Winemaker Reynald Parmelin produces organic wine: “Without chemicals, the aromas are more intense.”

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Coincidence? Destiny? Pure luck? Who knows exactly? In any case, Reynald Parmelin’s timing could not have been better when he walked into the office of the Coop buyer with whom he had made an appointment very early years ago. “I can’t find anyone with high-quality organic wine,” he said, sighing into the phone. “I just had to say: Here I am,” the Vaud winemaker says with a smile. When Reynald Parmelin decided to pursue organic (later biodynamic) viticulture in 1994, he was one of the first in Switzerland. “My father had stomach problems because of the chemicals in pesticides. “So I was interested early on about whether there were options that didn’t use chemicals,” says Parmelin.

He becomes aware of these opportunities during his travels and work assignments abroad, such as California and Australia. At La Capitaine winery in Gland-Begnins, learning by doing was the order of the day. Moreover, it is not easy to deliver wine to customers. Reynald Parmelin: “Organic had a bad reputation at the time. I even removed the word organic from the label to give it a chance.” He wants to modernize his organic image with the blue bottle. Today it is even the trademark of La Capitaine.

But the most important thing is Bio Bud and Demeter certifications because these are the only things that provide reliability. Organic and biodynamic farming is important to Parmelin: “It’s not just about avoiding chemicals, it’s also about a general way of thinking. You don’t fight against something, you try to find a balance.” Someone who cannot rely on chemistry needs to understand not only the vineyards and the soil, but also the meteorological conditions much better. “You need to plan better and also be flexible, which is often a big challenge.” The winemaker’s skills are also challenged because you get a better “taste” of his work: “When chemical preservatives are used, the seeds absorb more water to grow, which means the taste is diluted. Without chemicals, the flavors are more intense.”

A visit to the Coop buyer’s office is soon followed by tastings with one of Coop’s in-house wine experts. The selection consists of white and red tubs, which were later produced specifically for Coop. “Naturaplan Bio-Cuvée Noble Blanc Domaine Capitaine” is round, fruity, aromatic and goes well with aperitifs, fish and asparagus. The taste of red fruits and the light barrique taste of “Naturaplan Bio-Cuvée Noble Rouge Domaine Capitaine” linger in the mouth for a long time.

How much else is organic in Reynald Parmelin’s life? “I am not an extremist,” he says. “But I can’t sell organic and I don’t care beyond the wine cellar.” Reynald Parmelin expresses not only his own diet or the solar panels installed on his roof, but also a certain social responsibility. «It is important to me that my employees are paid fairly. “There’s also a real family atmosphere here,” he says, pouring a glass of Cuvée Blanc from a blue bottle. He no longer has to remove the word organic from the label, quite the contrary. Along with quality, it’s one of his strongest selling points.

Source : Blick