Certifying our agricultural supply
We make a commitment to our terroirs by adopting more responsible and sustainable agricultural techniques. Today, 82% of our agricultural raw materials are certified: “HVE” or “Organic” regarding grapes, “Rainforest” or “GLOBAL G.A.P.” regarding oranges, “Bonsucro” regarding sugarcane, “Organic”, “SQC” (Scottish Quality Crop) or “Salmon Safe” regarding barley).
• 100% of the land commited by agricultural certifications by the year 2025.
Converting our estates to agro-ecology
We improve the resilience of our terroirs by deploying farming techniques based on agroecological agriculture, which focuses on soil health as the core of ecosystems. Today, all our land owners are committed to this approach. Our challenge is now to deploy these techniques more widely and to involve all our farming and winegrowing partners in this transition.
• 100% of our territories committed by 2030 to ethical systems such as plant cover, the contribution of organic materials, agroforestry, the reduction of ploughed land or a decrease in synthetic inputs.
Accelerating the agro-ecological transition of our lands
We ensure that we train our farming partners to turn our commitment into reality. Our challenge now is to roll out agro-ecological practices more widely and involve all our farming and winegrowing partners in this transition. All our Houses are organising specific training programmes, in particular to support the certification process.
• 100% of our farmers and winegrowers trained in and committed to agroecological techniques by 2030. All of our companies are organising specific training programmes, particularly concerning support for the certification process.
Biodiversity: indicators of the health of our terroirs
We are developing actions to preserve biodiversity, which is a true barometer of soil health and living organisms, through around thirty programmes closest to our lands.
• Every site carries out at least one action to protect biodiversity by 2025 (vs. 70% in 2022/2023).
• 100% of new barrels produced from sustainably managed forests by 2025 (vs 94% in 2022/2023)
The Domaine des Hautes Glaces – incubator of agroecological and regenerative techniques.
The Domaine des Hautes Glaces, located in the heart of the Trièves in the Alps, is an alpine farm-distillery combining French expertise (distilling on Charentais stills) and ingredients from local soils. Their supplies of barley, rye and spelt (organically grown) come exclusively from the region’s alpine soils.
Since 2009, the Domaine has led the way in regenerative agriculture, committed to practices which respect the soil such as crop rotation, plant cover, no synthetic inputs, land fragmentation and agroforestry. This environmental requirement is a strong asset for this company, renowned for its quality and versatility.
« Spirit should not only be good to drink, but also good to think about » Frédéric Revol – Farmer-Agronomist & Founder of the Domaine des Hautes Glaces.
The Domaine des Hautes Glaces is now considered a real incubator within the Group, due to its size and agility. Here, local, cereal and craft skills dating back several hundred years are revived, right down to the still heated by a wood pellet burner, made by a local boilermaker.
The Domaine des Hautes Glaces is thus leading the way in exchanging and sharing its good practices with all the Group’s companies.
Benefits of agroecological practices on soil health in Barbados
Advised by Emmanuel Bourguignon, a recognised expert in soil ecology, Maison Mount Gay has been working on the conversion of its estate since 2019: its permanent cover, more respectful mechanical working, the exclusive use of organic fertilisers, and the planting of trees and shrubs along the edges of the plots have all helped to improve the structure of the soil and increase its fertility.
Since the introduction of these practices, organic matter levels have risen by 30% in the cultivated plots and the soil is no longer eroded as much during the rainy season.
Soil regeneration on our Islay estates
Bruichladdich Distillery’s teams are fully focused on making real the Group’s vision of terroir and living up to the standards of B-Corp certification, which will be achieved in May 2020.
The Distillery located in Islay, Scotland (which includes the Bruichladdich, Port Charlotte, Octomore and The Botanist brands), acquired 15 hectares of terroir in 2018 to develop programmes to study sustainable farming practices. At the end of 2019, a Croft Summit, involving representatives of the High Ice Estate and Westland, was held on the island of Islay to discuss the different ways of cultivating the pieces of land that have been purchased, as responsibly as possible. Several specialists and experts in soils and crops, organic farmers and researchers from all over the world took part in this meeting and were able to exchange with those teams in order to develop a large-scale project.
OVERVIEW OF ACTIONS:
• Implementation of sustainable and regenerative agricultural techniques, without the use of synthetic products;
• Planting of several barley varieties to test those which are best suited to the island’s terroir, in order to develop a better knowledge of local growing conditions;
• Re-planting of Bere Barley, an ancient variety of barley.
This work has enabled the implementation of soil regeneration processes in Islay from 2021, with with seeding in vegetation covers. This technique improves soil fertility, organic matter composition and overall drainage.
Today, barley is grown in rotation with other cereals and a variety of plants including 23 species of grasses, legumes and herbs. All of these plants take root at different depths and thrive on diversity. This is not possible with monoculture.
The soil is fed with organic matter microorganisms to increase its structure and fertility, contributing to a symbiotic food system both above and below the soil.
POSITIVE RESULTS
A recent carbon assessment showed that the farm sequesters 10 times more carbon than it emits.
