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RESPECTING THE EARTH

REGENERATIVE AGRICULTURE AND LIVING SOIL

Respecting the earth is our primary imperative. Everything depends on it. It is this soil that provides the plant with all its richness. Respecting the earth therefore implies knowing its properties and needs. To this end, one must study, analyse and understand it.

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The soil is a major and unique ecosystem of the biosphere. It is a complex biotope, home to an immense breadth of living organisms.

One square meter of living soil hosts more living organisms than there are humans on our planet.

The different strata that make up the soil make it one of the most important reservoirs of biodiversity on our planet.
This heterogeneous biological abundance results in the presence of visible and invisible organisms: insects, myriapods, springtails, nematodes, fungi, bacteria, and many other living organisms.
All these organisms live and interact in the soil, contributing to the functioning of this ecosystem and the sustainability of its fertility. The soil, the “nourishing earth”, can thus grant us its favours, such as producing our food.

The soil is more than a simple support on which the vine takes root under the control of Men. Caring about the impact of each action on soil life, such as excessive ploughing or the use of mineral fertilizers to the detriment of organic inputs, is crucial. Likewise, the excess of certain phytosanitary residues, in particular copper, do not contribute to lasting fertility and tend to sterilise soil life.

A soil will sustainably ensure its functions if it is ‘alive’. It is our duty to respect it, understand it and not degrade it.

 

 

It is for these reasons that, at Domaine Tariquet, we are committed to practicing regenerative agriculture. We replenish organic matter (humus) in the soil to support biodiversity.
Carbon is naturally present in the soil and constitutes one of the essential components of organic life. Some actions on the soil can release this carbon into the atmosphere. Others, on the contrary, help capture it, contributing to the soil’s role as carbon storage. Our actions aim to leave as much of this carbon in the soil as possible to limit CO2 emissions into the atmosphere.
We seek to improve the carbon capture and storage capacity of our cultivated soil as well as its capacity to retain water and nutrients, both on the surface and more in depth underground.
To do this, we rely on the photosynthesis power of the plant which capture atmospheric CO2 to produce biomass (organic matter) through their growth.

This organic matter maintains soil life by feeding it and being “digested” by it. In a way, the soil is the plant’s stomach: the organisms that digest organic matter releases its nutrients, which can then be used by the vine through its roots in the rhizosphere (zone of the soil formed and influenced by root systems and related micro-organisms that are part of the plant microbiota).
By supporting biodiversity, we improve the health of the soil, its fertility and thus its content of digestible nutrients. These elements develop the organoleptic characteristics of the grape and, therefore, its taste.

We absolutely want to avoid soil depletion. Better managing the soil by regenerating and perpetuating the life it contains means safeguarding the treasure it constitutes for future generations.

 

WORKING THE SOIL

The soil must be analysed, nourished, protected from erosion and worked.

Analysing the soil in depth means understanding the complex alchemy that takes place between its components and the development of the plant. Soil is a mixture of materials that geological erosion and river sediments deposited in a specific location. The soil will have different properties depending on whether it involves sandy contributions, clay layers, limestone formations, gravel, or mixtures between these different components.

A cultivated soil must be nourished, or it will become poorer over time. What it gives to the vine stock in mineral salts and trace elements must be returned to it each year so that the exchange can continue in the best possible conditions. At the estate, the essential contribution is made of organic manure (manure, green waste, etc.).

The foundation of long-term sustainable viticulture is built on the observation of the different reactions of terroirs and adapting to their characteristics.
Depending on the specificities of the soil, it must be both protected from erosion and worked so that it yields all the organic richness it contains ; its fertility is optimal when it receives the appropriate help.

The Grassa family therefore chose to cover every second row of vines with grass and alternate every three years. Depending on their composition, agricultural lands tend to compact over time, a natural phenomenon accentuated by human intervention and the passage of tractors. However, compaction suffocates and weakens the life of organisms present in the soil.

To loosen and air the soil without turning it over to respect the layers of life within, Domaine Tariquet had a specific tool developed, the Reptil. This equipment combines “tines” that work the subsoil to a depth of about 30 cm, with discs that fight against ‘crusting’. Indeed, when it rains, clay soil and sand tend to aggregate, forming an impermeable surface crust. This concretion is called ‘soil crusting’ or ‘sealing’. Ultimately, it can prevent air and rainwater to permeate the soil, asphyxiating and drying it, endangering the life it contains.

Domaine Tariquet has developed a specific tool, the Reptil.

Fighting against soil compaction and crusting means limiting the effects of rainwater runoff. This is the essential condition for the soil to capture water and the plant to be hydrated, even in periods of drought, thus avoiding the need for irrigation.
Grassing every other row establishes a balance that protects the soil from erosion caused by rain. Grass also provides a natural insulator that protects the soil from summer heat. This vegetative cover welcomes a diverse flora, insect life, pollinators, and plays an essential role in the protection of biodiversity. This grass row also provides stable support for our teams, whether they are on foot or behind the wheel of a tractor.

Grassing every other row establishes a balance that preserves the soil.

Discover our planting methods:

A qualitative and non-intensive approach to the production of our grapes.

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