Page 18 - Sonoma County Gazette April 2018

WINE cont’d from page 1
fungus (mycelium) to break down raw materials for decomposition, which will in turn feed the grape vines,
and to keep harmful bacteria at bay. Without fungus in the soil, bacteria can take over and damage the vines, which in turn creates the need for topical fungicides. There are many options for organic, natural fungus inhibitors like Sonata and Seranade Biofungicide, stylet mineral oil, chamomile spray, or 501 Quartz spray. They may be more expensive and need to be applied more frequently than conventional means, but the potential increased value of organic wines could offset those cost.
flavor complexities of the wine thanks to their impressively deep tap roots that can access water and nutrients far below the surface. Vineyards
for the land that they are exploiting. From spraying cocktails of pesticides; fungicides; rodenticides; and synthetic fertilizers onto the land and into
in California were exclusively
dry farmed until the 1970’s when irrigation was introduced. A return to such practices would benefit our county both environmentally and economically.
our water, to depleting soil nutrients through monocrop agriculture, to fragmenting wildlife habitat and preventing natural migrations, the wine industry is harming all the best things about this land.
My goal in writing this article is
not to demonize the wine industry
or the people who profit from it. My only motivation is to, in any small way, help improve the ecosystems and habitats within Sonoma County.
I believe that if we want to exploit the land, we must also nurture it. I ask that winegrowers in Sonoma County take a good hard look at their farming practices and challenge themselves
to do better. No matter what our profession, we should all, first and foremost, be stewards to the land.
But growing wine grapes doesn’t have to be detrimental to the environment. As with everything, there is a sustainable, biodynamic, and holistic approach that can not only generate equivalent yields,
but also make better quality wines. The best way to restructure the way grapes are grown is to begin turning vineyards into a permaculture ecosystem that benefit the soil
Free range hens not only keep pests off the vines, they till their nutrient rich manure into the soil
The final, and arguably biggest issue on the table is water use. Vineyards use exorbitant amounts of water to force maximum grape yields. But how much of that water is actually being absorbed by the vines? We’ve all seen massive plots of vineyards being watered by sprinklers mid-day in 90˚ weather. That is the worst way to water any crop, let alone a crop
and works with nature instead of competing against it.
thrive off a diet of plants and bugs. They also provide nitrogen-rich manure and manually till the plant debris and manure into the soil. Other animals, like pigs and small sheep (Old English), can achieve the same goal. None of these animals are tall enough to reach the grapes, so they can graze in vineyards year-round.
Planting cover crops recharges soil nutrients, attracts beneficial insects, and retains water in the soil. Allowing these crops to naturally decompose, free of chemicals, creates healthier soil for the vines to thrive from without the need for toxic additives.
The use of fungicides is possibly
the most expensive aspect of winegrowing because these chemicals need to be reapplied several times throughout the growing season.
that has barren, exposed soil with little shade or cover. A couple simple steps to conserve water would be to only drip irrigate, and set a timer to water when the sun is off the vines to reduce evaporation. Dry farming is not only feasible in our region, but it also increases health of the vines and
Author’s Note: I am aware that these statements may seem controversial to many, so please understand that all information in this article has been thoroughly researched. The full article with cited sources can be found at www.sonomacountygazette.com. In addition to my research, I had the priviledge of speaking with some very knowledgeable agriculture professionals. I’d like to give special thanks
to Jason Jardine of Hanzell Winery,
Aaron Gilliam of Monkey Ranch, and my professors at the SRJC.
To address the issue of pests eating the leaves and grapes, many organic winegrowers implement the use of small livestock. Chickens, for example, are fantastic foragers and
They are also some of the most detrimental to the soil. Soil needs
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