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In our test vineyard, les Corvées, we decided that we would
do our utmost to try to only use products that are chemical-free. We only
use organic raw materials - copper salts, sulphates, and natural insecticides
(made from plants). To protect vines from mildew and oidium (powdery mildew) we
use sprays made from plant extracts and highly-diluted bouillie bordelaise (a
copper sulphate pulp) as well as sulphur flowers in powder form.
Our
aims are: to protect the natural ecosystem; to protect plant-life, animals and
insects on the ground; to put more emphasis on the soil's lifespan; and to ensure
the survival of local flora and fauna. The alternatives to using chemical weedkiller
are ploughing, weeding and letting natural grass growth occur. The resulting
soil will be both more natural and more representative the vineyard's unique local
soil type. The vines' roots will be forced to go deeper into the soil to feed
and will benefit from its higher content in mineral salts. Only bio-dynamic
(our energised) composted organic material will be added to the soil.
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