Château Les Graves de Viaud
Château Les Graves de Viaud
“L’Émotion Nature” - Wines in harmony with nature
In the heart of the Côtes de Bourg, Château Les Graves de Viaud extends over 15 hectares on a south-facing hill, comprising vineyards, meadows, and forests.
It is in this beautiful setting that 11.5 hectares of vines are planted on clayey gravel soils, and it is here that Philippe Betschart & family settled in 2010, after rich professional careers in other professions.
Here, they emphasize viticulture in harmony with nature. They produce biodynamic wines in a vegan and ethical way.
During our visit to this winery in the warm summer of 2022, we were able to experience what this entails from Philippe. Walking among the vineyards, he passionately explained how the winery is structured, and that there is not only space for vines, but also for trees, vegetable gardens, and natural water storage. Even our dog Oslo was happy to discover a large pond where he spontaneously dove in for some cooling off in the warm temperatures.
Philippe explains how the vineyards are cultivated, where trees have been added, and why this is important. Trees, on the one hand, store a lot of carbon dioxide, but they also provide a habitat for birds, small animals, and insects, which brings the entire ecosystem into better balance.
All of this is fully in line with the philosophy of Château Les Graves de Viaud. They are committed to respectful viticulture of the environment and life in general. Far beyond their organic and biodynamic approach, they opt for agriculture that respects the soil (conservation agriculture) and animal life (removal of all animal manure).
Since 2010, they have practiced this form of agriculture, using Bordeaux mixtures, herbal preparations, and yeast and bacterial fermentations to combat diseases. They fertilize the soils with plant seedlings and biodynamic preparations. Plowing is completely prohibited, as is animal compost, which usually comes from industrial agriculture.
This approach is also applied to wine production. The wines are vinified as naturally as possible without any oenological input. Their Demeter certification requires them to make wine without any input; only sulfur is allowed. Fermentations are carried out with indigenous yeasts. Maturation lasts at least 25/35 days. Generally, they blend the wines of the harvest to promote harmony between the grape varieties and the plots.
They apply two aging styles: the fruit wines are aged in barrels or in sandstone and terracotta amphorae, with the lees stirred weekly for 1 year. The other vintages age in barrels. The choice of barrels, their size, their age, and the aging period depend, among other things, on the type of wine and the ripeness of the vintage.
Since the beginning of our adventure, Philippe's wines have been a permanent part of our wine assortment. The story behind these wines, which we were able to experience ourselves, is fascinating and inspiring. They fully live up to their slogan:
Château Les Graves de Viaud, L’Émotion Nature
Nature at the heart of expertise
http://www.lesgravesdeviaud.fr
What does it mean....
...biodynamics?
A holistic approach to life, considering the plant in its environment,
its relationships with the soil, the air, the cosmos, and other plants and animals. Biodynamics
means working towards the balance of our vines for a better balance of
our wines.
...a VEGAN wine?
It is a wine without products of animal origin throughout the entire process of
transformation and blending...
...Agroforestry?
the tree at the center of the agricultural system. Trees are a long-term carbon sink. This means planting trees in the vineyard plots for renewed synergy.
