If you take a walk through the vineyards here at La Grange the picturesque old dry stone walls will surely catch your eye. What looks romantic to us today is the result of a lot of painstaking work.
The region was poor and the soil rather barren and stony. People - mostly kids - used to pick up the stones to work them into the dry stone walls, built completely without mortar. Once the soil in one field was clear of stones, the farmers started to plant and grow cereals and wine. Birds, lizards, butterflies and creepers find shelter in these old dry stone walls, who are thus conducive to a uniquely rich flora and fauna in and around our vineyards.
Experts also start to understand that these old walls are very important to the ecological equilibrium of these old vineyards.
When we first arrived at La Grange we found strange indentations in some parts of the walls. At first, we didn't know what to make of them, but they were built for a reason. François, one of our team, explained to us that shepherds used to find respite from the sharp winter winds in these indentations.
The little houses around these indentations gave shelter to the farmhands and gave them a place where they could put their tools. During harvest the farmhands slept in these little houses, because the fields had to be watched even at night. Theft was common in those days. During summer the shepherds trekked to the Vosges. The paths they used can still be found today.