By Mike DeSimone
and Jeff Jenssen and
Molly Crist June 16, 2023
Source: Yahoo Life
Photo Source: Unsplash,
The Big Idea: On Shifting Ground
At its heart, making wine is the highest expression of agriculture. Practices related to farming and production on the globe’s more than 18 million acres of vineyards have an enormous impact on the planet. At the same time, events that can be attributed to climate change, such as temperature extremes, drought, wildfires, and out-of-season hail and frost, are threatening the future of viticulture. It’s not an exaggeration to say that, within a few years, intense summer heat and lack of rainfall could make it nearly impossible to produce well-balanced wine in a number of regions.
But a small group of family businesses is leading the charge to bring winemaking back to its roots, so to speak, with the introduction of regenerative farming as well as other measures to cut carbon emissions significantly. While there are many individual efforts, the largest endeavor is International Wineries for Climate Action (IWCA), established in 2019 by Spain’s Familia Torres and California’s Jackson Family Wines and now more than 40 members strong. Members must commit to net-zero emissions by 2050 and ensure constant reductions to meet intermediate targets by 2030, all without purchasing carbon offsets. As Miguel Torres Maczassek, general manager of Familia Torres, tells Robb Report, “Every time we till the soil, we oxidize the organic matter that is there, which releases carbon into the atmosphere.” To cut emissions, the Torres family and other IWCA members plant cover crops between the vines and employ flocks of sheep, rather than mowers, to trim them.
Increased cover crops also retain groundwater, making vineyards more resistant to drought. In addition, members pledge to rely on renewable energy and use lighter-weight bottles to mitigate the impact of shipping.
Katie Jackson, second-generation proprietor and senior vice president of corporate social responsibility at Jackson Family Wines, believes it’s possible to not only curtail the industry’s ill effects but actually be a positive force in the fight against climate change. “We are transitioning all our estate vineyards to regenerative farming practices to build soil health, create more biodiversity among our vines, and protect wildlife habitats,” she says. “Storing carbon in the soil has the potential to safely remove carbon from our atmosphere and could be a key tool in reversing climate change.”
Although 40 members may not sound like a critical mass, the Torres and the Jackson families, along with peers such as Constellation Brands and Famille Perrin, each oversee multiple operations in more than one country. In addition, many other labels, large wine groups, and even entire regions are moving toward organic or sustainable certification, which requires eliminating chemical pesticides and herbicides and recycling wastewater, among other measures. In Bordeaux alone, 100 percent of vineyards will be certified organic, biodynamic, or sustainable by 2025, while 99 percent of the vineyards in Sonoma, Calif., have already achieved sustainable certification.
One side effect of environmentally conscious viticulture: It can lead to lower grape yields and smaller berries, which in turn result in more concentrated flavors and more structured tannins. So besides being good for the planet, according to Jackson, “these farming practices improve wine quality in the bottle.”
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