viticulture
Our obsession: The expression of terroir. We would never claim to have the best of terroirs, but we do our utmost to express the "best" of the terroir we have.
« Here, we produce
cognac, naturally »
Located in two townships bordering on the Grande and Petite Champagne growth areas, our current 15 hectares (nearly 40 acres) of vines have been cultivated using organic farming methods since 1995, with no synthetic chemical products, and giving priority to local organic matter (sowing broad beans and a blend of grains between the rows, composting residue from the press with local cow manure, using various plant teas, such as horsetail, reeds, stinging nettle, among others.
The historic Pasquet Cognac vineyards are located in Eraville, on Grande Champagne clay-limestone soils dating back to the Santonian period (Upper Cretaceous, 84 million years ago). Today, half of our vineyards are located in the neighboring town of Birac in the Petite Champagne cru.
« Vines Grown
in Organic
Farming »
In 1995, Jean-Luc Pasquet converted his 8 hectares of vines to organic farming, searching to restore our connection with the land. He found the microbial life of the soils improved rapidly with Biodynamic practices, which he used for a few years in the beginning.
In the Charente region, growing vines with no weedkillers or chemical pesticides is a real calling. We must be incredibly vigilant with our oceanic climate, in order to protect our vines from fungal diseases such as mildew, oidium, black rot. Managing the competition from grass growing between the rows of vines makes up the other main challenge to growing organically here.
« Natural
Fertilization »
A thorough knowledge of the plant and its cycles is essential so as to apply the right product at the right time. Encouraging the vine's immune system against external aggressions by asking it to produce a reasonable amount is equally, if not more important.
Finally, having living, fertile soil and a healthy plant are paramount to revealing the specificities of a place through winemaking and subsequent cognac distilling.
Our fertilizers are local to ensure the flavors of terroir continue to take pride of place in our cognacs. In the fall, we sow faba beans as green fertilizer, capturing atmospheric nitrogen and transforming it into plant-available nitrogen, making them a jewel of natural technology.
« Peacefully
protect our vines »
A blend of grains in the green fertilizer mix serves as food for bacteria and micro-fungi in the soil at the beginning of the growing season.
We supplement this natural fertilization with cow manure compost from the cow, grazing in the pastures next door. By a stroke of luck, our neighbor runs one of the last polycultural farms in Grande Champagne. What is left of our grapes after pressing is added to the manure to augment the quantities of minerals and nitrogen in the compost in the fall.
We must nourish our soil with healthy organic matter in order for it to sustain our vines. Our soils are a precious asset borrowed from our children. Respect for the terroir provides us with wines that, through the alchemy of distillation, are transformed into eaux-de-vie with olfactory and gustatory characteristics unique to our estate.
