Bordeaux vineyards team up with Pyrenean sheep farmers for expanded transhumance program

A partnership between vineyards in the Gironde region and sheep farmers from the Pyrenees has been expanded this year. Around 400 sheep are now housed across eight châteaux, including Château de La Rivière, Château Mazeris‑Bellevue, and Château Lambert. The collaboration, coordinated by the association Civam and led by Éric Gutierrez, shares costs: the farmers provide transport and feed, while the winegrowers handle infrastructure and shepherd wages. The project aims to replace tractor work with grazing, offering an economically viable, environmentally friendly alternative to traditional vineyard maintenance.

The initiative builds on a pilot from the previous year, which hosted only 200 sheep on a single estate. Organizers hope the larger scale will balance expenses and encourage more vineyards to adopt similar sustainable practices.