Date£º
2014-05-19 11:02 Source£º
winesearcher Author:
AFP with Wine-Searcher staff Translator:
Sparkling wine region launches green targets.
The village of Cramant, Cote des Blancs, Champagne
Once a dumping ground for the garbage of Paris and Reims, the vineyards of Champagne are now trying to make up for former indiscretions by implementing environmentally friendly rules.
In an about-turn from previous practices, the Champenois are now introducing an environmental code for grapegrowers with the hope that the sparkling region will achieve 100-percent sustainable status.
This week the region's wine trade association, the Comit?Interprofessionel du Vin de Champagne (CIVC) sent out a manual to 20,000 growers, setting out a 125-point plan for producers to achieve "sustainable viticulture "certification.
"We want to show Champagne lovers that this exceptional product is highly respectful of its terroir, assisting growers to have an ecological approach that goes above and beyond,"said Thibaut le Mailloux, the spokesman for the CIVC.
Between the 1970s and 1990s, trash including plastic bags, glass and cardboard was used as "fertilizer"in the region's vineyards. It was thought that the minerals in the trash would solve vine chlorosis.
While reminders of this "dirty" period in Champagne's history can still be seen in some vineyards, le Mailloux stressed the environmental credentials of the region today and pointed out that the region has been committed to "sustainable winegrowing practices since 2001."
In the past 10 years, Champagne has reduced the carbon footprint of each bottle by 15 percent and halved the use of chemical products in the vineyards.