What is Minimal Intervention Winemaking? A Burgundy Renaissance
Learn About Minimal Intervention Winemaking And How It Changed Burgundy
Over the years, we’ve curated and sold ‘hidden gem’ wines from many of the best small-scale but big-quality producers in Burgundy on our Burgundywine.com shop. We’ve run tasting sessions with winemakers and for guests and welcomed many of these guests at Domaine de Cromey (our baronial manor house nestling amongst the vines in a pretty corner of Burgundy), and we’ve bid on barrels of wine at the famous Hospices de Beaune and hospices de Nuits auctions. But recently we did something new and exciting. We renovated an old vineyard on an ancient property. When we bought the Domaine de Cromey we also bought an old vineyard, apparently not cultivated for seventy years or more. It was practically begging for us to restore it to its former glory when it was producing wines for the Lords of Cromey. We reckoned we had own own 'hidden gem'. And so we decided to do it.
Discovering Our Wines – Cromey Le Clos
Working in partnership with our friends at Domaine Ami, we put our faith in them and the fine terroir of the Couche commune where we’re situated. There was a small harvest back in 2022, three years after planting the vines (in ground that had been untouched for 70 years and so had none of the chemicals or other undesirables that farmed land can contain). Then in 2023 came our first 'proper' harvest, and a proud day for us all. We shouldn't have been surprised that the wine was good given the vineyards history but we were a little bit anxious after working on the project for 7 years. And, thankfully, the wine is good. Actually we think the wine is very good and look forward to the coming years as the vineyard continues to develop and mature. The wines will be available on burgundywine.com in early 2025.
We set our sights on producing all-natural wines according to organic and minimal intervention winemaking principles, and that’s exactly what we achieved. But what do these terms mean, and what are the benefits of these methods of production?
Defining Minimal Intervention Winemaking
In Burgundy, one of the world’s finest and most revered winemaking regions, a philosophy that's both ancient and modern is being embraced by a growing number of vignerons: minimal intervention winemaking. It’s something that’s often talked about passionately in the vineyards and cellars around here (including our own), and it simply means that you let the natural ingredients and conditions do their work without much human tinkering. You focus on reducing your chemical use, and improving environmental sustainability – letting the terroir express itself.
Of course, you might argue that winemaking clearly needs some intervention, or the wine wouldn’t get made… human hands have played a role for centuries from picking to pressing and bottling. But the ethos of minimal intervention winemaking in Burgundy is all about getting this interference to a minimum and focussing on the authentic expression of your grapes and land. No artificial flavors or additives needed. There is no strict book of regulations to adhere to for this – instead we follow these simple traits:
Farming Organically: the unique terroir of each vineyard (and it changes sometimes yard by yard in Burgundy!) is preserved by rejecting synthetic pesticides, herbicides or fertilizers. Soil health is maintained naturally and the land (and wines) benefit from it hugely.
Hand-harvesting: using hands rather than machines to pick grapes minimizes grape damage and only the very finest and freshest fruit arrives at the winery.
Fermentation using Whole Clusters: grapes are fermented in whole clusters with their stems intact, giving the wines a more complex structure and wider spectrum of flavors and aromas.
Natural Yeasts: yeasts used are naturally-occurring ones, not commercial strains used in cheaper mass-production wines. This allows the wines to truly reflect their place of origin.
Less or no Sulfites: some winemakers use sulfites as preservatives, which can come at the expense of flavor and authenticity. Minimal interventionists eschew this method, opting to let the wine’s natural flavor shine through instead.
Respectful Tilling: the earth needs respect – after all, it’s the only earth we have, and we’re in it for the long haul when it comes to winemaking. Therefore, when it is tilled it’s done by horses or smaller gentler machinery, so that the delicate ecosystem and balances present in the soil (and what lives on/in it) are not disrupted.
A Return to Roots, A Response to Modernity
So what has caused this shift to minimal intervention winemaking? In fact, it’s the result of several factors which have come together in recent years. Firstly, it’s a response to the increased industrialization of winemaking, and a call to return to greater authenticity in viticulture. There’s also the more front-and-centre climate concerns of recent years, and a recognition of the impact winemaking has on our environment. It’s also about re-establishing and reviving time-honored techniques which are just as important today – and which can help us respond to modern problems like climate change and loss of biodiversity.
But it also represents something else – a celebration of Burgundy’s terroir-driven wines. When you let it, nature takes care of most things, including in the wine world. If you want expressive, unique wines with none of the modern additives, then you will find them here. The less you interfere, the more the wine speaks, and that’s nowhere more evident than in Burgundy.
The Art of Knowing When to Intervene
In order to know when to step back you need to know, paradoxically, when to intervene. That requires a deep understanding of the processes involved in winemaking, and a sensitivity to the nuances which each and every vintage brings. Winemaking is a generational thing here in Burgundy, and now we see a new generation rising to this challenge; they’re imbued with the knowledge of their ancestors before them, but also the spirit of innovation for a new age. They’re already redefining what light-touch, minimal intervention winemaking means, crafting wines which are not only delicious but also respect the environment.
Understanding the Terminology
We often hear the terms organic, natural and biodynamic used in relation to wine, but they are not well understood or defined. Let’s take each in turn. Minimal intervention wines are distinct from organic and natural wines:
Organic wine means the grapes used in it have been grown according to organic principles (which can differ from country to country), without synthetic chemicals. However, some additives such as organic sulfites might be permitted.
Natural wine is more strictly defined, at least in France, and there are clear guidelines on hand-harvesting and avoiding aggressive farming techniques. Minimal intervention wines do share some of the same principles as natural wines, but the difference lies in how flexible the minimal intervention philosophy is: it allows thoughtful adjustments to be made by the winemaker if their generational experience tells them they are needed. It recognises that the winemaker knows their land and climate better than anyone else, and gives them the scope to ensure the quality and integrity of what they produce.
Biodynamic wine is another term you may hear, and it describes a set of beliefs where the winemaker ensures the climate, seasons and land are all in tune with each other (as well as the seasons of the moon and other natural rhythms). It also means winemakers minimize sulfur and other additives.
Minimal intervention winemaking in Burgundy represents a harmonious blend of tradition and innovation - qualities that all the winemakers we work with have in abundance. It's a philosophy that respects the environment, celebrates the unique terroir of the region, and produces wines that are both expressive and authentic. As more winemakers embrace this approach, we can look forward to a future where Burgundy's wines continue to delight and inspire, while treading lightly on the earth.
To see the vines of Cromey yourself and sample the wines in our dedicated tasting room, why not book your stay at Domaine de Cromey today? You can see a sample itinerary here, read our Burgundy vacation blog here, and there’s no shortage of things to see and do whilst you’re here – from balloon trips, cycling tours, wine tasting, cookery classes and hikes in the countryside. We look forward to meeting you and showing you around our favorite part of the world!
