Wine Sustainability

Given the climate, maritime with a touch of humidity, and the risk of losing part or all of a vintage, the reduction or elimination of chemical usage is a tough decision and requires a new mindset. Lynn Gowdy explains.

In today’s ever competitive wine market, viticultures are searching for ways to stand out. Château visits, dining and lodging are significant items, yet care for the environment is front and center and has been evolving and sparking new ideas for several years.

In agriculture, non-chemical items to combat predators and create bio-diverse ecosystems are some of the key elements. Planting hedges and trees in and around vineyards, and establishing grasses and cover crops are also part of the process. Each attracts bugs and insects and serves as a sort of reservoir increasing area bio-diversity. Creating a habitat for bats is gaining momentum as they eat unwanted moths and insects which can spread vineyard diseases. Butterflies, for instance, are pests that lay their eggs in the grapes, contributing to rot formation. Studies in Gironde and Dordogne by the French Bird Protection League (LPO) and partners assessed the efficiency of vineyard bats and the merits of encouraging their presence. Conducted across several locations the tests confirmed that bats feed on insects, moths and cochylis moths, thereby minimizing or eliminating chemical use. While these methods are important, sustainability covers much more and includes corporate responsibility. How does a given winery’s actions affect not just the environment but society as well? For example, use of local and eco-materials, solar and other energy forms, and water reuse. The economic impacts of these actions on employees and the surrounding community have a ripple effect: things like paying fair wages, educational opportunities and supporting local businesses through various activities.

We know wine regions around the world are warming up. Some grape varieties will actually benefit yet others such as Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc, and Ugni Blanc (also known as Vermentino or Rolle), are already beginning to suffer in parts of the Gironde and Cognac. Based on research by the French National Institute for Agriculture, Food, and Environmental Research (INRAE), Merlot and Sauvignon Blanc have a lifespan around Bordeaux of somewhere between 2040 and 2050. Prof. Greg Jones, one of the world’s leading viticultural climate scientists, has also suggested that wine regions around the world may need to consider changing the varieties they grow to those better adapted to future climate conditions. Research projects along those lines continue at the Institut des Sciences de la Vigne et du Vin (ISVV), a partnership between the University of Bordeaux, Bordeaux Science Agro, and INRAE, along with many other agencies and contributing entities. It is a multi-disciplinary higher education, research and development center specialising in enological and viticultural issues and is located in Villenave d’Ornon, south of Bordeaux. This research is shared and available to all vine growers and wineries.