We are so pleased that our growers at Dourthe Vineyards have gone through an extensive and rigorous process and are now 100% certified Terra Vitis and HVE3 (Haute Valeur Environnementale). Many of our suppliers are doing more for the environment and their people.

Environmental principles at Vignobles Dourthe

For Dourthe, protecting the environment is not a recent act of conscience. Instead, it has long since been an integral part of our viticultural regime, from the first tentative steps on the path to sustainable plant protection in the 90s, and very rapidly backed by social responsibility. To validate and formalise these years of environmentally conscious practice, we decided that to seek Terra Vitis® environmental certification for all our châteaux, this being the scheme we believe to be the most true to our values. We were awarded certification in 2018, when we were also received HVE level 3 certification.

Terra Vitis®

Terra Vitis® is an environmental and CSR certification recognised by the French Ministry of Agriculture. It is an environmentally-conscious approach created specifically for the wine sector. A strict set of regulatory guidelines retains six founding principles at its core: responsibility to the terroir, protecting the vines and harvest, responsibility to man, innovation and evolution, responsibility to society at large and responsibility to consumers.

Haute Valeur Environnementale (HVE)

Haute Valeur Environnementale, or High Environmental Value Certification, is a voluntary approach specifically created for agriculture. It is a three-tiered system, with Level 3, the highest and most stringent level of certification, based on a set number of criteria and outcomes, measured against environmental key performance indicators. It is underpinned by four environmental themes: protecting biodiversity, establishing a clear strategy to reduce pesticides and fungicides, managing fertiliser inputs and improving water management.

These two certifications apply to the estate in its entirety and are audited by an independent organism accredited by the Ministry of Agriculture.