Château de La Dauphine in Fronsac has received organic and biodynamic certification for its Bordeaux 2015 vintage, adding evidence of a growing trend towards organics in the area.
Château de La Dauphine, owned by the Labrune family since December 2015 and with Michel Rolland as consultant, has pressed ahead with organic and biodynamic certification despite difficult vintages during its conversion period.
In 2012, La Dauphine lost 50% of the normal crop from its 40 hectares of vines. The following year, in the even more difficult Bordeaux 2013 vintage, up to 90% of the crop was lost.
‘But we believe in this system, and carried on,’ deputy CEO Stéphanie Barousse told Decanter.com, confirming that the estate has now received both Demeter and Ecocert certification.
‘It is wonderful to be now fully certified for the excellent Bordeaux 2015 vintage, which is also back to normal yield for us.
‘It has been a hard few years but we believe this is an important way to farm our vines, and believe this is the future for quality winemaking.’
Growing numbers of Bordeaux estates have shown interest in organic and biodynamic methods – alongside long-standing converts like Pontet-Canet and Climens. However, a recent investigative documentary aired on French television said the Bordeaux area was the biggest pesticide user in the country.
1855 classified Château Dauzac in Margaux has also signaled that it is increasing its focus on biodynamic farming. It has purchased an extra hectare of land in AOC Margaux that has laid fallow since the 1950s but will be replanted with Cabernet Sauvignon and farmed biodynamically from next year.
This will be added to the estate’s six hectares in Margaux and 1.8 hectares in Haut-Médoc that are already farmed under this system.
Both Château Palmer and Château Durfort Vivens hope to receive official biodynamic certification in 2017.
