Ecocert, the certification of excellence!

The Domaine de la Vougeraie, which has used organic practices since its creation in 1999, has opted for independent auditor Ecocert, which delivers certification in France and more than 130 countries worldwide.

The pathway to obtaining this globally-recognized label involves genuine commitment, since the demands are high at every stage. At the Domaine de la Vougeraie, the idea of producing great wines from best terroirs treated with the utmost care has been there from the start. The wines thus bear the stamp of living soils, cultivated with respect for nature, with the same state of mind from the vineyards to the cellar.

This label is granted after three years of organic cultivation and numerous unannounced checks in the vines. Ecocert agents regularly take leaf, cane and soil samples, which are then analyzed in an independent laboratory to detect the presence of any chemical products.

The annual visit and its administrative side approve the certification. This includes auditing invoices of all vine treatments, and checking stock on the books with what is found in the warehouse. Cooper doses come under close scrutiny, since they are one of the basic vine-growing phytosanitary products. The Domaine de la Vougeraie keeps very detailed plot records, which are checked against purchasing and stock levels.

The Comité Français d’Accréditation, a state-approved laboratory, is responsible for monitoring sulfur, analyzing samples taken from the estate once a year.

Another element that is closely is the document compliance. Labels must include appropriate wording, and the mention of organic agriculture must be compliant with European regulations. The Eurofeuille logo must be accompanied by the Ecocert code (FR-BIO-01), along with information on the origin of the product (Agriculture France), and can only be used if it is certified organic.

After their day’s work, the Ecocert representative sends a report to headquarters, where the certification manager validates it independently of certification, once 100% of the requirements have been met so that the prestigious vine leaf can be used. If you claim to be organic, you have to prove it!

But after all that, it’s the wine that does the talking. Its natural vibrancy comes from the clean, even holistic practices of biodynamics, which is taking things a step further towards excellence than simple organic cultivation, a quest for the sublime and intangible, always seeking greater depths from each terroir. This little label encompasses all that.