AOC Coteaux du Languedoc, wines Pic Saint Loup Château La Roque

Cultural practices in biodynamism fit into the scheme of conversion to organic farming and have allowed us to virtually eliminate the addition of chemicals to the soil. Practices include:

- Limiting to use of copper and sulphur for treatment against oidium and mildew.

- Plant based treatments that favour the vine's immune systems

- Use of vegetable or animal fertilizers (compost, horse and ewe manure...)

These practices were introduced in 2008 and by 2010 we should be able to adopt the AB label.

Wine production on the estate is now fully carried out according to ‘green' techniques and principles; from the very first tasks of spring, such as de-budding and splitting, to the proximity of vines to each other.

In terms of yield, taking into account the density of the vineyards on the property, our production target is in the order of 1 kilogram (or one bottle) per vine.

There are two kinds of vine management: one is ‘simple' or ‘double Royat wire' and the other is in ‘gobelet' shape, which applies to the older plots of the estate's Grenache wines. In both cases, ‘short pruning' is used.

Grape harvesting at Chateau La Roque is carried out 50% by hand and 50% with the help of the latest grape harvesting machines. Although machine harvesting is very satisfactory, particularly in terms of hygiene, our aim is to intensify the manual grape harvests out of respect for the vine.