Les Pierres Blanches means “White Stones” in French, and as such, the wine is produced from
vines planted in a thick stratum of rounded, pale pebbles formed over several ice ages, and mixed with red clay. These unique soils comprise a relatively flat landscape of plateaus and terraces that sit on eastern hillsides along the northern stretch of the Rhône River Valley. Here, the otherwise hot climate of the Rhône is dramatically tempered by constant wind, and the influence of the river itself. These factors and the moderate late summer rains allow the Syrah grape to benefit from the excessive sunshine and develop complexity without the risk of over-ripeness or burning. Les Pierres Blanches is fermented in cement vats with regular pumping for 3-4 weeks. The wine is aged further in the vats until the spring when it is bottled. The cement naturally stabilizes the wine with a gentle exposure to oxygen and preserves the beautiful fresh fruit flavors.
Les Pierres Blanches Crozes-Hermitage is produced by Jean-Marc Darbon, head winemaker at JM Aujoux. Located halfway between the Roche de Solutré (the birthplace of Pouilly-Fuissé) and Mont Brouilly, in the heart of the village of Fleurie, JM Aujoux has been a family-owned wine merchant, grower, and harvester since 1938.