French vineyards are growing grapes with minimal chemicals — and making better wines
The 'lutte raisonée' movement in Burgundy, France is helping winemakers chose when and how to use pesticides.
Burgundy is in many ways the birthplace of fine wine. Not only is it the native region for both chardonnay and pinot noir, but Burgundy also was the first place where winemaking practices were systematically organized in Medieval times around quality, not quantity.
Today, Burgundy is still viewed as the world’s most ambitious wine region, which helps explain why more and more of its small producers — including this one — are embracing an “organic lite” approach to grape growing.
The cachet of a certified organic label continues to grow within the wine world, but obtaining the certification is far more costly in some regions than others. In dry and sunny places where fungus and other pests are naturally suppressed, such as southern Spain or most of Chile, certification can be relatively cheap and come with little risk. In cooler and more humid regions like Burgundy, though, a commitment to organic farming can force growers to watch as their entire crop is destroyed before their eyes.
It’s in this context that we see more producers find a middle ground between relying on chemical sprays for pest control and a zero-tolerance policy for manmade chemicals. The French call this lutte raisonée — or the “reasonable fight” — because sprays are avoided where possible but not prohibited. They can be used when absolutely necessary.
This common sense approach also produces more interesting wines, since the regular use of chemical sprays can result in a loss of character and complexity. Here, we find a clean, bright chardonnay with layers of pear and apple flavors that’s laced with palate-cleansing minerality, all in the understated style Burgundian monks first pioneered almost 1,000 years ago.
Damien Martin Bourgogne Blanc
Burgundy, France
13% ABV
PLCB Item #100048584
On sale for $17.99 through Oct. 4 (regularly $19.99)
No alternate retail locations within 50 miles of Philadelphia. according to Wine-Searcher.com.
