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 7: HOW DOES A VINE FUNCTION?
Montirius cuts the vines very little during the growing season. They believe that if you do cut the vines (to make straight well tended rows) you give the wrong signals to the vines. The vines spend their energy on growing new shoots and new leaves. The vines may also use more water than what they otherwise would, which can be difficult in a place where water is scarce.
Christine also explains why they don’t have weed or grass between the rows which you often see at biodynamic vineyards.
And then it is time to taste the wine and decide for yourself if all this makes good wine or not!
A seven-part video series on Domaine Montirius, a biodynamic wine grower in the Rhone Valley:
