CHÂTEAU GUIRAUD

AOC Sauternes

“Organic certification is part of the continuity of our history, but we will always have to persevere in our efforts to enhance our terroir and our wine.”

Château Guiraud was the first Grand Cru Classé from the 1855 classification of Bordeaux wines to attain organic certification in 2011. Throughout its history, Château Guiraud has always embodied an independent spirit in Sauternes, and as early as 1983 the estate formally embraced the path to biodiversity. Estate Manager and Agricultural Engineer Luc Planty recalls these early days as a “cultural revolution,” one that would eventually lead to pioneering efforts in biodynamics and permaculture and the total elimination of synthetics and pesticides in 1996, a critical step on the journey to organic winemaking.

LUC PLANTY

Estate Manager and Agricultural Engineer

Pioneers in Permaculture

“We started off convinced that organic viticulture was the way of the future,” Planty recalls. With 272 acres to manage, the size of the property presented daunting challenges, but Planty was committed to permaculture, a form of agriculture that came naturally to a terroir-driven estate. “Permaculture considers every aspect of cultivation, involving the total integration of climate, soil type, topography, water usage, rainfall and human activity,” Planty explains. Through all these elements, permaculture aspires to preserve biodiversity.

Permaculture exceeded all expectations from the get-go. “In 1996 we inoculated the soil at Guiraud with micro-organisms and enriched it with natural compost,” Planty shares. “Within a few years we witnessed a veritable botanical explosion: the number of species had tripled! It is difficult to grasp what a powerhouse of life there is in the soil: each plant, each and every insect plays a role.” Château Guiraud’s prime location made permaculture a natural fit; the estate is situated close to the Ciron River, a treasure of biodiversity that is essential to the Sauternes character. “It is exciting to realize that in order to produce a very great wine we must be at one with nature,” says Planty.

G de Guiraud 2019 Bordeaux Blanc

Biodiversity in Practice Does organic wine taste better?

Château Guiraud discovered early on that soils can quickly come alive with the right approach. A reduction in the depth of planting, for example, will recharge the teeming microbial life beneath, helping soils to become more fertile. Planty estimates that around 1 million different types of bacteria, 100,000 fungal varieties and 1,000 invertebrate species are hard at work in the soils. All these natural microorganisms improve aeration and enhance the decomposition of plant residue; over time, it all gives back in the form of healthier vines. The team further enhances the positive impact on plant life with natural grass covers and plants such as chamomile, comfrey, nettles, lovage, hyssop and horsetail, attracting more than 700 species of pollinators. “It’s quite a rescue team for the vines!” says Planty. Château Guiraud believes that this constant renewal of the vineyard’s ecosystem enhances their wines and enables the vines to better withstand the challenge of climate change. “It’s difficult to say categorically that organic wine has a better taste, but it is better at expressing the terroir of a vineyard,” Planty articulates. “It is of course less harmful to the body and the planet.” Chemical products are able to compensate for a shortfall in sunshine or an excess of rain, but organic viticulture does away with artificial substances that minimize the effects of terroir and vintage specificity. Planty sees real impact on the quality of production at Château Guiraud: the wines are more precise with greater minerality and refinement, a great pay-off for the team’s hard work.

Château Guiraud has been known for their enterprising spirit for a long time. Planty sees organic certification as one step on a continuum that never ends. “Organic certification is part of the continuity of our history, but we will always have to persevere in our efforts to enhance our terroir and our wine.” Permaculture is as the name implies, a constant in the life of Château Guiraud. Planty encourages others to embrace the big picture: “This is not the end; we are just on the road of the biodiversity.”