ENVIRONMENTAL PRACTICES
The openness to alternative cultivation techniques is a trademark of the GOUSSARD family and characterises the technical path that they have chosen to follow. It is also well in line with their philosophy of sharing experiences with other innovative winemakers.
Didier determination to defend and promote his terroir has led him to get involved with several professional bodies in the sector. In 1992, he became the first president of the “Groupement de Développement Viticole” of the Aube department with the support of the French Chambers of Agriculture. This position allowed him, and still allows him today, to provide technical support to winemakers in the group in order to experiment with and popularise alternative practices that are more environmentally friendly.
His desire to advocate for more environmentally friendly winemaking and a better protection of biodiversity, led him to found the association “TERRA VITIS VIGNOBLE CHAMPENOIS” in 2012. Together with the National TERRA VITIS federation, this association is working towards obtaining the “Viticulture Responsable” certification for its adherents.
Since 1998, TERRA VITIS has stood for a certified approach to winemaking, covering every step from the grapevine to the glass, based on the 3 pillars of sustainable development (Environmental commitment - Social responsibility - Economic sustainability). To this end, Champagne GOUSSARD is fully involved in ensuring a complete traceability of their champagnes.
As such, it was only natural that Didier decided obtain an organic certification for the vineyard for one of his structures in 2011 in order to add a new dimension to his operations.
It was in the same spirit that he and some of his colleagues come together in 2018 to create an agricultural equipment cooperative: CUMA AVENIR EN CÔTE DES BAR. Today, this cooperative goes far beyond a simple sharing of equipment. It experiments with new techniques (permanent covers, agroforestry, preparation of herbal teas, etc.) and the idea of constant exchanges and support among the members of the cooperative is one of their key philosophies: “Sharing our differences, combining our skills”. During a visit to the vineyard, Didier will be able to tell you: “If you are in a parcel with bare ground where nothing is growing – then you aren’t on our land!”
Didier is always on the lookout for new things to try. Nevertheless, he also has the capacity to question choices that he thought were innovative but that ultimately do not live up to his expectations. There is one thing, however, that he is sure about: his decisions will never be guided by a desire to make things easier for himself or for conventional comfort.
As for Marie-Hélène, she manages to channel all of her husband’s projects successfully.