In the vineyard
Le Puy is a 400-year-old history of expertise, patiently acquired and passed down from one generation to the next. Free of any artificial products, our greatest efforts go into creating unique wines that are the purest expression of our soils and grapes, and a delight for all drinkers.
A natural and chemical-free approach since 1610
As far back as family memories and archives can recall, life at le Puy has been organised around diversification with vine-growing as its cornerstone. Our ancestors lived in virtual self-sufficiency in this remote corner of Gironde. They instinctively contributed to the shaping of a permanent balance around beneficial interactions between species: animals (insects, humans, horses, etc) and plants (vines, plants and forest, etc.) live together in harmony. This is why forest, meadows and a pond account for half of our land.
We are taking things a step further at present, by planting a selection of shrubs such as blackcurrant or eleagnus among the vine rows. This technique, known as “agri-forestry”, boosts biodiversity in particular. It also serves to create and maintain pollination routes. Le Puy acts on all levels to organise the most harmonious biotope (place of life) possible, by including a wide variety of flora and fauna, by developing and caring for all forms of life, by using spring water for our preparations and by fostering an insect haven…
An ecosystem-based cultivation
Labouring the ground with our five horses ensures precise and delicate work around the vines and prevents the soil from being compacted with a tractor. Ploughing is prohibited, we simply score the surface of the soil so as not to disturb the mycorrhizal network. We foster the diversity of our vine plants through mass selection and devote close attention to root growth and the microbial life of the soils.
Like our ancestors before us, the use of synthetic fertilisers and other chemical products is forbidden. The vines are treated mainly with plant infusions. We use horsetail, buckthorn or nettle, which we grow on the estate, in addition to horn compost and a selection of dynamic preparations. Treatment is carried out regularly right up to the harvest, which is accomplished entirely by hand. We do not carry out green harvesting or leaf-stripping.
A family on an ongoing quest
This work led at one with our surroundings goes hand in hand with a committed, forerunning sensitivity to the environment. After the Second World War, Pierre-Robert Amoreau, Jean Pierre’s father, was one of the first members of the “Nature & Progrès” organisation. Founded in 1964, this non-profit group of farmers and trade-workers pioneered agro-biology and biodynamics in France. At a time when engagement for the environment was not a given and was largely misunderstood, even ridiculed, we upheld and strengthened our position as such protection bodies formed.
Le Puy has successively obtained Ecocert (organic agriculture) and Demeter (biodynamics) accreditation, the specifications brief of which Pascal Amoreau contributed to. On an international level, we are presently one of the few French wine estates to have obtained the organic certification of the Chinese government. Lastly, our engagement is also driven by an ongoing concern for eco-responsible sourcing ; we place the emphasis on national production, short circuits and recyclable materials.
