Galets roulés are components of the terrain, or

terroir (; ; from ''terre'', ) is a French language, French term used to describe the environmental factors that affect a crop's phenotype, including unique environment contexts, farming practices and a crop's specific growth habitat. Collectively, th ...

, and a distinguishing feature of many of the vineyards in the

Côtes du Rhône AOC Côtes du Rhône () is a wine-growing ''Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée'' (AOC) for the Rhône wine region of France, which may be used throughout the region, also in those areas which are covered by other AOCs. In a limited part of the regio ...

and more specifically

Châteauneuf-du-Pape AOC Châteauneuf-du-Pape () is a French wine, an ''Appellation d'origine contrôlée'' (AOC) located around the village of Châteauneuf-du-Pape in the Rhône wine, Rhône wine region in southeastern France. It is one of the most renowned appellations ...

and other top wine-producing areas in the regions such as

Gigondas AOC Gigondas () is a French wine ''Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée'' (AOC) in the southern Rhône wine region of France. It is primarily a red wine region, with a very small amount of rosé wine produced. As of September 2022, the AOC Gigondas ap ...

and Vacqueyras AOC. They are often larger, rounded stones that have been smoothed by both glacial and fluvial actions over time and deposited in the region by the

Rhône The Rhône ( , ; Occitan language, Occitan: ''Ròse''; Franco-Provençal, Arpitan: ''Rôno'') is a major river in France and Switzerland, rising in the Alps and flowing west and south through Lake Geneva and Southeastern France before dischargi ...

. Galets roulés (means rolled pebbles) are predominantly

quartzite Quartzite is a hard, non- foliated metamorphic rock that was originally pure quartz sandstone.Essentials of Geology, 3rd Edition, Stephen Marshak, p 182 Sandstone is converted into quartzite through heating and pressure usually related to tecton ...

and are thought to be integral to the growth of vines and more importantly, the ripening of the fruit by absorbing the heat from the daytime sunshine and then releasing that heat slowly overnight due to their natural capacity for heat retention and transmission. This is well suited to the

Grenache Grenache (; ) or Garnacha () is one of the most widely planted red wine grape varieties in the world. Niels Lillelund: ''Rhône-Vinene'' p. 25, JP Bøger – JP/Politikens Forlagshus A/S, 2004. . It ripens late, so it needs hot, dry condi ...

variety that is widely grown and is the base of much of the red wines produced in the region. Galets roulés also serve to protect the vine and minimize soil erosion during the periods of strong winds that are known in the area as mistral.

References

{{reflist Viticulture Winemaking