Cave Guillod

Introduction

When he took over the estate in 2014, Cédric Guillod—a young winemaker in his thirties and the fourth generation to run the Praz vineyard—wanted to give each of his wines a vibrant and distinctive identity. Committed to preserving the land and aligning his work with a sustainable ethic, he began the transition to organic farming in February 2017. This process led to his estate in Praz being certified with the “Le Bourgeon” organic label by the end of 2018.

“In fact, I’m following my great-grandfather’s notebooks and applying what was done in the 1930s—with the help of a few machines!” explains the winemaker from Vully. While this ecological shift requires about 30% more manual labor, the young vintner is convinced that the resulting quality surpasses previous vintages.

Traditional cultivation, with its heavy use of pesticides, puts enormous strain on the soil and depletes it. “The roots of the vines go down 1.5 meters into the ground to absorb nutrients. Transitioning to organic farming means completely abandoning chemical products. Treating the soil gently enhances its fertility and strengthens its character. The terroir is inevitably magnified!” he says enthusiastically.