"Preserving the environment in a sustainable way, finding harmony and balance in the ecosystems, enhancing the precision of the winegrowers' gestures, reaching out to future generations — these are the challenges of today, and these will be the obligations of tomorrow.” - Gérard Bertrand
“Sustainability” is a buzzword in the food and beverage industry, and there’s no exception in the world of wine. It’s exciting and important to understand the changes and strides being made and their effects on our earth as well as that glass of wine on your table. While this word is often tossed around without care or nuance, specific details set sustainable wine apart from other wines. Sustainability is a movement in and of itself in the world of wine and deserves an inspection.
What is Sustainability in Wine?
Sustainability in viticulture and winemaking is simply a consideration of the carbon footprint in the growing and making of wine and the awareness of the amount of carbon dioxide or carbon compounds emitted by fossil fuels. This consideration encompasses the vines (irrigation, tree planting, low input vehicles, etc.) and the winery (equipment, products used, temperature-controlled vehicles, packaging, and shipping).
This category of sustainability, not unlike “natural wine,” has no global definition or set of standards to which all regions can adhere. Basically, “sustainable” is a word that encompasses more than just identifying whether or not chemicals are used in wines. It assesses every aspect of the wine business, addressing factors like water usage, waste, social impact, and carbon footprint.
Most winemakers and growers I speak with are conscious of what chemicals are used and how much energy they’re using. It’s important to think about the carbon footprint wineries create and champion those that are setting a trend for others to follow. Because there are no official classifications for sustainable wine, those looking to trend in that direction will typically certify wines as organic and biodynamic.
A great example of this type of sustainable winemaking is the Gérard Bertrand group. Yes, that Gérard (the former Rugby player). His father (Georges Bertrand) was the owner of Domaine de Villemajou in Corbieres and died in a car accident in 1987 when Gérard was 22. This led Gerard to launch Gérard Bertrand in 1992. Today, this winery group is committed to sustainable farming and leads the way in biodynamic farming. It’s worth mentioning that this is not a new phase or fad for Gérard but an ongoing passion to see his beloved land lead the way in the world.
He encourages other winemakers to join in sustainable farming and engages in projects to promote that end, such as participating with famous French photographer Yann Arthus-Bertrand, founder of the Good Planet Foundation agroforestry project in Languedoc-Roussillon and is very active in helping other wineries become certified as well.
Understanding Biodynamics
In 1924, Dr. Rudolf Steiner (an Austrian philosopher) was credited with outlining theories for viticulture, which are the principles of Biodynamic farming. Steiner had a deep connection and respect for the land. His farming methods follow astrological configurations and are meant to bring harmony to the entire winemaking process.
When he observed dirt, cattle, and crops degrading, he linked it to chemical fertilizers, which led Steiner to understand a connection among everything, including animals, planets, and stars that share an energy force and influence each other. According to Steiner, planting, pruning, plowing, and picking needed to be timed to the solar calendar, and organic materials should be used to amend and control farming conditions.
For example, cow manure is put into a cow horn and then buried in the soil to increase vigor in soil, Chamomile is used to help stabilize nitrogen, Horsetail (plant) helps control fungi, and the list goes on. In essence, biodynamic farming is far stricter than “organic” winemaking. Biodynamics is currently overseen by Demeter International and Biodyvin but is not government-regulated.
Gérard Bertrand’s Role
Gérard learned winemaking alongside his father, Georges, from an early age. In 1987, the accidental death of Georges led Gérard to start the Gérard Bertrand wine company. Starting in 1992, he began to develop wines from the South of France. In 1995, with the purchase of Domaine de Cigalus, Gérard Bertrand finally found the terroir he had been searching for. Bertrand believed that this area reflects everything that sets this region apart from the terroir, the influence of the Mediterranean, and the soil. This was the start of Gerard’s biodynamic winemaking, and in 2010 the estate was awarded the Demeter label for certification of biodynamic agriculture, which is no easy accomplishment!
Gérard Bertrand’s wine company is in the heart of the Languedoc region — also known for its hot climate — which can always make any type of organic, biodynamic, or sustainable farming a challenge. There are approaches that can help, such as low sulfur use in vineyards, which helps reduce foliage burn in a heat wave and allows biodynamic farming to help vines adapt to weather conditions, which is what Gérard Bertrand prides themselves on.
“Managing the change from conventional to biodynamic practices is probably one of the more rewarding challenges. Because it has an impact on the vineyard, the environment, the profile of the wines, and the men and women that work in the vineyard,” says Bertrand. “At the beginning, some of them were skeptical, but now they say they wouldn’t accept to work differently. Our vines are now in very good health, and we are proud of preserving our environment, landscape, and biodiversity.”
The world is full of superstar winemakers, but what makes Bertrand stand out is his talent and passion for creating beautiful wine and his commitment to preserving land and earth for those who come after him. His book, Wine, Moon and Stars, gives a beautiful insight into his practices, and I recommend it to anyone who finds these ideas interesting. As the Gérard Bertrand brand looks forward, they plan to move to 80% organic and biodynamic by 2025 and 100% by 2030.
I raise my glass and propose a toast to the Gérard Bertrand family as they lead the way, setting a strong example and championing fellow winemakers around the world to feel confident in sustainable winemaking practices.
Shop the Entire Gérard Bertrand Collection Here.
