Massal selection consists of replanting vines from the best individual plants — those we consider best suited to our objectives — already growing within a parcel. Rather than planting vines derived from standardised clones, we work with nurseries to select individual vine plants that we consider particularly resilient and of high quality. These vines are then propagated from cuttings and replanted.
These selections are not necessarily made within our own vineyard. We recently planted a massal selection of Carignan Blanc, with the original vines sourced from different terroirs across the Corbières.
The aim of these selections is to preserve the vineyard’s genetic diversity. Since each vine is slightly different, this approach also contributes to greater complexity and richness in the resulting wines.
Clonal selection, which is now widespread, is based on propagating a single vine selected for specific qualities such as yield, resistance or other characteristics. This produces a more homogeneous vineyard, but reduces diversity.
For this reason, when using clonal material, we make a point of planting at least five or six different clones in order to maintain diversity and improve the vineyard’s resilience.
By investing in genetic diversity, we are preparing our vineyard for the future, while striving to produce wines that express their terroir as faithfully as possible.
