Dear friends,
Time never stops and it seems to be accelerating now the winter’s over. I don’t know what it’s like where you are, but here on the biodynamic wine farm, spring really is a time for kicking into action.
This year’s particularly exciting with several new projects, including planting the first vegetables for BioEthik Bordeaux’s new farm restaurant, due to open this summer. On this topic, did you know the Graves region has the perfect soil for growing potatoes? We’re giving it a try at Château Mamin.
Read on too for a customer’s Ode to Château Mamin, a tip for keeping your basil plants happy, a way to decorate your table while keeping mosquitoes at bay and news about one of our latest new clients, Leclerc. You can also get a dose of cuteness with a video of recently hatched chicks, and an invitation to follow the results of our brand-new DNA mildew-testing program.
All the best to you!
Vincent.
“Let food be thy medicine” – Hippocrate
Love is... in the ground!
What do red grapes like Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon have in common with potatoes? They all love the Château Mamin vineyard! The gravelly, sandy-clay soil that gives the “Graves” winegrowing region its name provides great drainage while retaining heat at night.
So, this Easter, we planted our first rows of potatoes next to the vines in preparation for our new farm restaurant that’s soon to open at Le Chai in Cadillac. More news to follow…
... and it's in our wine! (an Ode to Château Mamin)
Yes, I’m a romantic at heart! I was touched to receive a poem from one of my 2020 Château Mamin customers in Switzerland. It’s not every day I receive such an original declaration of love for my organic red wine:
O Graves wine, Château Mamin,
You are the nectar of my destiny,
Your subtle aromas, your golden hue,
Take me on a voyage of enchanted lands…
Many thanks to the author, who modestly prefers to remain anonymous!
Do you tuck your plants in at night?
Did you know basil gets chilly at night? When the temperatures drop below 10°C, it needs to be covered to keep warm. This is just one of the ways we’ve been taking care of our fresh herbs, along with hand watering and fertilizing throughout the spring. Check out our range of biodynamic, eco-friendly fresh herbs, now available!
Why not use fresh herbs as a mosquito-repellent centerpiece?
In May, I started delivering 3-liter pots of lemon basil to supermarkets in the Southwest of France. They not only look and taste good, but their strong aroma makes them a powerful and yet pleasant mosquito repellent. If you want to fully appreciate the smell, just rub your fingers against a leaf. You’ll see what I mean!
Find BioEthik Bordeaux produce at Leclerc Urrugne
Leclerc is France’s leading supermarket chain, with a 22.2% market share at the end of 2022 and strong support for local French farmers. So I’m delighted to be supplying Leclerc’s flagship Basque Country store in Urrugne, near Saint-Jean-de-Luz. You can now find BioEthik Bordeaux’s Château Mamin and Château de Lardiley wines, as well as our fresh biodynamic herbs, on Leclerc’s shelves. If you’re in the region, drop by!
Love it!
Since April, 340 chicks have hatched on the farm, 270 in one day!
Soon we’ll have enough to renew our flock of Gascon hens for 2024: good news for fans of our Demeter-certified eggs.
Embark on our innovation venture!
Want to know how DNA testing can help control mildew and reduce the use of fungicide? Follow our weekly report!
Fresh from the farm
For our fresh herbs and Gascon eggs, please contact us.
Thanks for reading! Have questions or comments? We’d love to hear from you.