Westland - preserving Garry oaks
In 2020, Westland partnered with Forterra to preserve Garry Oaks. Westland planted 600 oak trees on 4 hectares of land in the Schibig Lakeview nature reserve, near the distillery. Since then, 250 trees have reached the right stage of maturity. Westland’s employees participate in the maintenance and monitoring of the plots of land on a voluntary basis to ensure a high survival rate of the young oak trees.
“Working with the Forterra team is such a pleasure. The involvement of the group highlights a real love for the land; it is so evident that it inspires us to go further. We thank them. We are grateful to them for going down this road with us.”
Matt Hofmann – Creator of the Westland Distillery
The objective is to achieve a minimum survival rate of 40% of the oaks.
Metaxa, cultivating the exceptional in a setting of biodiversity.
Since 1888, Metaxa has been producing an exceptional Greek brown spirit, made from a blend of wine distillates and aged Muscat wines. The preservation of the unique local biodiversity is as important as it is vital.
Metaxa was born in an extraordinary setting, the island of Samos. Located in the warmth of the eastern Mediterranean, surrounded by a deep blue sea, Samos is a Greek island with lush vegetation and vineyards that have been world famous since the days of the ancient Greek traders.
SAMOS – AN OASIS OF BIODIVERSITY
The island is home to one of the most important biodiversity hotspots in the Mediterranean, with thousands of migratory and local birds, hundreds of species of mammals and reptiles, including many rare and endangered species, as well as more than 1,500 plant species, including 60 species of orchids.
This rich and varied biodiversity is essential for the cultivation of grapes: an exceptional vineyard of only 1,600 hectares, whose vines are tended and harvested by hand.
So, to give substance to its commitment, the House signed a partnership with the Hellenic Ornithological Society in 2022, on the occasion of Earth Day. Its aim? To act for the protection of the island’s birdlife and nature. The missions include cataloguing the different bird species, identifying all the threats to biodiversity and developing strong levers for raising awareness among the local public.
This preservation issue also shapes the raison d’être of the new Brand House, Metaxa Liknon, located in the heart of the vineyards of Samos.
“With LIKNON, we aim to anchor METAXA more deeply into its heritage and provenance, to act responsibly for a sustainable future by preserving our precious Terroir, to connect with the communities of the island and to offer an unexpected experience of Greek hospitality.”
Dorothée Hériard Dubrueil, Managing Director of the House of Metaxa.
Metaxa, putting agro-ecology on the map
For Metaxa, the preservation of the Terroir of Samos, its origin, is a priority. In 2022, it will enter into a direct partnership with local farmers to accelerate its transition to agroecological techniques.
Its goal? To achieve 10% certified organic grapes by 2025 and 100% certified sustainable and agroecological viticulture by 2027.
It is a real transformation plan that has been put in place by the House, celebrated for its know-how and its links with the local community. The idea is as simple as it is daring: to initiate a group of about fifteen farmers sharing the same objective: to obtain a first level of certification (AGRO) by the end of 2023. These “pioneers” will thus make it possible to achieve the first level of requirements necessary to get all farmers on board for the ambitious objectives of BIO and AGRO certification by 2026-2027.
Naturally, Metaxa is providing the means to support this initiative. A new plot management system is being implemented, supervised by local agronomists and experts from the Demeter group. In parallel, an analysis of the soil and organic matter is planned in order to increase knowledge and identify the levers for success.
In the heart of the island of Samos – a paradise of biodiversity in the Mediterranean – the Metaxa company ensures that it evolves in line with its responsible ambitions. Several seminars and events dedicated to agroecological techniques are working to add an ever more responsible dimension to an expertise that is as valuable as it is remarkable.
Genesis : measure the impact of our farming practices on the soil
We measure the impact of our agricultural techniques on soil quality with our partner Genesis (the world’s leading soil rating agency).
• To map the state of our soils in order to measure the impact of changes in our agricultural techniques, particularly on biodiversity and carbon.
Validation of a FLAG trajectory with the SBTi
We are working on measuring and implementing carbon retention actions in the group’s terroirs and have developed a pathway thanks to Forest Land and Agriculture (FLAG), a strategy of Science Based Target Initiative dedicated to the wine sector.
• 30% decrease in CO2 emissions from tillage by 2030 (vs. 2021/2022) including carbon storage actions in the group’s terroirs.
Partner in the 4Pour1000 project
We highlight the full potential of soils as carbon sinks and therefore as a solution to global warming.
• To take part in high-impact sector initiatives, such as the 4Pour1000 project, which targets the deployment of large-scale soil carbon storage actions.
Joining forces with Genesis in the name of soil health.
Since 2019, our Group has entered into a groundbreaking partnership with Genesis concerning soil health.
This independent company has developed the very first scientific soil health rating tool, in collaboration with public and private laboratories.
