Dauvergne Ranvier, keen to promote ever more sustainable viticulture, is embarking on the adventure of resistant grape varieties with two single-varietal vintages!
- Libération - Floréal grape variety
This grape variety produces expressive and aromatic wines (notes of exotic fruits), with a beautiful freshness.
- Liberation - Monarch grape variety
This grape variety produces fruity wines (aromas of red fruits and wild berries), with freshness and small spices.
What are resistant grape varieties?
From the middle of the 19th century, diseases from North America (powdery mildew, downy mildew, phylloxera in particular) proved devastating for European vines. To remedy this, research has been done to cross vines naturally resistant to these diseases (Vitis rupestris, Vitis rotundifolia, etc.), with European vines with recognized qualities (Vitis vinifera).
Firstly, crosses by natural fertilization were carried out. Then, numerous seed selections were made to identify varieties combining high quality potential and a high degree of resistance. Real painstaking work carried out by passionate researchers, this work lasted around 50 years. Today it takes 15 years to select a resistant variety (from seed to seedling, until evaluation of the plant). Natural varietal selection is long and takes time! The resistant grape varieties thus obtained are in no way genetically modified organisms.
The cultivation of these grape varieties, which are resistant to vine diseases, notably powdery mildew and downy mildew, makes it possible to use much less phytosanitary products (current practices show an average reduction of 80% in the use of fungicides).
In France this research is carried out by the National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and the Environment (INRAE) and the French Institute of Vine and Wine (IFV)
Brice Abbiate Technical Director of Wines and Vineyards at Dauvergne Ranvier