Biodynamic vineyards more important than rest of Burgundy!

Emmanuel Giboulot a biodynamic winemaker in Beaune, has been threatened with a €30,000 fine and six months in prison for not treating his vines against the flavesence dorée disease (from the French Flavescence meaning yellowing and dorée golden). The disease is spread by leafhopper insects and is a problem across France, but has been present in Burgundy since 2011.

Giboulet explained that his father began converting to organic farming in the 1970s, and they are now fully organic and biodynamic. But they don’t want to undo decades of work applying a treatment where the effect on the health of the vines, and the public, is as yet unproved.

The president of the regional appellations body drew attention to the urgency of the flavesence dorée problem saying ‘The disease is still affecting Burgundy. We are currently creating a picture of the exact health of the vines, pulling up vines where we need to. In 2012, we pulled up 12 hectares in the Maconnais, which is not huge amount, but you have to be very reactive in the fight against this disease, and not let it spread’.