Luc’s residents have notices over the last months all the renovation and construction works made at Famille Fabre ! After (finally) re-roofing the château and the winery, we’re now building a new hangar to absorb the surplus orders from our growing business. We’d like to thank all the craftsmen who worked on the site, and look forward to moving in next month!
Having sheep in the vineyard has many advantages. Sheep grazing helps to keep vegetation under control in an environmentally-friendly way, reducing the need for herbicides and machinery.What’s more, sheep naturally fertilize the soil with their droppings, promoting soil health and biodiversity. Their presence also helps reduce the risk of fire by eliminating dry grass and maintaining a safer environment.
The return of the sheep to the Fabre family vineyards is a symbol of tradition and respect for the land. Using ancestral methods such as biodiversity and holistic management, they are restoring ecological balance while producing quality wines.This return testifies to their commitment to sustainable viticulture.
Biochar offers a number of advantages for vines. Firstly, it improves water retention and soil structure, promoting better root growth and optimal nutrient absorption. In addition, it helps regulate soil temperature, protecting roots from extremes of heat and cold. Finally, biochar also enhances soil biodiversity by providing a favorable habitat for beneficial micro-organisms, strengthening the vine’s overall resilience to disease and environmental stress.
First tests for the Fabre Family … .to be followed soon here and on our networks!
Did you know that? When we pull up a vine, we give the soil 5 years to regenerate. We also have some plots that are not suitable for vines, but are better to certain crops.
So we’re also a farmer with a bit of flax, barley, mustard, chickpeas, broad beans, alfalfa… every year it can change!
Here’s a picture of the 2023 mustard harvest, a few months before the fields come into flower.
The barley will be malted before it goes into the brewery of our partner Alaryk, in Béziers, and becomes a delicious beer!
In March, we planted a carignan, a Mass-selection from Mercier nursery.
It is under Boutenac Appellation. We opt for a traditional goblet pruning.
Every year, the Famille Fabre renews about ten hectares. In 2022, it will be 7 hectares in order to keep the plant material young.
Nicolas Amiel, vineyard manager and the vineyard team!
August 31: The 2021 harvest is a delicate one, in a vineyard that was heavily frosted and had extremely little water. Nevertheless, the first Sauvignon and Chardonnay grapes are giving us nice surprises, offering lemony, honey and lively musts. The Merlot vinified in rosé already reveals its aromas of wild and delicious strawberries! A lot of freshness to come on this vintage!
We welcome our “usual” team of 25 harvesters on September 13th. They have been coming to help us for over 50 years, and this year, the third generation is coming! We can’t wait to see them again. Specificity of the year: we will also have a local team to be very reactive and to adapt to the different levels of maturity (due to the frost).
This morning, we brought in a very nice Sauvignon that we will vinify with a maceration: a first for us! After the success of our Camin, orange wine with Viognier, we continue the tests, with Sauvignon this time!
The – now famous – “wagons”, invented by our ancestor André Fabre, are out for the carbonic maceration, we have just painted them and they are now ready to welcome the red grape harvest.
Nicolas Amiel, vineyard manager and the vineyard team!
August 31: The 2021 harvest is a delicate one, in a vineyard that was heavily frosted and had extremely little water. Nevertheless, the first Sauvignon and Chardonnay grapes are giving us nice surprises, offering lemony, honey and lively musts. The Merlot vinified in rosé already reveals its aromas of wild and delicious strawberries! A lot of freshness to come on this vintage!
We welcome our “usual” team of 25 harvesters on September 13th. They have been coming to help us for over 50 years, and this year, the third generation is coming! We can’t wait to see them again. Specificity of the year: we will also have a local team to be very reactive and to adapt to the different levels of maturity (due to the frost).
This morning, we brought in a very nice Sauvignon that we will vinify with a maceration: a first for us! After the success of our Camin, orange wine with Viognier, we continue the tests, with Sauvignon this time!