La lutte sans raison
Just no life .....
Only the vines are alive here!
Terroir? What terroir?
Although much of the Touraine countryside is bursting with spring flowers and blossom, too many of the vineyards in the Cher Valley are dead – showing no sign of new life apart from the now swelling vine buds. All other vegetation has been blitzed by weedkillers. No biodiversity, the balance of the vineyard destroyed and no possibility of encouraging the beneficial insects that can help to keep pests in check.
It is, of course, easy to point the finger at the producers but prices are low in Appellation Touraine, especially if you sell your grapes to a cooperative and using weedkiller is cheaper than letting the grass grow and mowing it or cultivating – and cultivating may be almost as destructive. See here.
Also this scorched earth policy can help to protect against frost as grassed-over vineyards retain moisture and may well increase frost damage.
Close up of a dead vineyard
Again
'Agent orange': this year's fashionable weedkiller colour?
Bursting buds in a dead vineyard
Another approach – spring flowers even if they are mainly dandelions
A different approach
Blaze of white away from the vines
It is, of course, easy to point the finger at the producers but prices are low in Appellation Touraine, especially if you sell your grapes to a cooperative and using weedkiller is cheaper than letting the grass grow and mowing it or cultivating – and cultivating may be almost as destructive. See here.
Also this scorched earth policy can help to protect against frost as grassed-over vineyards retain moisture and may well increase frost damage.
Close up of a dead vineyard
Again
'Agent orange': this year's fashionable weedkiller colour?
Bursting buds in a dead vineyard
Another approach – spring flowers even if they are mainly dandelions 
A different approach
Blaze of white away from the vines 
