From the Winegrower, Norm McKibben
~ Sustainable Viticulture Q & A ~
As I write this, harvest is in full swing and ahead of schedule. The grapes coming into the winery from our estate vineyards are of fantastic quality. One of the joys of the business of winegrowing is that it makes you more attuned to cycles of nature, and more appreciative of the passing of time. I often think of each vintage year like the birth of a child. Vines we planted this year will bear fruit in 2 to 3 years, just about the same time we will be eagerly popping corks on Pepper Bridge wines made from this year’s harvest.
I have spent a lot of time recently with visitors, talking about the Walla Walla Valley, our winery and our estate vineyards. It seems I field more questions regarding our sustainable viticulture activities than about anything else. Several reporters have contacted me recently and have quizzed me on the topic. In fact, a recent article in the Seattle Times by Paul Gregutt explored the subject, stating the following: “Wineries are taking up the cause of sustaining the soil, and all the good Earth…. In the Walla Walla Valley, an organization called VINEA, the Winegrowers Sustainable Trust, is guiding and certifying growers who are committed to sustainable viticulture. It’s a flexible approach that allows growers and wineries to gradually restore farmland that in many instances has been rendered sterile by decades of chemical applications.” The article goes on to name Pepper Bridge Winery as one of the Walla Walla wineries committed to sustainable viticulture. In this section, I will answer some of the most commonly asked questions about sustainability.
Q What is sustainable viticulture?
A The objectives of sustainable viticulture are three-fold. We seek to provide ecological, economical and social sustainability. Our goals are: 1) To leave our children with healthier vineyards than we had when we started working the land, 2) To be good neighbors and treat our employees well, and 3) To create and maintain a very high quality of grapes so the vineyard will sustain itself financially.
Q How does Pepper Bridge grow grapes sustainably?
A We implement practices that reduce reliance on synthetic chemicals and fertilizers with the goal of protecting the workers, the environment, and communities at large. We are responsible stewards of the land, maintaining natural fertility and ecosystem stability and allowing the land to be healthier than how we found it. We maintain biological diversity in the whole vineyard.
Q How do your farming practices differ with organic or biodynamic?
A Sustainable viticulture is a broader philosophy than either organic or biodynamic. Organic and biodynamic are typically examples of types of sustainable farming.
Organic farming excludes the use of chemicals. Biodynamic farming is a type of organic farming based on a spiritual belief known as Anthroposophy. It embodies many of the tenets of organic farming and looks at the vineyard or farm in a holistic manner. However, it is different than both organic and sustainable farming in that it delves into metaphysical realms such as increasing an intangible vital life force in the vineyard and basing vineyard activities (such as planting and harvest) on the astronomical calendar.
The biggest substantial difference between organic/biodynamic and sustainable is that the philosophies of organic and biodynamic do not allow the use of chemicals, but they allow the use of other types of substances. For instance, in organic/biodynamic farming sulfur is frequently used to control mildew and insects but sulfur also kills beneficial insects as well as the targeted insect. This throws the vineyard out of balance, often leading to an invasion of an unwanted species such as the rust mite, which has decimated many Northwest vineyards at times over the past few years.
Alternatively, the organic farmer might decide to delay applying anything to the vineyard and hope that the problem will sort itself out. For instance, when faced with an infestation of rust mites, they can hope that the population of beneficial insects will explode in size and take care of these pests. In making this decision, a farmer is weighing the potential crop and quality loss against the sure knowledge that the use of too much sulfur will put them out of balance with nature. There is no surefire solution to these types of problems within the organic/biodynamic philosophy.
On the other hand, within the sustainable viticulture framework, we have more options. When faced with an insect problem, we can use non-chemical solutions or “soft” chemicals that target a specific problem and are not long lasting and which keep the vineyards in balance and much healthier by not killing beneficial insects along with the targeted insect.
Q What are the non-chemical control agents?
A Some examples of control measures that act exclusively on target organisms (pests, diseases, weeds) are the release of sterile insects and parasitic organisms, the enouragement of predators, the introduction of competitive plants, and the planting of habitat and food sources for beneficial predators and parasitoids.
Pictured above: We harvest all our grapes by hand. One facet of sustainable viticulture is maintaining a healthy work environment for our employees.
Q What are some of your other non-chemical practices to improve soil quality?
A Compost is a prime example, and we use two types of compost in our estate vineyards. Organic compost is comprised of aerobically decomposed remnants of organic materials (those with plant and non-mammal origins). The goal is to add humus to soil and restore nutrients. We use a custom blend of logs, hay, leaves and other material to add diversity. We also add “compost tea” to the compost. We try to spread three tons per acre per year of compost back onto the vineyards.
Compost Tea is an aerobic mixture made by adding compost (and some extra nutrients to feed its microbes) to dechlorinated water and aerating the mix for one or two days. This process encourages aerobic bacteria and fungi and is applied through our drip irrigation system. We then feed the microbes by running molasses through the drip system.
Q What are “soft” chemicals?
A Soft chemicals target specific problems instead of acting as a broad-spectrum killer. It also has a short life (less than 90 days, depending on the chemical). Most importantly, these soft chemicals will not result in a residual buildup in the vineyard.
Q Who certifies the growers in VINEA?
A The IOBC (International Organization for Biological and Integrated Control of Noxious Animals and Plants) is the international organization that oversees the certification of sustainable farming operations here and around the globe. Our three estate vineyards are all “Certified Sustainable” and are all members of “Salmon Safe.” Our winemaker, Jean-François, is the president of VINEA, and I am one of eight board members. Oregon’s LIVE program and the Walla Walla Valley’s VINEA are the only internationally certified regions in the USA.
