Chai Julip is an entire hillside with contour lines, offering four different exposures, with schist soil and a very low pH.
 

 

The soil
Ancient sedimentary rocks of clay origin from the Paleozoic era, transformed into “sheets” of schist, with an acidic pH, where the vines take root very deeply. Rainwater infiltrates easily and never stagnates (very few cryptogamic diseases).

From the outset, our aim was to implement organic conservation agriculture (CA): reducing or even eliminating mechanical tillage in order to preserve the surface layer of humus created by decomposing plant debris, which also protects the soil from erosion and compaction. 
The aim of this reduction is to limit as much as possible the destructuring and loss of the soil's natural vertical porosity. Grass cover is natural.

We therefore cultivate the vines and encourage as many earthworms as possible!

Of all species, because each has a natural function of mixing the surface and deep horizons. They play a key role in soil fertility. The absence of tillage, and in particular plowing, promotes their maintenance, increases their population, and encourages their beneficial activity. The presence of permanent and varied cover ensures a sustainable food supply for all soil fauna, especially earthworms.



Pruning
We have adopted the technique known as “low pruning” to preserve our old vines, which are very special and of high quality due to the plant material (rootstock) chosen at the time of planting.

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As a result of these choices:

1.  Increased organic matter

2. Soil water retention (biological activation of the soil promotes macroporosity, which contributes to better water infiltration and reduces runoff and erosion)

3.  Increased biological activity and biodiversity in the soil

4. Carbon sequestration associated with reduced greenhouse gas emissions

5. Reduced expenses, particularly for the purchase of fossil fuels, the operation and maintenance of machinery, and labor

6. Increased efficiency, as production increases with fewer inputs

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These vines, which are over 60 years old and planted in a spiral pattern around the hill, reaching a height of 220 meters, were perfectly suited to this approach due to the complexity of the land, which is quite difficult to work and requires a traditional, minimally mechanized approach.