Good vineyard management
The head of culture surrounded by his team, ensures respect for the environment.
They have thus set up a traceability system for operations as well as a daily monitoring of the vines. It is the quality of the grapes that makes the quality of the wine. Precision work begins in the vineyard, “plot by plot”. Our job as a winegrower intends to optimise the quality of the grapes.
A sustainable viticulture
In Siran, for the cultivation of the vine, previous generations had already favoured small yields and moderate use of inputs. Since 2000, the choice that has been made to practice sustainable agriculture. Daily efforts are made to find a better balance between climatic constraints and respect for the environment and for mankind.
The mode of agriculture leans towards organic farming. We are determined to preserve the soil and limit the use of copper to prevent the threat of mildew and powdery mildew. We are doing this while waiting for a truly sustainable alternative solution.
The support of studies
Studies are regularly carried out to monitor the pH as well as the presence of mineral elements and organic matter in our soils. They allow us to know when it is necessary to give back to the soil organic matter that in particular help the vines to resist drought.
We use two types of organic inputs: green waste and manure for their richness in mineral elements. Aware of the importance of maintaining structural stability and biological activity in our soils, we are undertaking trials of “green manure” sowing.
Precision pruning
The good health of the vineyard is our number one objective. At Siran, tasks in the vineyard are managed as in a garden, i.e. with great attention to detail.
Pruning in Bordeaux Guyot style, takes place from November to the beginning of March. The pruning starts with the grape varieties that ripen later and finish with those that are more sensitive to frost. The team has undergone four years of pruning training in order to manage and anticipate disturbances in sap flow. The durability of our vineyard is built by considering each vine as a particular case.
The importance of ploughing
Ploughing is limited to four passes per year, two “on” and two “off”. Practiced in the past to prevent heavy winter frosts, ploughing nowadays helps to control weeds. They also serve to remove superficial roots in order to better manage climatic hazards and to favour the expression of the terroir.
The care given to the vine
Carried out after pruning, desuckering, splitting and lifting also involve rigorous and precise work and contribute to the good hygiene and health of our vines.
Lifting of the vines ensures that the branches are guided and avoids the crowding of shots that is conductive to the development of diseases.
In the summer, the winegrowers proceed with leaf thinning in order to aerate the bunches of grapes, which facilitates the synthesis of polyphenols and diminishes the vegetal aromas. Thinning out, by selecting the bunches, helps to reduce crowding and improves the quality of the harvest.
The harvest
Parcel knowledge of the terroir through observation, but also the study of the soil and daily tasting before harvest, allow us to harvest grapes at perfect maturity.
Grapes are hand-picked in crates. The grapes are sorted before and after destemming for a selection of the best berries.