5 hopes for the wine of the future.

01.

Regenerative viticulture as a sustainable solution

“First of all, you have to ask yourself a simple, but fundamental question – what is sustainable viticulture? In my opinion, the best answer is regenerative agriculture. This way, you nourish the soil to make vines more self-sufficient, more resilient. This primarily involves reducing or even doing away with inputs altogether and introducing plants between the vine rows and animals to graze amongst the vines.  A lot of winegrowers are taking up this approach and placing soils at the core of the system, because for wine, everything starts with life in the soil. The fascinating microbiologist Marc-André Selosse, who took part in my latest Tasting Climate Change conference, successfully demonstrated for instance that when you have a living soil – rich in micro-organisms – then the rest comes naturally”. 

02.

How winegrowers are leading the way and setting an example

“What I find most inspiring is seeing how winegrowers – men and women – manage to cope with extreme conditions. Water is becoming a rare resource and yet some regions have already adapted by developing techniques to limit loss of water and strengthen vine resilience. I’m thinking mainly of regions faced with drought, like the Canary Islands, Santorini, South Africa and Australia. Pioneers like Vanya Cullen (Cullen Wines) in Australia and Johan Reyneke (Reyneke Wines) in South Africa have chosen to forego pesticides and drill down on their approach to biodynamics and regenerative agriculture. Ground cover plants, for instance, have enhanced organic matter, promoted microbial life and helped vines retain water, even if it falls in minute quantities. Consequently, the soils are aerated and the ecosystem finds balance”.

03.

Knowledge sharing as a tool for resilience

“In addition to drought, some wine regions are facing unprecedented crop losses due to mildew caused by wet conditions. To adapt over the long term, you need to open up to techniques from other regions. I am convinced that by bringing everyone to the table we will find solutions and inspire change. For instance, I helped set up a course for winegrowers in Gigondas about water management, inspired by Australian techniques. The aim is not to do a copy-and-paste but to open up to other ways of doing things and adapting them to suit one’s own vineyard sites – like finding suitable native cover crops that will not compete with vines. Sowing plants between the vine rows not only increases organic matter in the soils, it also prevents erosion, reduces evapotranspiration and helps water seep into the soils when it rains”.

04.

A new, clear-headed generation on a mission

“The next generation in the wine industry is much more aware of climate issues. It is no longer a peripheral topic but a core issue. Young industry members are aware that they need to produce in a different way, rethink techniques and question their legacy. Most importantly, they are inquisitive, going out and seeing what is happening elsewhere, understanding and experimenting. This reminds me of Michel Gassier, a winegrower in the Costières de Nîmes area. When his daughter returned to the winery from work experience in California, she encouraged him to review his practices. She told him, “Dad, we farm organically, but that’s not enough. We need to switch to regenerative viticulture”. This constant soul-searching is what will make all the difference”.

05.

Enlightened – and enlightening – consumer choices

“Consumers play a pivotal role by voting with their wallets! More and more people now want to make mindful choices and support environmentally-friendly products. In North America, ‘sustainable’ certification is extremely successful because it is viewed as a holistic approach and is even more powerful than the French term ‘durable’, despite being its direct translation. In addition to endorsements, we often surround ourselves with people who share our ideas. But sometimes, being bold enough to have those uncomfortable or difficult conversations can provide the spark for change”.