A restructured vineyard : replanting vines, new cellars and cutting-edge technology
Frédéric Salin and Jean-Luc Zuger brought fresh impetus to this wine estate by building a new cellar, with temperature-controlled vats made exclusively in concrete, together with three presses and a state-of-the-art cooling system that guarantees optimal preservation of the raw material.
In the vineyard, an additional 17 hectares of vines were replanted, taking the surface area in production from 10 to 27 hectares. The main grape varieties making up the vineyard are: Grenache, Cinsault, Syrah, Mourvèdre and Rolle. The soils are mostly composed of dry schist and have to be very carefully looked after with inputs of organic matter, such as manure, to recreate a complex soil without resorting to chemical fertilisers.
At Domaine de Tamary, the management of the vineyard is organised on a plot by plot basis while the yields of each plot are carefully monitored from one year to the next.
Harvests
At Domaine de Tamary, the management of the vineyard is organised on a plot by plot basis while the yields of each plot are carefully monitored from one year to the next. The harvesting is carried out at a gentle pace, preferably at night-time, since night temperatures provide better handling conditions for the protection of the bunches and to avoid the risk of the juices fermenting. The aim therefore is to pick the grapes when they are at their coolest possible temperature. The harvesting begins at 3 in the morning and continues until 9 or 10 am. Each stage of the vinification is performed using gravity flow thanks to different floor levels, thus reducing the use of pumps.
The grapes are picked for 9 to 11 days spread out over a month. Avant-gardists as always, Frédéric Salin and Jean-Luc Zuger also built a waste water recovery and treatment plant, again working in an eco-friendly, sustainable manner. All the elements are now in place for the production of a top quality rosé, using farming methods that care for both the natural environment and human beings.
Respect for people and nature : our permanent concern
At Domaine de Tamary, sustainability is among our top priorities. Our objective is to implement eco-responsible practices, by adopting sustainable vine-growing methods and farming practices that respect people and the land. Qualifying for High Environmental Value (HVE) is therefore a top priority for Domaine de Tamary.
Our production follows the principles of La Lutte Raisonnée (integrated crop management), which prohibits the use of herbicides and advocates soil ploughing. One of our vine plots is reserved for trials, and in another we don’t spray, so nature can do as it pleases. We have fun trialling new things and testing how far we can go. Waste water and phyto-sanitary cleaning water are recovered and treated via the use of different reservoirs. Retention containers filled with mud are collected and taken to an approved centre which looks after dehydrating it.
At Domaine de Tamary, the team works in harmony with nature. It doesn’t force nature; it works with it, taking into account the natural cycle of the seasons and respecting the balance of each plant in its environment. For example, in order to combat vine pests, Domaine de Tamary has introduced bats’ nests, our best natural ally against predators. This way of working favours life and the long-term future of our eco-system.
There is the health of the vines to look after on the one hand, and of course that of human beings on the other; including those working at our estate. At Tamary, special care and attention is dedicated to maintaining both good health and good spirit in our teams.