2017 CHIDAINE TOURAINE ROUGE

2017 CHIDAINE TOURAINE ROUGE, LOIRE VALLEY, FRANCE. Cot, Cabernet Franc, Pineau d'Aunis. (Organic/Biodynamic)

About: François Chidaine worked alongside his father Yves for many years, and today he devoutly manages an estate blessed with vines between 40 and 80 years old. For years he was a leader first in organic and then in biodynamic farming. Today, he is devoted to what is referred to in the United States as "carbon farming", which involves implementing practices that are known to improve the rate at which CO2 is removed from the atmosphere and converted into plant material and soil organic matter (squestering CO2 in the soils). At the heart of this approach is a practice of "no-till farming". While plowing is an integral part of natural viticulture for many farmers and producers, this working of the soil is thought to interfere with the complex mycorrhizal network (funghi network) that actually connects individual plants together and can transfer water, carbon, nitrogen and other nutrients and minerals between neighboring root systems. After years of working his soils, François developed a belief that he was disconnecting these important communication networks which help to give the vines what they need to flourish. Of course, composting and rotating cover crops are an essential part of this farming method. In most cases, vinegrowing is monocultural. Conversely, Francois is doing everything he can to encourage biodiversity and create a polycultural environment in which all plant life thrives in a symbiotic manner. (Importer)