You will have noticed that a new page has been added to our website focusing on the valorization of organic waste. We indeed wanted to talk about an initiative that began some fifteen years ago and that few are aware of. In line with our environmentally friendly production methods, we have implemented since the early 2000s a policy to valorize wine byproducts. Indeed, we “produce” grape marc and dehydrated grape seeds, certified organic.
Château Le Payral offers two types of byproducts to professionals: grape marcand grape seeds.
Grape marc is the solid residue from pressing, with the liquid part being, of course, the wine! Marc is often considered waste; it is collected by distilleries for industrial use. It can also be used by winemakers as organic fertilizer… but it can also be turned into brandy…
At the estate, the marc is dehydrated in ovens, allowing us to preserve it for various uses. From a part of this marc, we extract grape seeds. While products based on grape marc and grape seeds are becoming increasingly popular, we are proud to be a step ahead. Indeed, our production method is certified organic and biodynamic, which ensures products without pesticide residues, a major advantage for these products used as dietary supplements or cosmetics.
Furthermore, as winemakers, we can dehydrate the marc as close to the pressing moment as possible, giving it a much better quality than most products processed by the industry, which collects marc from undefined sources and after a relatively long storage period.
Zeta x Château Le Payral, an innovative partnership focused on the valorization of organic waste.
This additional string to our bow has led us to develop various partnerships. Initially approached by the CEO of an American company looking for very high-quality grape marc to produce dietary supplements, we embarked on this adventure. Our geographical location as well as our production method certified organic guarantee an interesting level of antioxidants (anthocyanins, resveratrol, tannins) as well as the low risk of pesticide residues.
More recently, since 2020, we have developed a partnership with Laure Babin, a young entrepreneur, creator of the ZETA brand. This company manufactures sneakers while aiming to have the lowest possible impact on the environment and people. Their original model, Alpha, is a sneaker made with upcycled materials: grapevine material, recycled cork, recycled plastic. The “Millésime” model incorporates a portion of our dehydrated marc in the insoles and outsoles.
We are continuously developing and are open to other projects and partnerships around these products: a project around cooking and gastronomy is currently underway… Contact us if you are interested and open to innovative projects!
Thierry and Isabelle Daulhiac
