A SENSITIVE UNDERSTANDING
OF DIVERSITY
The Domaine du Château Philippe le Hardi cultivates 98 hectares, from Gevrey-Chambertin in the north to Mercurey in the south, with a strong presence in the Côte Chalonnaise in the Mercurey appellation (50 hectares in red and 15 in white). No less than 35 Burgundy climats are managed, 65% of which are planted with Pinot Noir and 35% with Chardonnay. All the complexity of Burgundy’s vineyards can be found in this multiplicity of subsoils and soils (white marl, hard limestone with chert, clay-limestone and sandy-alluvium, etc.), topographies/orientations (nearly 75% hillsides in Saint-Aubin and Mercurey, with slopes of more than 32%), and microclimates. An infinite diversity that requires intimate knowledge, perpetual adaptation from the winegrower, and a guiding principle: the cultivation of different identities without ever abandoning a demand for quality, precision and respect for all forms of life.
EVER MORE VIRTUOUS PRACTICES
For many years, the Domaine has been committed to changing its viticultural practices in order to stimulate life in the soil and preserve the environment with mechanical maintenance of the soil, mowing, recycling of waste, use of the Vitis Valorem process to give a second life to the vine cuttings (recycling as staples and stakes), rather than burning them. These initiatives are also part of an awareness of the importance of protecting biodiversity. Landscape management, respect for the surrounding biodiversity and the protection of certain endangered bird species are equally strong commitments for the Château’s teams.
HAUTE-COUTURE WINEGROWING
Never neglecting the characteristics of each terroir, a team of 18 people works tirelessly to grow high-quality grapes, and to harvest them when they have fully ripened. Technical management is adapted according to the nature of the soil, the configuration of the vines and the size of the plots, from a few rows to several hectares. This requires a meticulous approach and constant commitment in order to adapt procedures to weather conditions. Mowing is preferred in wet periods, ploughing when it is dry. Our vigilant team is capable of responding within a few hours in all the plots that make up the vineyard. This is essential when 100 hectares of vines are undergoing organic conversion.
INNOVATION AND EXPERIMENTATION
This is another important part of the approach at Domaine du Château Philippe le Hardi. Numerous trial protocols are initiated, such as the promising UV Boosting technique, which stimulates the vine’s immune defences with the help of type C UV rays. Experimentation also means returning, if necessary, to ancestral practices or methods advocated in other regions. For several years now, in the Clos de Vougeot vineyard, the vines have been braided into bridges in order to increase leaf area and control their vigour. This technique, used in southern vineyards facing high temperatures, stimulates the vine and develops its root system. The result is an aromatic concentration that is as close as possible to the quintessence of the terroir.
