6- A Farm in the Domain

Henry Frédéric Roch founded Domaine Prieuré Roch in 1988. Mindful of the wine-making traditions and pedological singularity of the Burgundy terroir, he developed and enhanced the domaine by scrupulously applying the ancestral methods of tending the vines, the vinification , and cellering which have historically made the wines of Burgundy so glorious, methods known today as “organics” and “bio-dynamics”. Becoming co-director of Romanée Conti following the death of his brother Charles, he shares his viticultural vision and his passion of fine wines with Yannick Champ, whom he has nominated co-director of Domaine Prieuré Roch. So why be interested in farming, agriculture, raising livestock... Simply because I think that it's all totally related. It was all separated administratively. France is quirky that way: With agricultural social security, activities have different numbers. Even though it is the same property! This is one of those quirks that compartmentalizes us... compartmentalizing viticulturists from other farmers, breeders etc... In the past vineyards, were sponsored, managed by livestock farmers, vineyards were managed by farmers who grew crops. There are many examples... such as the Alsatian Domaines Schlumberger, or some very famous estates here in Burgundy, which had their period of scarcity. Particularly in the first half of the 20th century, it was effectively the farms... that financed wine-making. Farms provided the support. Now it's a fitting reversal... Currently in agriculture, whether raising livestock or produce, it is very difficult to find and obtain financing. So if we can manage and keep things on a human scale, to maintain these interactions... such that they can flourish as they should. That would be wonderful. Especially as we try to attain excellence in wine, but why limit it to wine? If we can also obtain excellence in chickens... or pigs that would be great! People are becoming increasingly aware. We know we shouldn't give antibiotics systematically... to poultry or cows, etc. We need to work on adjusting margins. and to keep things as healthy as possible. If we want to produce things qualitatively. and which are good for your body. It also happens they taste good, that's just an aside, but concerning your body, that’s very important. So if we can apply our potential, our "knowledge" that comes from making wine, if we can apply all that to other agricultural practices, Then our small contribution can be applied... to effectively finding alternative solutions. These must be found quickly, seeing the limits that industrial pig farming... and raising chickens have shown. It has illustrated their limits. This does not mean we should eliminate the industrial. It means that we must find solutions from smaller structures. These solutions, used in smaller structures, may be applied, perhaps... totally or in part, on an industrial level. We do need to feed a great many people. But we especially need... a high-performing cottage-industry base. That would improve things for the entire agro-industry.