A vineyard committed to sustainable practices

A vineyard committed to sustainable practices

For several years now, Château de La Dauphine has demonstrated its respect for both nature and humankind with a variety of ethical and environmental initiatives.
These fall into three broad categories:

Environmentally-friendly practices:

  • Encouragement of biodiversity
  • Biological pest control
  • Reduction of water and energy consumption
  • Reduction of inputs
  • Ploughing of the soil

Social cohesion practices:

  • Improvement of employees’ working conditions
  • Good relations with local residents and businesses in the area

Economic practices:

  • Circular economy (e.g. reuse/recycling of objects and raw materials and waste management with recycling when possible)
  • Pooling of resources and purchases

Further information:

ORGANIC FARMING: Château de la Dauphine began conversion to organic farming in 2012 and obtained official certification in 2015. Our philosophy is never to choose an option simply because it is easy. Technical choices are made on the basis of each plot: ploughing or grassing, pruning, height of trellising, canopy management, treatments for the soil and foliage etc. The products we use are tested and certified by ECOCERT and thus comply with regulations for organic farming. The purchasers and people who apply these products all hold official certification in the responsible, professional use of phytopharmaceutical products (Certiphyto).

BIODYNAMIC FARMING: In 2015, the property’s natural approach was taken further with the adoption of biodynamic methods. Natural preparations, with a base of manure, plants and minerals, are mixed and applied according to the lunar calendar and the influence of the constellations. These meticulous tasks are carried out in harmony with natural cycles, so as to respect all aspects of the ecosystem.

E.M.S.: Château de la Dauphine launched its own Environmental Management System in 2017. EMS is a management tool for businesses and organizations that enables them to reduce and control their impact on the environment. For example, an EMS helps control the costs of waste through savings in energy and raw materials, and encourages transparent communication with employees, local residents, customers, and insurers, etc.

BEES: Bees are the guardians of the environment. More than 80% of our plant environment is fertilized by bees, who play a major role as pollinators. As a result, almost 40% of our food relies exclusively on bees for fertilization. Protecting bees is thus vital for the future of humanity. For this reason Château de la Dauphine has a beekeeper on its team, to ensure that the species thrives on the property, with six hives to encourage biodiversity in the vineyard and the château’s park.

If this approach interests you, we invite you to join one of our Green Tour and see theory being put into practice! Our organically certified (AB) wines are available at the property.

 

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