[E] Domaine Duseigneur part 1, farming the vineyards w Frederic Duseigneur

http://www.bkwine.com/wine_tours/wine_tours.htm --- Interview (part 1) with Domaine Duseigneur (Rhone), Frederic Duseigneur. Domaine Duseigneur is a small family wine producer in the southern Rhone Valley just across the river from Chateauneuf-du-Pape, run by the brothers Frederic and Bernard (they also work with the famous French sommelier Philippe Faure-Brac).

Frederic sees himself more as a farmer than a winemaker. The most important thing is what happens in the vineyard, that you have life in the vineyard, healthy vines. There is a big difference between traditional farming and organic farming. Biodynamic farming is one more step, as done at Domaine Duseigneur since many years.

In biodynamics they use two preparations: 500 which is specially prepared cow manure, diluted in water and sprayed in the vineyards in the autumn; 501, a finely ground powder of quartz. It is also sprayed, but in the spring. This helps the flowering of the vines.

At Domaine Duseigneur they also use some further preparations, homeopathic infusions made from plants and herbs, eg nettles, horsetail, thyme, rosemary or other. These help the plants to fight diseases themselves. This is done instead of spraying with chemicals (sulphur or other). In biodynamic farming one is allowed to use both copper and sulphur, but in smaller quantities. These preparations are also believed to help the vines to better survive difficult weather (hot, cold, wet etc, that happens in the Rhone Valley).

It is difficult to prove the effect of biodynamic farming, Frederic Duseigneur says, but one can see the effect on the vines. And the final proof is also in tasting the vines.

More info: http://www.domaineduseigneur.com/

By BKWine, http://www.bkwine.com. Interviewer: Per Karlsson, BKWine. © Copyright BKWine, Per Karlsson.

Music: Johan Stertman & Patrik Lundin, with permission

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