11/25/08 Transitioning to Sustainable

Welcome to Vine to Wine this is your host Linda Moran. Yesterday we discussed a little about what sustainable agriculture does and why it is important to wine grape growing. Today we will discuss making the transition to sustainable agriculture. Making the decision to move to more sustainable forms of wine grape cultivation may come about for a variety of different reasons. Years ago one of the winemakers at Fetzer winery in California noticed that grapes from one section of a vineyard had considerably less flavor than the grapes in the remainder of the vineyard. They set about testing the vineyard in an attempt to determine why this was. Before long they discovered the soil in the area in question held no life. No worms, no nutrients, no good soil bacteria - no nothing. This motivated them to begin moving first to sustainable growing practices with excellent results in the flavor profile of the grapes and then on into a full fledged organic practice. For farmers, the transition to sustainable agriculture normally requires a series of small, realistic steps. It is important to realize that each small decision can make a difference and contribute to advancing the entire system. The process can come at considerable expense and the results are sometimes slow to recognize. Moving to sustainable agriculture is a commitment and takes time to accomplish. And as I mentioned yesterday it is nice to know that it not only benefits the environment it also benefits the flavor of our wines! Remember to send your wine question to Linda at vine to wine dot net and thank you for joining me on today's Vine to Wine.