The Tempier spirit
Domaine Tempier has always been respectful and faithful to mother nature. The entire farming process is aligned to the rhythm of the seasons and the lunar calendar. This fidelity to the pioneering spirit is kept alive today both in the vineyards and in the cellar.
In vines
Jean-Philippe and seven regular employees run the vines of the domain and use mechanical and manually processing in order to prepare the soils or to maintain terraces. The vine-pruning as the grape harvest are both manually done according to the cycles of the moon. Weeding is done by sheep and thus more life is brought to the soils.
As far as soil treatment is concerned, home-made herbal teas are sprayed in homeopathic doses to strengthen the vines, regenerate the soils and control the development of parasites. Sulphur is used against powdery mildew and Bordeaux mix against late blight.
Worms, springtails, ladybirds, all kinds of insects …there is no doubt that the soils of the domain show a full range of biodiversity.
« Biodynamic understandings allow us to enhance the energy of our soils and natural elements so as to stimulate the blossoming of the vine. We take account of the moon cycles and above all we watch the vines ! This famer’s lore is essential for the domain. It’s a genuine philosophy, a whole range of concerns that make the vines and people feel good »
Jean-Philippe Fourney, viticulturist
« Providing more value to our terroir was the goal we pursued when we created our cuvées from fragmented vines. Ground-engaging is a hard work which moulds people’s personality, especially when one uses natural methods like we do at Domaine Tempier. But it ensures first rate raw material »
François Peyraud, latest generation leading the domain from 1963 to 2000
Here, at Domaine Tempier, the rootstocks are being chosen with great care to suit terroirs. Vine grafting is a hand-made grafting with massal selections in order to get more complex wines.
In the cellar
Vine harvest is a crucial period. Grapes are manually picked and brought to the winery where Jennifer, our cellar master, and her team take over. Grapes are sorted with care one more time, then destemmed and crushed. After the wine vinification, here comes ageing time. In the underground maturing cellar, one can feel both a peaceful and mysterious atmosphere. Young and old barrels majestically rise out. The alchemy of wine is proceeding…before bottling which is entirely carried out at Domaine Tempier’s.
« Here we create a live product, we make feelings. Technique is kept in the background. These wines, I know them by heart and some are my favourite ones. But one must remain alert since each day can be an unexpected one »
Jennifer Chabin, cellar master
« Each millésime is a new child. We have to cope with its feelings. My father taught me this. These handed down values are substantive values and that’s the reason why I kept supporting the team in place well after I retired »
Jean-Marie Peyraud, latest generation leading the domain from 1974 to 1999
Naturalness
Domaine Tempier has always worked according to biological methods because we believe that’s how it should be. We’ve always attached the utmost importance to the terroir and we believe the best way to prove it our respect is to use organic techniques. To overcome questions, the certification process has been launched.