The Vauthier family have taken care of this vineyard with an unwavering passion for the soil since 1690. Here, everyone has purple-stained hands from working in the cellars. Alain and his elder daughter Pauline, of the eleventh wine growing generation, make the wine today, while remaining loyal to the spirit of their ancestors.
IV. The spirit and practices
The winegrower’s task
Beyond the vines themselves, the wider ecosystem is also taken into account. Hedges, fruit trees and aromatic plants are also grown as companions for the vines, stimulating a fertile exchange between species, backed up with natural applications of nettle, willow and valerian. A variety of wildlife is also preserved, including insects, birds and even bats, which all contribute in their own way to releasing the vital energy in the soil.
Château Ausone rarely sticks to any one strict regimen. Methods inspired by both organic and biodynamic procedures are implemented, which are above all the gentlest ways to craft wines. In fact, in this legendary vineyard, the best tactic that Man can adopt is discretion. From the vineyard through to the cellars, all the deliberate, measured practices employed pursue a single ambition, that of enabling the terroir to express itself as genuinely as possible.