Agricultural Harmony
[caption id="attachment_6345" align="alignnone" width="1095"] Photo by: David Fritz Goeppinger[/caption] If you consider yourself a wine connoisseur, then the name Gérard Bertrand ought to ring a bell. Gérard Bertrand is a world-renowned winemaker from the South of
Photo by: David Fritz Goeppinger
If you consider yourself a wine connoisseur, then the name Gérard Bertrand ought to ring a bell. Gérard Bertrand is a world-renowned winemaker from the South of France who produces an outstanding diversity of wines that span over 14 total estates. From sparkling to appellation wines, reds to whites and rosés, Gérard Bertrand truly offers it all (and offers it exceptionally well). Headquartered in Languedoc-Roussillon—the world’s largest wine-making region—Gérard Bertrand wines are synonymous with excellence, authenticity, conviviality, and innovation. Bertrand and his teams are true leaders and visionaries in the winemaking industry.
Quality is Key
Quality not quantity. We’ve all heard this saying at least once in our lifetime. It’s a reminder that often leaves the lips of parents, teachers, and colleagues. Bertrand truly takes this sentiment to heart when approaching his wine business. Quality wine is, as Bertrand says, a combination of time, space, energy, spirit, and soul. Quality wine is also tied to a grape’s origin and how it harmonizes with the rest of the universe. Bertrand utilizes biodynamic farming to ensure top-notch, quality product from grape to bottle. With over 14 of Gérard Bertrand estates now Certified Biodynamic® by DEMETER or in the process of becoming certified, a more adequate phrase for the brand itself is quality and quantity.
Biodynamics
…is the gold standard of farming that heals the planet through conscious agriculture. A biodynamic farmer is a steward for his or her environment. There is absolutely no GMO’s, artificial fertilizers, or chemical sprays used on a biodynamic farm. What is used is a combination of ancient wisdom coupled with holistic, sustainable methods. Because Bertrand is an advocate of homeopathic medicine, employing biodynamics in his vineyards was a no-brainer. His winemaking process follows lunar and star charts—known as ‘the planting calendar’—which informs a farmer of the most optimal days for sowing, pruning, and harvesting. Some consider this kind of agriculture as a bunch of New Age hocus pocus. For Bertrand, it’s an unwavering commitment to sustainable development that, in turn, restores harmony to the environment and gives patrons the best and most authentic wine on the market. “The application of [biodynamic principles] makes the influence of the Earth and the heavens impossible to ignore—and this extends not just to making but to tasting wine,” Bertrand says in his autobiography “Wine, Moon and Stars.”
A Biodynamic Beauty: La Villa
La Villa, one of the best (and biodynamic) rosés in the world, stems from Bertrand’s Château la Sauvageonne estate. This region is characterized by its volcanic pastime. The soil consists of three types of rock: sandstone, schist and ‘ruffle.’ One sip leaves a velvety blanket over the tongue with refreshing aftertaste. It’s a harmonious marriage of flavors, including sweet strawberries and spices with floral notes of violet and hawthorn. As a light-bodied wine, La Villa is best served cool as an aperitif or paired with charcuterie and grilled meats. It’s faint blush color mirrors the way the sky looks when the grapes are handpicked, between sunrise and 10am.
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Happy dining!
By Elizabeth Liberatore | Contributor