Interview with Christine Saurel of Domaine Montirius vineyards.
Domaine Montirius is located in the southern Rhone valley, in Gigondas and in Vacqueyras. The winery is owned and run by Christine and Eric Saurel, a young couple who have moved the vineyards to biodynamic culture. It is 58 hectares of vineyard in appellation controllee Gigondas, Vacqueyras and Cotes du Rhone, and some Vin de Pays. Eric and Christine have a fascinating story to tell – moving from traditional farming to organic to biodynamic; choosing to leave a long time relationship with the cooperative and start out as an independent winegrower. . .
Christine tells the story of how Montirius came to work with first organic farming and then the biodynamic principles (based on Rudolf Steiner’s theories). She explains some of the things it means: how you do it what kind of treatments you do, what difference it makes etc.
PART 6: HERBAL PREPARATIONS
Some preparations are infusions made with various herbs and plants. Nettles, camomile and others that are mixed with boiling water to make an infusion (in a “dynamiser” / “dynamiseur”). Each plant and preparation has a specific purpose and a different effect, so it is important to know what to use, how to use it and when to use it. For example: Nettles with a small quantity of copper are used against mildew. Preparation “500” can help the plants to grow quickly when they are young to make them more resistant to disease. “Prele”, the French name, or field horsetail in English (equisetum arvense) can be used for weak parcels, with root problems, to make them more vigorous.
A seven-part video series on Domaine Montirius, a biodynamic wine grower in the Rhone Valley:
