Vignoble de la Pierre - Yves Girard-Madoux

Our vines are planted on a soil made of limestone boulders containing a more or less large proportion of clay, fine and coarse silt.   The soil is alkaline with a pH of about 8.1.   Our hillside with slopes between 20% and 60% is exposed to the southwest, that is to say at sunset. Part of the heat accumulated by the rubble during the day is released at night resulting in our Alpine regions a Mediterranean climate that is well suited to the vine. This soil is very draining and prevents the accumulation of rain water that maintains a relative dryness which is very well accommodate the vines. According to a soil test laboratory Claude Bourguignon, specialist vineyard soils of international renown, our soils are more favorable to the production of white wines. (Property defined by the measurement of the inner surface of the clay) The driving mode is closely trellised vines with a gap between 1,40m and 0,90m rank between each leg on rank, which gives a planting density of 8,000 vines / hectare. To facilitate mechanization, the rows are planted in the direction of the slope on the north-south axis and approximate due to race east to west sun, the foliage in the plan of tying receives morning sunlight in the evening. The pruning is the simple Guyot on jacquère, Roussanne, Pinot Noir, the height, pink velteliner and verdesse the cup or spurred cordon on mondeuse.   For plant health of our vines, we practice sustainable agriculture without having to seek certification. We reason each of our interventions for each disease, with the help of the body of Plant Protection, a damage threshold was defined and as this threshold is not reached, no treatment is performed. The viticulture is based on the observations of some control plots, it has the advantage over conventional control not to systematic treatments. For now, we are not considering switching to organic farming, because we believe that Bordeaux mixture (copper sulphate allowed in organic farming) is very harmful toxic to see the soil microbial life. As proof, a soil test performed in a plot where the vine was present for centuries, but fallow for 80 years, the result Announces amount of copper 100 ppm while the standard is 1.5 ppm. Copper accumulates but does not eliminate in time. We had removed insecticides for several years, and this is practically what is easier to do, the balance between the populations of pests and predators of insect populations of these pests is recovering and damage becomes insignificant. However, for several years our vineyards are threatened by Flavescence dorée MLO is a virus disease. The vector of the disease is a leafhopper that feeds on the sap of the leaves, and transmits the virus from sick to healthy feet feet. A prefectural makes mandatory fight, so each grower has a duty to make 1 or 2 insecticide treatments depending on the area, against leafhopper in order to slow the spread of the disease. The vineyard soils are rather poor, which is why it is essential to master the thrust of grass that makes too much competition in the vineyard. Educate as every French citizen by environmental problems, we abandoned the chemical herbicides for 5 years and returned to work the soil. This approach results in increased operating costs. (Buying a shoe with hydraulic interceps, 3 passes instead of one). For winemaking, we proceed with the same mindset, each input is reasoned to both limit the use and still ensure consistent quality from one vintage to another. Our cellar is equipped to control fermentation temperatures.