Sexual confusion at Château Magnol...
Château Magnol is member of the first organisation for the Environmental Management System for Bordeaux wines, certified ISO 14001 in 2013. Last October, Château Magnol also obtained the High Environmental Value – level 3 certification.
This certification includes 4 themes: the preservation of biodiversity, the phytosanitary strategy, the management of fertilization as well as the water resource. The third level, the highest, is based on an obligation of result.
In order to continue our efforts to reduce the use of insecticide in the vineyard, the Château adopted the sexual confusion...
This is a technique for controlling insects by disrupting their reproductive hormone system. In the case of Château Magnol, it is the fight against butterflies, and more precisely against their reproduction as their larvae make holes in berries causing rot (Botrytis).
Last April 5th, a small team of extremely motivated B&G volunteers lead by Laurent Prada, had a long walk through the vineyards to fix a series of small capsules. These capsules contain and diffuse synthetic pheromone that reproduces the hormonal scent of females, saturating an entire sector and disturbing males in their search for females. One capsule covers about 20 square meters.
Budburst is now in process and we are waiting for another great vintage of Château Magnol!
