Organic Agriculture strives to produce healthier foods in the most natural way possible, without the use of chemical products. It also works to reverse the negative environmental effects of traditional agriculture: soil degradation; environmental contamination; loss of genetic diversity; toxic residues in the harvests, etc. To this end, organic agriculture uses such practices as:
• Corridors of flowers and pastures to improve the biodiversity and beauty of the location.
• Herds feeding in the pastures to help control insects and maintain the fertility of the soil.
• Simple compost to provide our vineyards the necessary nutrients and improve the microbiology of the soil.
Organic agriculture is based on two concepts: Biodiversity and the Absence of agrochemicals.
Biodiversity aims at eliminating the monocultures in the environment by stimulating the development and coexistence of different species within the same natural habitat. It uses biological corridors and associated cultivations. Agrochemicals, specifically, pesticides, herbicides, and chemical fertilizers, are replaced with natural fertilizers, such as those based on copper, nitrogen, potassium and sulfur, as well as with compost produced from grape skins and stems, vegetal residues, and animal manure. Weeds are controlled by introducing herds of animals that feed on them (goats, alpacas, geese, chickens, etc.). For additional fertilization, grass and leguminous plants are grown to contribute nitrogen to the soil.
Wines created from organic grapes are unique. To produce fruit of high quality, vines must be “stressed,” or cultivated under stressful conditions. In other words, the vine must work hard, pushing its roots deep into the earth in order to obtain the necessary nutrients. The nutrients that these vines extract are characteristic and inherent of their unique terroir or specific location. In turn, the wine obtained from these grapes expresses in its aromas and flavors the unique characteristics of the terroir from which the grapes are harvested.
Biodynamic Agriculture is another strong influence at V.O. E. Biodynamic Agriculture is based on the teachings of the Austro-Hungarian philosopher Rudolf Steiner (1861 – 1925). It acknowledges of the existence of the basic principles, or vital forces, that act over nature and incorporates them in its agricultural activities. Biodynamic Agriculture stresses the interaction of all levels of nature: mineral, vegetable and animal. It studies their complex interaction and the rhythm and activities of the cosmos and its effect on agriculture. Biodynamic Agriculture considers the field as a living organism and respects the environment to produce the most healthful food, filled with energy, vitality, and nutrition.
