Domaine Sérol: Vineyards
The domaine sits on the outskirts of Renaison, which lies in the foothills of the Massif Central, at an altitude of 350 to 450 metres, directly to the west of the town of Roanne. There are now 28 hectares here, which is a serious chunk of the Côte Roannaise appellation, which in itself amounts to a mere 200 hectares. Underfoot there are sandy soils over the classic granite and porphyry rocks of this part of France. These rocks degrade and release silicic acid as they do so, which contributes greatly to the acidity of the soil.
The variety planted is Gamay Saint-Romain, a clone of Gamay (or Gamay Noir à Jus Blanc to be more precise) which is limited to the Côte Roannaise, and which is said to have originated from the vine nursery in Saint-Romain-la-Motte, a few kilometres to the north-east. There are currently 24 hectares of Gamay planted, this being the only variety eligible for the Côte Roannaise appellation. The average age of these vines is 40 years, but some – those than date to the time of Jean Sérol, Stéphane’s grandfather – may be as old as 90 years. The planting density of these vines is 9,000 pieds per hectare. As already noted Stéphane also has some Viognier, which is eligible for the IGP Pays d’Urfé. There are two parcels planted in 2007 and 2008 adding up to just 1 hectare, planted at a density of 8,400 pieds per hectare.
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