Anne-Marie Lavaysse and her son Pierre own Le Petit Domaine de Gimios, a remote 12-acre (5-hectare) biodynamic vineyard in the Languedoc’s Saint-Jean de Minervois, an area famous for muscat.
“I’ve never liked the sort of medicines that doctors prescribe. Instead, I use wild plants to treat myself, my children, and my animals. So, it seemed like a logical extension to do the same with my vines. What better way to keep a vine healthy and happy than by using another plant?
I let wild grasses grow all over my vineyard, so my vines are surrounded by the southern French garrigue. All sorts of plants make it up and each has a strong, particular smell. It dawned on me that this was the answer. The plants in the garrigue were my vines’ neighbors. They lived and worked alongside each other. They had the same experiences and, yet, the garrigue wasn’t sick. I already knew a few of its plants; more specifically, I knew of two or three that were great for cleansing and detox. I figured that it was important for the vines’ sap to flow and for them to be able to get rid of toxins in their systems, so I went with my intuition. Once I started really looking, it was almost like the right plants spoke to me.
I would stir and macerate the plants in the sun, and apply the concoction to my vines. It was extraordinary. The vines were beautiful, wonderful—no oidium whatsoever. I’ve been doing it now for 10 years and we’re still going strong.
What plants do I use? Well, it depends on what I am trying to do. There are antiseptic and antibiotic plants, which I use to fight infections, or to help reduce a fever, and others that cleanse or regulate. They can all be used on vines as well as humans.
Sage (Salvia officinalis), for example, is hugely purifying for the liver. It’s great drunk as a tea, but also good for the vines, since the same properties that cleanse the liver also detox plants. Sage is also an antiseptic, so it’s good for helping to eliminate fungi that want to install themselves on the plant.
St. John’s wort (Hypericum perforatum) is another great healing plant, which grows wild in among the vines. It has bright, sun-yellow flowers that are very beautiful. I dry the very top of the flowering part of the plant. This can then be used in a tisane, which is soothing and calming. It helps your muscles relax and is great for getting to sleep. It acts on the neurosensory parts of the body, so is very effective as an antidepressant, as well as a painkiller for both humans and animals. Alternatively, you can leave the flowers in oil for three weeks in the sun and then apply this locally to heal burns or help with muscular aches and pains.
Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) is another cleansing plant, which is great for women. If it’s that time of the month and I have stomach ache, I make myself a yarrow tisane using the flowers. You can use a little of the leaves as well if you like. It’s very effective. It is soothing and helps regulate the system really well. I use it on the vines as well when necessary. Yarrow contains natural sulfur, so its anti-cryptogamic properties are useful for protecting against oidium. Yarrow also helps heal internal tissues, so it works well on the vines’ sap ‘veins,’ which can become blocked if the vine is unwell or has received incorrect treatments.
Then there’s boxwood (Buxus sempervirens). This plant is toxic, so you have to use it carefully and properly. Boxwood flowers are antibiotic and its leaves are fiercely cleansing. If you have a fever, for example, the leaves will make you sweat, which helps get the bug out of your system. I pick boxwood when it’s in season and then stock it at home for use when needed. I boil the leaves for five minutes, filter the water, and then drink it. If you’ve caught a bad cold or have a high fever or something that is making you feel really unwell, you continue boiling and drinking for two days. It’s very effective. You can even use it externally as an antiseptic. It heals wounds quickly.”
Anne-Marie uses medicinal plants such as this Cistus in order to treat her vines. It goes into her tisane mix because of its anti-fungal properties.
Anne-Marie also collects wild herbs and plants for healing and feeding her family, as is the case with this wild fennel (Foeniculum), which she uses in cooking.