CoEnfer, the Enfer cooperative

In Arvier, one hillside bears a rather ominous name: the Enfer, or ‘Hell’. It faces due south and its soils are sandy. This is where CoEnfer works, a wine cooperative that has farmed its vineyards organically since 2009.

Soil, grape and grower

The quality of a wine depends on its terroir, that is to say the soil, the grape variety and the climate. It also depends on human work. At the Enfer, the sandy soils give the wines their character, and the cooperative chooses practices that respect the environment. It describes itself as the largest organic project in the Aosta Valley. It farms about 7 hectares of vines.

Three local grape varieties

Petit rouge: the most widely grown variety in the valley. It stands up well to the cold. Its berries are juicy and it makes well-structured wines.
Fumin: found along the Dora Baltea. In blends it adds colour and tannins. It needs ageing to become balanced.
Mayolet: grown since the 19th century, it brings finesse and aromas. Its berries are juicy, with a welcome acidity.

An amphitheatre of terraces

The vineyards lie on the left bank of the Dora Baltea, that is, on the left when facing downstream. They form a natural amphitheatre of terraces in full sun. Some are planted in straight rows, others in steps. The gradient sometimes exceeds 100%. It is worth pointing out that a 100% gradient is not vertical: it rises one metre for every metre travelled horizontally, an angle of 45°.

At Duhron, in the municipality of Arvier, there is petit rouge and fumin. The plots of La Grande Vigne, Meylan and the Enfer are planted with petit rouge.

Grass between the rows

All the vineyards are grassed. A cover of plants, natural or sown, is kept between the rows. It may be temporary or permanent, and does not necessarily cover every row.

Each year, every other row is worked. The soil is turned, then herbaceous plants are sown: legumes, grasses and brassicas. Brassicas are the family of cabbage, turnip, radish, rapeseed, mustard, rocket and wallflower. The choice of seeds depends on the wine to be made from each plot.

Beneath the rows, the grass is mown by machine. From time to time the ‘spade test’ is carried out: the soil is opened up to observe its structure and see how farming affects the micro-organisms.