Vine growing: manual working and the Quality Charter.
Fieldwork in Beaujolais is characterized by a respect for tradition and conformity to the appellation rules, set down by the 1935 Decree.
In 1990 Beaujolais was also the first region in France to sign a Quality Charter, which records the results of the latest viticultural and oenological research. This is more efficient and more in keeping with ecological ideals and consumer health concerns.
Pruning:
This is between December and March. Pruning helps shape the vines in order to produce the best quality of grape and to control yield.
There are 2 types of pruning:
- Short or goblet: compulsary for Beaujolais-Villages and for the 10 Beaujolais Crus.
- Guyot: only authorised for the Beaujolais appellation.
Soil maintenance is observed in 3 ways:
- Traditional: hoeing the land in winter, the care and maintenance of the root stock in the spring, and grafting in the summer.
- Laying down is helpful to reduce erosion on the slopes and facilitates tractor access in case of heavy rain. It can be permanent or temporary.
- Not working the land: in more than 90% of the vineyards the soil remains untouched and only the vines are worked. Only harmless, selective and non-residual weed killers are used.
Fertilisation:
- Fertiliser: the vine-grower uses only those elements strictly necessary for the vine growth. Fertilisation is thus calculated by soil analysis.
- Soil improvement: any substance that improves or maintains the soil quality when incorporated. Primarly organic material is used (manure, grape marc or residue) along with calcium deposits, such as chalk and limestone.
Spring and summer work:
From the beginning of growth until August, there are 3 operations:
- Pruning that consists in removing unwanted suckers and shoots.
- Staking and finally a topping off that consists in limiting the height of the shoots.
- Spraying for diseases stemming from mould and fungus (grey rot or mildew) or against insect parasites (cluster worms or spiders).
In their struggle against desease and pests, the vine-growers are increasing their use of non-toxic products that favour a biological solution to the problem that combines both efficiency and ecological sense.
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