::: Veriditas Botanicals ::: About the Distilleries

We at Veriditas have the deepest respect for our distillers because they produce the highest quality medicinal essential oils offered world-wide. These organic essential oils are produced with the intention of being used medicinally for their healing properties. Organic farming and distilling is not just a job, it's a way of life. Encompassing a passion for plants and combining modern and historic techniques is a fine art that can take decades to develop. The following is a short biography of each of our highly acclaimed distillers including their methods and philosophies of distilling rare, and truly therapeutic grade essential oils.

Organic Distillery in Provence, France
Ampertaler Naturöle
La Tisane
V.F. Aromatique

Distiller of organic essential oils in Provence, France

Michel Menuvrier is the owner of a cooperative specializing in organic and biodynamic cultivation of medicinal plants and essential oils. Michel is a man of great integrity who has been practicing the art of biodynamic farming for nearly 15 years. His cooperative is located in Provence, France, at the heart of the exquisite Die valley. Everything produced by Michel is certified organic by ECOCERT, a highly respected Belgian certification agency.

The Die valley provides ideal conditions for the cultivation of Lavender, various chemotypes of thyme and rosemary, marjoram, hyssop, oregano, sage... the list is truly endless for these native Mediterranean medicinal plants.

The Die valley is said to be the origin of Lavender angustifolia's first blooming flowers.

Bernhard Nusstein and his father, Rudolf Nusstein, founded Ampertaler Naturöle in 1995. Ampertaler Naturöle is set in the Amper Valley, 20 Kilometers North of Munich, where plants such as Melissa, Yarrow, Clary sage, Hops, and Angelica grow abundantly and are expertly distilled.

When I asked Bernhard about his life's work, his love for farming and distillation was apparent by his answer:

"It's so nice to grow up and distill medicinal herbs, because every kind of herb is so different and has such a different character. If you look at the yarrow, the oil is also different than the flower! And distilling medicinal herbs is such a wide field, you can harvest the flowers like the yarrow, the roots like the angelica or the whole flowering plant like the Melissa, but all of them have a great expression. I hope you can imagine what I love by my profession being a medicinal herb farmer."

Rudolf Nusstein, Bernhard's father, taught pharmacology at Ludwig Maximilian University in Munich. Rudolf uses his expertise in pharmacology to analyze the constituents of each GC tested essential oil. In a Gas Chromatography test of their Melissa officinalis essential oil (lemon balm oil), one finds a true and rare Melissa with an extremely high citral content, one of the principal constituents of Melissa.

All of the herbs grown and distilled at Ampertaler Naturöle are certified "natural" or organic by The Bavarian Business Association for Medical and Aromatic Plant Growers and Processors*. In Bernhard's words, the organic process is simple:

"During cultivation of our plants we don't use neither pesticides nor herbicides. The fine art and workmanship applied in our distillery does not require chemical treatment of the herbs grown, nor do we rectify or redistill our essential oils."

Ampertaler Naturöle (Naturöle meaning "nature's oils") produces Angelica root, Yarrow, Melissa, Hops, Clary sage, Thyme, Savory, Lovage and Valerian essential oils; all of cared for and distilled with pride and joy by the Nubstein family.

*Erzeugerring fur Heil - und Gewurzpflanzen, Bayern

Bernhard Nusstein, owner of Ampertaler Naturöle

Margrit Müller, owner of La Tisane

Located in the mountain valley of Entrevaux, France. Margrit Müller, a respected plant enthusiast, sells local, organically grown and distilled essential oils. Having a deep respect for the plant and animal kingdom, Margrit is one of the purest of heart I know. Her work reflects her life and philosophy. She cares genuinely for plant life just as she does her own. La Tisane essential oils are to be collected and appreciated because of the delicate nature in which they were grown.

V.F. Aromatique is located in Vercheny, France. Nicolas Revillion is the chemist at V.F. Aromatique. Nicolas holds a Masters Degree in Chemistry from University le Havre. The focus of V.F. Aromatique is to produce essential oils that are pure and natural. V.F. Aromatique offers L'lang-Ylang, Un Parfum Subtil, by Christian Brule and William Pecout, offering both the French and English translations on either side of each page. This book details a growing operation of Ylang Ylang in the Comoros Islands of Madagascar. It is a must-have for any aromatherapy enthusiast. The images of wild and cultivated Ylang Ylang are breathtaking. V.F. Aromatique offers nearly 100 different essential oils, all authentic pure plant essential oils of the highest quality.

Nicolas Revillion, Master Chemist at V.F. Aromatique

One of my favorite distillers' name is Claude. He is a very hard worker and takes his work seriously! Claude does not use any machinery in his hand picking of plants and distills with the utmost care and love. Claude can be found in the Apt market on some days in the summer, with his beloved collaborator, his horse, Grisou.

Translation:
WILD HERBS OF HAUTE PROVENCE
All these products, resulting from a complicit health, are the fruit of my work in 4 departments of Haute Provence. I am the only intermediate between these plants and you. The majority originates from the wild, the rest result from organic agriculture.....for 25 years.
* My essential oils are unrefined, full (uncut), without tampering nor dillution.
* I refuse to reduce the plants to powder, in order to conserve all of the virtues.
* You will not find here: any exotic products, any spices, any softening mixes, any artificial perfumes, any random soaps, any synthetic plants, any gadgetry.
* The essential part of my work is by hand or horse
* The point of this dialog is reduced to the essential(...) We have to lastly speak of the important things
* DIRECTLY FROM THE PRODUCER TO THE USER


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