Ask the expert: Séverine Bonnie

As one of the custodians of historic Bordeaux property Château Malartic Lagravière, Séverine Bonnie, head of marketing and communication, explains how a biodiversity push has benefitted both ecosystems and wines. When the Bonnie family took ownership of Château Malartic-Lagavière, they committed to protecting an important piece of Bordeaux’s story. It is a historic property, dating back to the 18th century, whose wines have long earned critical acclaim. It is, for instance, one of just six properties to feature in the Graves Classification of 1953 for both red and white wines. It also has 73 hectares of vineyards, with the château itself perched in an enviable position on one of Léogan’s finest gravel hilltops. With fine and deep gravel terroirs across the estate, preserving them would be crucial to the château’s success. Yet the Bonnie family, now headed by Véronique and Jean-Jacques Bonnie, also had Malartic-Lagravière’s history and long-established community of workers and neighbours to consider. Their choice to prioritise biodiversity therefore quickly emerged as a holistic solution. As Séverine Bonnie explains: “We made that decision for the soil, for the people who work there, for those who live there and for our neighbours.” Thus, for almost 30 years, the Malartic-Lagravière has pressed onwards with a forward-thinking approach. As the estate continues to develop its practice, it is moving beyond the cycle of vintage to vintage thinking, embracing instead a long-term mindset. It is hard to overstate the importance of the task. “Climate change is a real challenge,” says Bonnie. “We have to face it and take it as an opportunity to ask ourselves the right questions, and try to go in the best way possible. Decisions taken today will have an impact in 10 or 20 years!”

Bringing nature to the vineyard

Malartic-Lagravière, in order to create a thriving ecosystem, has integrated the mindset into all aspects of its viticulture. From micro-organisms in the soil to large mammals, biodiversity is promoted consistently, amounting to “a daily routine with a global vision.” Soil health serves as a starting point, with the château having stopped the use of insecticides, herbicides and chemical fertilizers that can damage microbial, plant and animal life in the soil. That is supplemented by the use of cover crops, an act that increases biodiversity simply by the crops’ presence, but also enriches the soil for a thriving ecosystem. Larger animals also have their part to play. Sheep graze in the vineyard, maintaining balanced plant coverage and providing natural fertiliser for the vines. The approach follows a philosophy of minimal intervention. Even when it is necessary, as is the case with ploughing, intervention is made in the most considered way possible; two draught horses, Goliath and Halibi, are responsible for the gentle ploughing of the land. Beyond the confines of the vineyards, Malartic-Lagravière has also created meadows, hedges and forests. These oases of biodiversity further support the ecosystem, affording space for species that would not exist in the vineyards. Once more, the philosophy is deliberately far-reaching. “It is care of the vineyard and its surroundings as a global territory,” says Bonnie. “That includes the vineyards, forests, trees and fallow lands, workers, animals, and also the neighbourhood. Our aim is to maintain a global balance.”

Shifting gear in the vineyards

Shifting to a style of viticulture led by biodiversity has had a notable impact on Malartic-Lagravière’s day-to-day practices. Alongside the immense benefits, the transition has come with its challenges. “We had to be more precise, more reactive and more flexible,” explains Bonnie, “adapting to and anticipating climatic hazards.” It is an approach that she summarises as “listening 200% to our terroir”. The adaptive approach also came with a need to invest time, energy and money into a green transition. The “greatest challenge” according to Bonnie, was a threefold commitment: to develop know-how in the techniques that would best benefit the land; to invest in the necessary equipment (such as horse-drawn ploughs and confined-spraying tractors developed by the team); and to train the team in new practices. For instance, choosing the right seedlings to accelerate the plant coverage at the beginning required research and experimentation with regard to species, planting calendar and techniques. Yet the benefits of getting it right have easily repaid that investment, with cover crops that are self-sustaining and that help to balance the ecosystem. Moreover, such a considered investment has lessened the château’s outlays in areas such as pest control. According to Bonnie: “Biodiversity is taking over the place, leaving less room for pests.”

An aim to better wines: a virtuous circle

Prioritising biodiversity is, of course, a valid pursuit in itself. As Bonnie’s comments demonstrate, the need to think ahead and mitigate climate change and loss of biodiversity grows ever more urgent. Yet as an established and prestigious producer, it is also vital that the winery maintains high quality. Luckily, the biodiversity drive is actively improving quality. “Soil life and deep rooting give the vines, and therefore the grapes, better balance,” comments Bonnie. “The vines bear fruit naturally, with the right number of bunches to produce quality grapes. The result is an even more complex wine that reflects its terroir. It is a virtuous circle: protecting the ecosystem and encouraging its biodiversity, we also raise the quality of our wines.” The long-term project, Bonnie says, is thus transferring its benefits to the final product. “As the grapes are richer, denser and deeper, we can adapt our extractions, which are gentler and more measured. The result is wines that are even more balanced and refined, with a velvety tannic structure.” Moreover, the focus on biodiversity and the needs of each vineyard mean that Malartic-Lagravière can use each micro-terroir to greater effect. “It is this living mosaic that gives Malartic-Lagravière wines their distinctive depth and brilliance. The aim is to transcribe the identity of each terroir in the blend.”

A trail for others to follow

The path towards biodiversity is not a simple one, and not without its challenges. There are financial outlays to consider, and though Malartic-Lagravière’s work has consistently benefited the environment, it comes with a risk of reducing production volumes. Still, the rewards have been immense, visible both in the vineyards and in the wine. Even if there are one or two things she wishes she could change – in a dream world, Bonnie would control the weather – the project has been a clear success. For those who would follow the same path, her advice strikes a balance between supporting producers on such a big step and highlighting the urgency of the situation. “Be patient,” she begins. “Stay concentrated on what is important for you, think big and think in the long term – for the future generation, your neighbourhood and the planet in general. We can’t act as it was 30 years ago. Our surroundings and ecosystems are too important.”