The warm Mediterranean climate influences the region. However, the average altitude of 400 metres above sea level tempers the heat, bringing cool nights, which impart natural acidity to the grapes. The Mistral winds that breeze through the vineyards help to keep the vines healthy. These conditions favour sustainable viticultural practices that respect the environment and biodiversity. The remarkable variation in terroirs enables the varieties to thrive in a particular soil type, with Grenache Blanc, Marsanne and Roussanne flourishing in soils distinguished by the round pebbles in plots bordering the Rhone River and on the karst limestone of the Plateau des Gras, which forms the AOC Cotes du Vivarais. The AOC specifies how the vines are cultivated; the Guyot pruning method is forbidden, instead Cordon de Royat is preferred, along with foliage wires. The vines are planted at a density of 4,000 per hectare, and the grapes are hand-harvested at dawn to preserve their freshness.