Organic growing : happiness is in the offing ... 2/2

Real experimentation in organic farming : little hopes, tough battles

We had to delve back in our memories for a host of forgotten tricks-of-the-trade – and we are still learning – but we realized that it was feasible, and that the mildew and oidium were more-or-less kept under control using small doses of Bordeaux mixture and sulphur.

So we took the great step to convert everything to organic in 2007 – a vintage which turned out to be –hmm – let’s say … not easy!

In fact it was a non-stop battle against the devil mildew, who was by no means an easy adversary – but none of the team gave up and we managed to harvest fine grapes.

My enthusiasm rather tempered by this first attempt, I didn’t rush ahead to get the paperwork signed to make everything official immediately, preferring not to cut all my bridges, thus still leaving the possibility to treat in case of dire necessity! It was – and still is – a question of being pragmatic, of not burning all one’s boats at the same time. I was convinced too that my friends and clients could trust me to be honest in what I was doing.

But we’ve learnt a lot over the last three years, so we are going for the AB certificate at the beginning of 2011!

Working the ground – a vast problem …

Although superficial ploughing between the rows seems to me to be beneficial as this aerates the soil without damaging the vines, the very idea of deep-ploughing under the vines seems to me to be more and more of a heresy. Our ancestors did it because they had no choice! But if you piled high all the really really old vines that are broken off in France by the return of deep ploughing you would make a mountain! I tell you, despite all the new-improved machinery, that pile really would make a mountain.

So I’m hoping to soon find an organic solution to stop this massacre – keep posted!

 

And how about the wines ?

In addition to the immense pleasure found in seeing a true biodiversity returning to the vineyards; all this hard work finds its reward in the wines we’re making. – they are more clear-cut, more aromatic, more characterful. They have maybe lost a bit of roundness, and are no longer so immediate and easy-drinking, but only because they need a bit more time to sort themselves out, - but we have gained in elegance.

Well, that’s my personal opinion and I hope you’ll share it with me when you open a bottle of one of my wines!

So, that just leaves me to say “Cheers”!

   

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