Sustainable Wine
Written By: Romany Reagan on Tue, Apr 22nd 2008
It's so cool that now green is cool, because kids, it's getting warm in here -- and Napa has noticed. As the region makes 90% of the wine consumed in the US, what they do and how they do it affects us all on some level. It's a tale both scary and affirming. What's scary is the timeline during which we can expect some of these changes to occur, but you can count on people of the land dedicating themselves to its preservation. This is not a beloved product made from a delicious marriage of formaldehyde and plastic carbon dust. Wine is ancient, natural and made with love by people who are more intimately attuned to Mother Nature's moods than I'll ever be. I've noticed it's spring. I usually leave it at that.
What's sad is the heat has temporarily actually made BETTER wines. France for the last 10 years has been producing a series of excellent vintages, especially in Champagne and Bordeaux. German's Rhine and Mosel valleys are now producing some of the best wines they've ever MADE! Eeeek! Even the most vine-hugging vintner is still a businessperson, and it's hard to walk away from successes like these... There is a tipping point, however, after which climate changes will be inhospitable -- in the not so distant future too. There is only an average 10-degree difference between LA and Death Valley to slap some perspective on that. Even though Napa's temperatures can soar midday, the cool evenings bring fog in from the Pacific that can plummet temperatures by almost 40 degrees. This day baking to create sugar, then night cooling to retain necessary acids is what's key in that Napa magic. No more chilly nights, no more dynamite Cabs. Needless to say, the vineyards have snapped to attention -- but what are they doing exactly and what does that mean for the consumer?
One of the first things recent tourists will notice is the usually barren looking off-season vineyards have a carpet of yellow planted mustard due to a lack of herbicide used. As mustard is a naturally dominant plant, it chokes out weeds working as a natural protectant. Not only does it class up the joint a bit, it adds structure to the soil that prevents slides and soil loss. Sheep and goats graze on the greenery, doing their thing, and negating the need for industrial fertilizers. Sustainable and organic practices enrich the soil which can result in stronger, more resilient vines which are better equipped to stand up to weather changes. An improvement we may unfortunately come to one-day need.
Other than a lack of chemicals, and protecting vines from an uncertain future, vineyards are now using bio-diesel trucks, electric ATVs and solar panels (they've got a scorching day sun - can that heat!!!). All of these practices are uniting the wine world in an effort to minimize their collective carbon footprint. The great news for us on the buying end is so far the vineyards are doing very well, and these new sustainable practices are not manifesting themselves in steeper prices. (Don't worry, just knocked on wood.)
The biggest difference you and I can make is BUYING LOCAL. I know, I know, we hear it all the time, but there's a reason for that. It's all cute and aware to buy sustainable wine, but if a belching truck hauled it 3,000 miles to your table... well, duh. There are wineries now in almost every state, and what keeps people from them is fear of the unknown more than the wine itself. You can't knock it if you don't try it, and how many times have you bought a wine from Bordeaux or Napa, only to be vastly disappointed. Try your local offerings, you may find they're cheaper, kinder to the environment, and on a blind taste test, still wicked with linguine primavera. You'll feel good about your drinking, and I'll always say cheers to that.
