A Note on Sustainability

Cave de Tain is a dynamic and forward-thinking co-operative, proud of its sustainability programme and a certified member of Vignerons en Développement Durable since 2009. Natural means of improving vine health such as épillonnage and pheromone sprays to disrupt insect pests’ breeding patterns are employed, and they are committed to using organic viticultural practices wherever possible. This also serves to increase the biodiversity of the vineyards, further boosting vine health, reducing the need for chemical phytosanitary treatments and improving the quality of the fruit.

They work to reduce their carbon footprint by utilising natural sources of energy, e.g. by fitting farms with solar panels, by the methanisation of grape marc to generate electricity, and by grinding up and composting the vine prunings instead of burning them so as to improve the quality of the soil and to hold onto the carbon trapped within them. Currently, up to 75% of their production waste is recycled, rainwater is captured for use on the estates, and a collective “river contract” has been drawn up to prevent the pollution of the local groundwater. Water usage in the cellar has been reduced by 90% simply by re-examining all of the ways in which it is used.