Vaucluse region of France, June 2024
Alexandre, a farmer and winegrower in the Vaucluse department of France, aims to reintroduce 825 trees of 32 different species to his plots. The winegrower took over the family estate at Sarians in the Vaucluse in 2014. Before settling down for good, he furthered his viticulture and oenology studies by spending a year abroad to learn about other agricultural and viticultural models.
On the strength of his training and reflections, Alexandre then decided to take the plunge and develop vitiforestry on the estate. Vitiforestry is a response to the issues for viticulture caused by climate change (wines with higher alcohol content, acidity imbalance, yield losses, etc). Trees and hedges linked to vines deliver number of benefits: they create a microclimate that protects the vines from climatic hazards, improve the organic matter levels of soils and water balance, create habitats for biodiversity (wild birds and arthropods that keep down pests and pollinate), and provide goods and services for winegrowers and society (fruit, wood products, etc).
The estate covers around 10 hectares, of which 3 hectares of Côte du Rhône, 0.4 hectares of AOC Vacqueyras, and the rest IGP Vaucluse. The IGP plots are home to a multitude of grape varieties: Syrah, Grenache, Mourvèdre, Merlot, Cinsault, Grenache gris, Clairette rose, and Counoise for the red, and Vermentino, Picpoul, Viognier, Chardonnay, Grenache blanc, Alvarino, Clairette, and Marsanne for the white.
Alexandre’s project has been through a number of ups and downs. First, it was delayed by a year due to staffing problems on the estate. Then, to improve planting organisation and management of the planting, he decided to spread the planting over two winters.
The first planting phase finally took place at the end of the winter of 2023-2024. A total of 398 of the project’s 789 plants were planted, i.e. 49.3% of the planned total. The photo plan above shows the two phases of the planting work, with the completed planting in green and that planned for autumn 2024 in red.
Species planted during the winter of 2023-20224:
- Cotinus coggygria, wig tree: 35
- Lonicera xylosteum, hedge honeysuckle: 26
- Coronilla glauca, coronilla: 35
- Viburnum tinus, tin viburnum: 45
- Tamarix gallica, common tamarisk: 35
- Hippocrepis emerus: 25
- Quercus coccifera, kermes oak: 16
- Phillyrea media, intermediate filaria: 60
- Quercus ilex, holm oak: 25
- Cercis siliquastrum, Judas tree: 25
- Fraxinus angustifolia, narrow-leaf ash: 6
- Quercus pubescens, downy oak: 5
- Acer monspessulanum, montpellier maple: 10
- Hippophae rhamnoides, sea buckthorn: 20
- Ribes uva-crispa, gooseberry: 20
- Gleditsia triacanthos, honey locust: 10
For the purposes of his plantation, Alexandre followed all the advice and recommendations of his technical advisor. The latter gave him his advice in the field during a technical visit organised in January 2024.
Alexandre is now starting to monitor and maintain his first plantation, while preparing for the second and final, which will be planted this winter (2024-2025).
