The Pradel site is located on the experimental farm of the agricultural school of Aubenas , in the Ardeche region of southern France . It sits on a south east facing slope of 10.8 o , at an altitude of 262m.

The area is dominated by a Mediterranean climate, with an average annual precipitation of 1000mm. Much of the rain falls in the autumn, however, there are often violent storms in the summer months.

The soil is 50% sand, 30% silt and 20% clay, which puts it on the boundary of a clay loam and a sandy clay loam. Left exposed to violent storms on sloping hillsides, this soil is prone to erosion.

The period of vegetative growth for vines here is April to October. Outside this time frame, the vines are dormant, have no leaves an offer little protection to the soil.

At the point of flowering, which takes place in June, and the ripening of the fruits in August / September, the vines are particularly sensitive to water stress; too little during flowering will result in reduced yields, too much during ripening will result in reduced sugar content and quality. Thus, good soil water management is critical.