THE CHOICE OF ORGANIC FARMING
At Domaine Sauveroy, we are first and foremost a family long convinced that a viticulture in harmony with nature is the best path to reveal the true character of our terroirs and to craft great wines. Listening to nature, understanding it, respecting it — observing the life of the soil, the plants, and the animals that coexist within the vineyard.
You’ve understood it: we have reached a new milestone — that of organic farming. The meticulous work carried out each day among the vines is far more than an agricultural technique; it is a philosophy of life, one that honours nature, the earth, life itself, and the people who tend it.
The transition began in 2019, and Domaine Sauveroy is now certified organic for all its white wines since 2022, and for all red and rosé wines since 2024.
A CRAFTSMAN’S WORK
Our journey toward organic farming allows us to better understand the environment that surrounds us every day. The soil is cultivated organically, alternating between ploughing and controlled natural grass cover. No herbicides are used in the vineyard.
For fertilisation, vegetable compost made from farmyard manure (cattle and horse) is applied when needed to stimulate microbial life. This balance is essential for the synthesis of humus, which improves soil structure and, in turn, enhances vine nutrition.
Protection against vine diseases and pests relies primarily on prevention, a practice we call prophylaxis. Vine pruning respects sap flow to minimise trunk diseases; throughout the vineyard, pheromone dispensers are used to suppress insecticide use through sexual confusion; de-budding, leaf-thinning, and green harvesting are all performed by hand to limit canopy density and improve grape aeration.
We also follow a replanting program that allows the soil to rest for 3 to 7 years before replanting, alternating between grasses, legumes, and crucifers to revitalise soil life and improve its structure.
To take precision even further, we have installed two connected weather stations in the vineyard. Monitoring storm patterns, temperatures, rainfall, and humidity helps us anticipate and manage the challenges posed by Mother Nature.
AGROFORESTRY TAKES ROOT AT SAUVEROY
For the record, this agroecology project has been on our minds for several years. The original idea was to recreate the vineyards of the past by planting hedgerows and fruit trees around the vine parcels. Though the project initially seemed too ambitious, we reimagined it in a simpler way — one that would not disturb the vines.
In December 2022, we planted around 1,300 trees — both local species and fruit trees — on a one-hectare fallow plot located at the heart of the vineyard, in an area where water naturally flows. This new forest will create resources and habitats for biodiversity, pollinating insects, and beneficial wildlife. Agroforestry will enrich our vineyard with greater botanical diversity and an additional layer of vegetation, forming new ecological niches.
To support this project, we also installed around thirty nesting boxes for tits and bats along the edges of our vineyard parcels, in the hope of naturally controlling grape-damaging insects.