Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The vineyard of the Ferme Pédebernade, located in Sarragachies in Gers, is an exceptional 19th century vineyard. It houses about 600 feet of vines spread over 2,000 m2, including some 20 grape varieties, seven of which are unknown until today. These ungrafted strains, 150 to 200 years old, survived the phylloxera crisis thanks to the sandy nature of the Ninan Hill, which protected their roots. They are a unique plant heritage, preserved by the Pedebernade family and Plaimont Producers.

This vine bears witness to ancestral wine-growing practices, such as planting in double feet arranged in square, a method that disappeared after the phylloxera. The varieties identified, such as tannate, morrastel or Servadou iron, are alongside endemic varieties that are still not listed, called "Pédebernade 1, 2, 3...". The soil, composed of wild sands of the Miocene, allowed the strains to withstand climatic hazards, such as the frost of 1956, and modern diseases such as the esca.

Ranked a historic monument in 2012, this vine is the first in France to benefit from such protection. It is part of the Saint-Mont appellation (AOC) and embodies a living conservatory of savoir-faire gascons. Although it does not produce its own cuvée because of the heterogeneity of the grape varieties, it plays a key role in preserving the biodiversity of the vineyards of the Pyrenean Piedmont. His meticulous maintenance for generations makes it an invaluable cultural and genetic symbol.

External links