4 ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT INDICATORS:
• Biodiversity (the biological function of the soil)
• Climate (measures the storage and exchange of greenhouse gases between the soil and the atmosphere)
• Water quality (indirectly assesses the quality of the soil to retain pollutants and limit environmental contamination)
• Fertility (evaluates the level of fertility and sustainable production potential of the soil)
This rating, which is correlated with agricultural techniques, is meant to improve soil health, yields and resistance to risks in the long term.
Through this partnership, we have worked with about twenty farms of the Alliance Fine Champagne (AFC), a cooperative of Rémy Martin Company, and about ten farms of Trièves (suppliers of the Domaine des Hautes Glaces) to draw up an initial mapping of soil health, as well as an initial analysis of the correlation with the agricultural techniques that have been implemented.
This project will contribute to the Group’s Research and Development strategy for viticulture and cereal crops, in order to better support winegrowers and farmers in adopting techniques that are more beneficial to the climate and to biodiversity.
Can our soils be carbon sinks?
That is the challenge of our partnership with 4Pour1000 initiatives, launched in 2021. 4Pour1000 encourages agricultural techniques that support the accumulation of carbon in the soil.
From the same perspective, the 7 Domaines owners of the Group have been committed to deploying agroecological techniques that have a positive impact on the climate and biodiversity. Rémy Cointreau’s objective is also to raise awareness, provide training and involve its agricultural partners in these same techniques in order to help scale up and optimise carbon accumulation across the 15,000 hectares required to produce its crops.
WHAT IS SOIL ACCUMULATION OF CARBON ?
It is a process in which CO2 is removed from the atmosphere and stored in the soil carbon reservoir. This process is mainly mediated by plants through photosynthesis, where the carbon is stored as SOC (Soil Organic Carbon).
The “4 pour 1000” initiative, launched by France at the COP21 in 2015, brings together public and private voluntary actors to launch specific actions on soil carbon storage and the techniques to achieve it.
Identifying climate and disease resistant varieties
We ensure that we increase our partnerships with research institutes and invest in R&D to identify climate-resistant and/or disease-resistant varieties for all our agricultural raw materials (vines, oranges, sugar cane, barley).
• 100% of resistant varieties identified for our agricultural raw materials by 2030.
High technology at the service of the sustainability of our terroirs
We are developing “Precision Viticulture” by turning technology into a protective solution.
• Preserve, manage and treat each piece of land according to its own needs, in real time, using high-tech solutions (digital, satellite images, on-board systems, UV Boosters, etc.).
Precision Viticulture in Cognac with the use of DATs
Since 2019, Domaines Rémy Martin has been testing decision support tools (DST). These technologies are used to evaluate the parasite pressure on the vineyard in connection with local or regional weather information. Around the Domaines, a network of 10 AFC winegrowers has been set up to test the DeciTrait® application available on smartphones and based on the Optidose model of the IFV (Institut Français de la Vigne).
This application allows the user to make the right decision about the application of treatment products to fight against powdery mildew and downy mildew, based on weather information updated in real time on smartphones.
Several studies have shown that a meticulous use of the DeciTrait® application can reduce the use of inputs by at least 20% (on average over a year) without impacting on yields.
Could old barley varieties be new sources of resilience?
This is the idea behind the partnership with INRAE in Clermont-Ferrand and the Domaine des Hautes Glaces, which are currently testing old barley seed varieties. Studies on a selection of seeds from the Queyras (Hautes Alpes valley) should make it possible to obtain varieties that are more resistant to heat and drought in order to adapt to future climate change.
In the United States, Westland’s partnership with Washington State University follows the same approach. Their objective: to select varieties that are more resilient to global warming. Their research focuses on the genetic diversity of barley.
Goal : to design new farming methods based on low-impact environmental systems that are better adapted to climate change.
The research base is certified organic, with a focus on regenerative farming systems that are safe for local ecosystems. The selected varieties will also have the advantage of being more adaptable to extreme climatic conditions such as storms, droughts or more intense disease pressures.
The first varieties were planted in 2021 and performed very well. The “heat dome” that the region faced in June 2021 eliminated some potential varieties, but the rest held up well despite an unusually hot and dry summer.
All of these trial plots were grown under certified organic conditions, ensuring that what survived could be grown under organic conditions on a large scale once commercialised.
Supporting research to protect orange and sour orange trees
HLB (huanglongbing) – or Yellow Dragon Disease – is a bacterium carried by a particular insect. A major threat to citrus plantations, HLB attacks trees, causing premature leaf drop, stunted fruit growth and root rot. No treatment exists to date.
The research programme set up by CIRAD in Guadeloupe focuses on natural techniques (tolerant rootstocks, irrigation, tillage, etc.) to limit its impact. This programme is co-financed with Campari company.
In addition, in order to contribute to the genetic diversity of orange and bigarade trees – to help preserve them – Cointreau has chosen to support a research programme by INRAE.
For the past two years, Cointreau has also been working with the San-Giuliano research platform in Corsica, helping to maintain 1,200 species of citrus trees over 13 hectares, with the idea of studying their properties in order to improve their production.
Finally, also in Corsica, a study project is underway on the genetics and aromatic diversity of the orange and the bigarade.
