Alsace is the driest wine region in France. Far from maritime influences, it is protected from the winds and rains from the west by the Vosges. The slopes of Riquewihr bear vines ranging from 870 to 1,250 ft (265 to 380 m) above sea level. Their highest parts are also the coldest. They are made of the lightest land on the hillside, both sandy and stony, and law in organic matters and acids. The vines in this area give less substance to the wines than those planted in the middle part.