The vineyards of the Rhone Valley, which forms a corridor between the Mediterranean and Northern Europe, have been producing wines for at least 2000 years.
Today, Valréas is part of the Vaucluse, but totally enclosed within the Drôme département. The vineyards owe their distinctive qualities, which so impressed Pope John XXII in the 14th century, to the position of the hillsides, which are north and west-facing, at high altitudes. The predominantly clay soils, retain their coolness and humidity, and are less vulnerable to drought than those which experience the full force of the sun. The stream of cold air descending from the Alpine foothills further cools the vines.