 175 meters in elevation.
Geology: Following the trend of the northern Crozes vineyards, the geology of Le Tout is complex and unexpected. The bedrock is limestone with a layer of calcareous loess deposited on top. The limestone appears to be much younger than the limestone blocks found in the southern portion of the region.
Soils: The soils are light gray-brown and silty, with some sand and up to 15% limestone gravels and cobbles. The soils are deep (1-2 meters). The limestone here has a unique amorphous shape, likely due to the presence of ancient burrows that were later filled with mud and solidified.
We are greatly indebted to Brenna Quigley for the geology and physical descriptions.