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Ecosystems and biodiversity

Like other players in the region, the Grassa family have always believed in caring for their environment, and this obvious but undisputable fact: the vineyard is an element of nature that maintains a close relationship with other elements of this said nature. a belief that the farm and vineyard is an extension of the greater natural world. This is not about following current trends but a deeply held family philosophy which serves as a common thread between the successive generations who have worked on the estate.

The area covered by Domaine Tariquet is made up of a wide variety of biotopes, or habitats. This complex biodiversity absolutely must be protected.

The foundation of our philosophy rests on the protection of biodiversity on land that starts with good soil health. A healthy soil allows for a symbiosis between the plant and the rhizosphere, the zone of soil where the roots, the soil and micro-organisms interact. Thus, every decision made regarding soil health is a balancing act between short term goals and long-term consequences. We care about the year’s harvest, of course, but always with a consideration to future generations of winegrowers to harvest tomorrow’s fruits in a healthy environment.

In that vein, we intervene only when it’s absolutely necessary, in particular by stimulating natural regulatory processes in a logic of prevention and anticipation.

This agroecological approach is based on the functionalities offered by the ecosystems: the fauna and flora present in the soils, in the parcels and its surroundings.

One of the wetlands bordering plots of vines.

Here are some examples that illustrate how we implement our approach to respecting the ecosystems and their biodiversity:

  • Organic amendments.
  • Biostimulants such as natural fertilisers to promote good plant health.
  • A well-balanced variety of green covers.
  • A reduction in the use of treatment products thanks, among other practices, to recovery panels co-developed with the manufacturer and that the estate was one of the first to use it.
  • The use of natural and synthetic biocontrol products to treat the vines.
  • Organic inputs, such as macerates made from fermented plants, great initiators of natural defenses, citrus essential oils and yeasts to fight against diseases.
  • The use of sexual confusion instead of pesticides for dealing with harmful insects.
  • Funding of a thesis on precision viticulture with the University of Bordeaux and having the doctorate student at the estate for three years.
  • A partnership for a Research and Development program on alternative products intended to reduce the use of sulphites.
  • 1 hectare of area of ecological interest (forests, natural meadows, hedges, lakes…) for every 3 hectares of vines; thus, a total of 400 hectares spread over the 1,125 hectares of vines in production of the property. These natural and semi-natural surfaces are voluntarily maintained and cared for throughout the vine parcels to preserve and develop biodiversity. Aside from the many ecological benefits, it means that we accept not to have any production on these lands as we do not plant vines on them.
  • A partnership with the Conservatoire des Espaces Naturels (CEN Occitanie – Natural Spaces Conservatory) which selected us as a pilot farm for five years in the LIFE Biodiv’Paysanne project.

DOMAINE TARIQUET'S BEE HIVES

Nestled in the heart of our vineyards are approximately twenty hives housing our precious bees that bear witness to the local environment balance. These pollinators navigate between the vines and areas of ecological interest (ponds, rural hedges, groves, forests, meadows, etc. dispatched across the property. The diversity of our ecosystem allows our beekeepers to harvest quality honey, made with pollen sourced from a wide variety of flowers.

Here again, maintaining a healthy environment with rich biodiversity has broad repercussions as bees will not produce honey in a degraded environment. We constantly monitor our bee population as an indicator of the overall health of not only the vineyards, but of the estate as a whole.
The harvest of honey, a vector of social ties, is the result of the interaction between flora, bees and bee keepers.
Each pot of honey is a reflection of the biodiversity and ecological health of Domaine Tariquet.

PDF - honey product sheet

On the estate, many animals coexist with the bees. For example, one can frequently come across rabbits or deers. Ducks, cranes, herons, thrushes and woodpigeons fly over the vines and lakes depending on the season. The bats take shelter in the darkness of the Armagnac cellars. It is also a pleasure for the estate’s team to have swallows who nest in the window corners of the cellars – the first spectators of the winemaking process, they say.

To live with, and within, nature. That could very well be the motto of Domaine Tariquet.

The domain’s actions to reduce its carbon footprint:

We work to participate more in carbon sequestration through our profession as a farmer.

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