In an effort to boost both consumers’ confidence about choosing wines and knowledge of viticulture practices, the nonprofit Vineyard Team has released a series of podcasts outlining sustainable vineyard practices.
The Team hopes its podcasts also will provide grape growers with details on the latest viticulture research and offer students of viticulture and enology answers to questions about vineyard care, said Beth Vukmanic Lopez, SIP Certified manager of the Vineyard Team, based in Atascadero.
Growing wine grapes is not for the faint of heart, as challenges in the vineyard range from pest problems to soil health to water conservation. Every single decision made in any vineyard affects the grapes’ quality and total yield.
Alfredo Koch, director of the Viticulture & Enology program at Allan Hancock College in Santa Maria, agrees.
“I’m always looking for better resources to help students find answers to viticulture questions,” he said. “I’ve found that students respond best to real-life stories and research told first-hand by experts in the field. Vineyard Team’s podcast series gives the students an inside look in a clear format.”
In an email, Vukmanic Lopez described the Sustainable Winegrowing podcast as a vehicle that “brings you the latest in science and research for the wine industry. This on-the- go resource provides in-depth technical information from experts in an approachable way on topics like integrated pest management, fruit quality, water conservation, and nutrient management,” she wrote.
“Each episode will help the experienced winegrower make smarter, more sustainable management decisions and give the wine connoisseur a peek into the daily workings of vineyards and wineries.”
Among the topics, and some of the Team’s favorites, are “The Goldilocks Principle & Powdery Mildew Management;” “Understanding Soil Health;” “High Tech Tools in the Vineyard;” and “Organic Pest Control in Vineyards,” Vukmanic Lopez said. A typical podcast is 20 to 30 minutes long.
I asked her how the Vineyard Team works with two regional colleges that specialize in viticulture, Allan Hancock College and Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo.
“We have had the pleasure of working with Cal Poly faculty on a number of Vineyard Team programs, including presentations at our Sustainable Ag Expo and a current CDFA (California Department of Food and Agriculture) research grant to study how retail displays help show consumers about SIP Certified sustainable wines,” Vukmanic Lopez said.
“The podcast features an interview with Dr. Charlotte Decock, assistant professor of Earth & Soil Sciences, plus interviews with many Cal Poly graduates, including Julian Malone of Sea Smoke Vineyards; George Donati, Pacific Vineyard Company; and Lino Bozzano, Laetitia Vineyard & Winery. Plus, our staff regularly presents to both Cal Poly and Allan Hancock students about sustainable winegrowing,’’ she explained.
The Vineyard Team includes 300 members and 100,000 acres of wine grapes. While many members are located in Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo and Monterey counties, others reside elsewhere in California, Vukmanic Lopez said.
“Producing the Sustainable Winegrowing podcast has been a wonderful opportunity to interview experts from throughout the globe about best winegrowing practices and deliver that technical content to farmers, wine makers, and wine fans where ever they may be,” she said.
“You can’t make good wine from lousy grapes,” said Carlos Mascherin, sommelier at Armada Wine & Beer Merchant in Santa Barbara.
“Vineyard health is paramount. Whenever I’m buying wine — regardless of whether it’s for the bar or for myself — I’m always interested in the vigneron’s farming practices, and I’m never surprised when it turns out that the wines I like best come from vineyards that are sustainably farmed. Vineyard Team’s podcast series is a great resource for consumers that want to better understand which farming methods produce the best resulting wines and why.”
The Vineyard Team’s Sustainable Winegrowing podcast series will launch new podcasts the first and third Thursday of each month.
To listen to past or new podcasts, visit www.VineyardTeam.org/podcast or stream them via services such as Google Play, iTunes, Stitcher and Tune In.
— Laurie Jervis blogs about wine at www.centralcoastwinepress.com, tweets at @lauriejervis and can be reached via winecountrywriter@gmail.com. The opinions expressed are her own.