The Giscours Philosophy

At Giscours, we all pull together and Nature sets the pace. We pay sincere, close attention to how we contribute to the environment and our vines are cultivated using a sustainable, committed approach. The generous nature of Giscours is a gem!

Currently, half of the vineyard area is organically cultivated. Across all of our plots, we take care to maintain natural balance with as little intervention as possible, strengthen the functioning ecosystem, and minimise the number of treatments in order to respect our employees and neighbours. Preserving our natural environment, known for its exceptional biodiversity, is our priority: the Giscours park and forest are also certified Natura 2000 sites.

Given this new sensitivity, using traditional labour to maintain the soils has once again become the standard. We are strongly committed to a return to human hands, living beings and a belief in the power of plants.
Grass cover between the rows limits the growth of weeds, decompacting the soils, limiting tractor passes, and thus promoting biodiversity within plots. Using winter seeds tailored to each of these soils enables them all to express their full potential with native biodiversity as the vector.

Pruning has also been rethought to enable sap to circulate year after year, reduce the risk of wood disease, and improve the plant’s lifespan.

At Giscours, our research and development unit is constantly exploring these new opportunities to set us up for the future and strive towards agroecology. Studies are also undertaken in partnership with laboratories and universities.

At Giscours, we owe our current existence to the work of those who came before, and strive to do the same for future generations. This philosophy has enabled the estate to constantly challenge itself and anticipate the future. In daily work on the ground, the aim is to contribute to the development of an ecosystem ideally suited to the vintage, vine cultivation and making fine wine.

Given this desire to perpetuate this wonderful diversity, we have set ourselves the task of replanting our historic grape varieties with massal selections. ‘It is about recovering the at least 70-year-old vine stock that is part of the history of Giscours (before clonal selection), identifying it, monitoring it, and propagating the highest quality stock to preserve this genetic heritage and crop diversity’, explains Didier Forêt, Giscours Technical Director.

In terms of our ability to adapt to climate change, we focus on tilling the soil before planting so that the root systems of young vines reach deep and find cool temperatures and water.

Various studies have been conducted by Giscours and nursery growers to identify the most suitable rootstock for the next forty years. Rootstock, serving as an intermediary between the grape variety and the ground, probes the subsoil seeking water and minerals. We also pay attention to foliage management and controlling its vigour to enable perfect symbiosis between plants, soil and climate.

The majority of ‘Giscours people’ remain here their entire lives, some even as a family. This means that expertise is inherited and then passed on to the next generation via mentoring.

In addition, our vineyard workers are thoroughly trained in how to care for each specific vine individually. They all have an in-depth knowledge of the vineyard rows for which they are responsible, and all view the vines as micro-gardens that receive their expert care and attention. This gentle, careful approach limits errors and unnecessary action.