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Viticultural professions

Winegrowers, vineyard workers, tractor drivers, vineyard managers… every one of them is in the vineyards every day, throughout the seasons, because vines require daily attention. It is demanding, noble work.

In these professions, outsourcing has become increasingly common, and with it work practices that raise questions of ethics and responsibility, and that require all our vigilance. We try as far as possible to recruit locally, to promote and create respect for these professions, and to recognise and transmit the skills involved. In these roles we look for individuals who are committed, curious, determined and self-reliant.

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"I follow the rhythm of the vines’ lifecycle, so I’m not doing the same jobs all year round. From when we start pruning, around mid-November, to the harvest, we plan out all the different jobs in the vineyard. Putting in new stakes, raising wires, tilling the soil, tying up the vine shoots, then monitoring growth, watching out for signs of disease and treating if necessary, leaf thinning, checking grape maturities…My job is to verify that the work has been well done, and highlight any difficulties or possible improvements. We come across horses and sheep. When you work in the vines you see plenty of life… and you know, it’s in the vines that the wine is made. If the grapes aren’t good, nobody can work miracles after us."

Benjamin Doursout, assistant vineyard manager
Benjamin Doursout
Béatrice Brandy

"We work independently. So we can see the results of our own work year after year, see the vines becoming progressively healthier, stronger. It’s our responsibility. When I retire, whoever takes over my parcels can thank me! It allows me to progress too, to always do a bit better. People think it’s repetitive, but the vines are never the same from one year to the next. We have to think about every gesture, every time. We're out here in the middle of nature, we see everything that goes on. If you don't like nature, if you don't respect it, then you should do something else with your life!"

Béatrice Brandy, winegrower

"Today at Saint-Laurent I manage a team of 25 permanent workers. At harvest time that can go up to 150 people in the vines. My teams are what I’m most proud of, even more than the grapes! Hiring beginners, training them in-house, it’s very rewarding…. What we’re looking for is awareness, openness. If you’re curious, everything else will follow. Because when you know why you’re doing something, you do it better. Here we’ve been anticipating environmental challenges for more than10 years. The challenge we are facing in the coming years is human; that of recruiting and training the workforce and restoring dignity to this profession."

Mathieu Maudet, technical director
Josette Boschi

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