La Combe Desroches is located at the foot of the Roche de Vergisson, on the north-facing hillside of a stunning valley. The soils are eroded limestone and clay. Jean-Philippe Bret notes that “the grapes achieve lovely ripeness despite this cooler terroir”, and thanks to the soil’s good water storage, the vines always perform well in warm and dry vintages. Five years under the Brets’ organic regime have added even more tension to this north-facing, linear expression of Saint Véran. This cuvee is raised predominantly in tank (two-thirds of the blend) to lock in the tension. It’s a beautifully rendered Saint-Véran, linear and tight on the palate with an airy filling of pulpy stone-fruited flesh before a chiselled, grippy and mineral-laced finish.