Our commitment to organic farming
At Domaine de Cambis, organic farming is not a passing fashion: it is a goal the Perolari family has pursued from the very beginning, in 2002.
A family commitment since 2002
When Annick and Alfred Perolari acquired the estate in 2002 in Berlou, they had a clear objective in mind: to move to organic farming, or even biodynamics. This commitment is therefore not recent: it is inseparable from the history of the estate.
Annick and Alfred tried biodynamics as soon as they arrived. But they quickly understood that it would not be possible straight away: the vines had been badly “accustomed” by previous practices, and the change would have been too brutal — both for the plants and financially.
Reason therefore pushed them to postpone the conversion. But this delay was not a renunciation: it became a genuine preparation phase.
More than ten years preparing the ground
For more than ten years, the Perolari family methodically prepared the vineyard so that it could one day welcome organic farming without suffering.
This transition phase consisted of:
- Abandoning certain vines that were too dangerous or unproductive
- Replanting other plots to rebalance them
- Restructuring the vineyard: modifying tractor passages, training the vines on wires, removing the large stones and rocks that prevented mechanical tools such as the intercep from passing
- Drastically reducing the use of plant protection products
This decade was also an opportunity to get to know each plot perfectly: its needs, its fragilities, its strengths. This fine knowledge of the vineyard was decisive in making the conversion a success when the moment finally came.
The conversion begun in 2018
Once the new cellar was completed in 2017 — a six-year project started in 2011 — the Perolari family was able to turn all its attention to cultivation. The conversion to organic farming was officially begun in the summer of 2018.
Three years later, after the regulatory checks and certifications, Domaine de Cambis obtained the Agriculture Biologique certification for the 2021 vintage.
All the wines produced since that date carry the official AB logo and the European organic logo Eurofeuille.
A vineyard more alive than ever
Today, the result of this long journey is visible in the plots. In the estate’s own words:
“Our plots have never been as alive as in recent years. They are teeming with insects and animals, from earthworms to the bees foraging in the maquis around the vines.”
This restored biodiversity is the sign of a living soil, of a re-established balance. It confirms the soundness of the choice made more than 20 years ago.
A territorial anchoring
Domaine de Cambis is located within the territory of the Parc Naturel Régional du Haut-Languedoc, which works to preserve the natural and cultural heritage of the region.
This territorial anchoring reinforces the estate’s organic approach and places it within a territory and a community of producers sharing the same values.
Our certifications
- AB certification (French Agriculture Biologique) since the 2021 vintage
- Eurofeuille (European organic logo)
A vision for the future
For the Perolari family, organic conversion is not a destination: it is a stage on a longer road. The initial objective — moving to biodynamics — remains on the horizon. The patience that guided the first conversion will guide what comes next.