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Champagne winegrowers will probably no longer be allowed to spray gyphosate in the soil strips between the rows of vines (inter-rows) from 2025. However, the ban still has to be officially approved by the Institut National de l'Origine et de la qualité (Inao). The use of herbicides has been the subject of heated debate in Champagne for many years. Back in 2018, the Vice-Presidents of the Comité Champagne announced the goal of herbicide-free Champagne by 2025 at the General Assembly of the AVC (Association Viticole Champenoise).
"We have taken an important decision that is in line with our goal of completely banning the use of herbicides," said Maxime Toubart, President of the Syndicat General des Vignerons de la Champagne (SGV), commenting on the planned change to the regulations. "Experience shows that we need a toolbox to manage cover crop. As far as the intermediate rows are concerned, there are sufficient solutions to comply with the rules of a stricter specification and to go one step further from an environmental point of view."
The specifications of the Champagne appellation are to be amended as follows: "The use of herbicides is prohibited in the inter-rows, with the exception of organic products authorised by the authorities for viticulture."
(ru / Vitisphere)