4.2 Sustainable Viticulture

Question 1

Whet are the three themes of Sustainable grape growing?

Answer 1

1. Economic sustainability
2. Social sustainability
3. Environmental sustainability

Question 2

What are 5 aims of sustainable viticulture?

Answer 2

1. Promote the natural ecosystems in the vineyards
2. Maintain biodiversity
3. Manage waste
4. Minimise applications of chemicals and energy use
5. Reduce the impact of viticulture on the wider environment

Question 3

How does sustainable viticulture work?

Answer 3

• Grower develops in-depth understanding of the lifecycles of the vine and of vineyard pests
• Monitor weather forecasts to predict and prevent a pest or disease outbreak before it occurs
• Time spraying so that they have the greatest impact so that fewer applications are needed

Question 4

What are two other names for integrated pest management?

Answer 4

• IPM

- lutte raisonnée

Question 5

What is integrated pest management?

Answer 5

• Builds on part of organic but prepared to use chemical interventions when necessary
• Identifying and monitoring pests
• Setting up preventative measures
• Setting thresholds for when intervention is needed

Question 6

What are the 4 guidelines to IPM?

Answer 6

1. Know when to look for a named pest (e.g. omnivorous leafroller, caterpillars, moths)
2. Know what signs to look for
3. See photos of the pest and the damage it does, to help with identification
4. Know how to calculate thresholds when treatment is warranted

Question 7

When would a sustainable grape grower intervene and spray?

Answer 7

Only intervenes before they reach an economic threshold (i.e. when the level of damage will exceed the cost of intervention)

Question 8

Why do sustainable viticulture guidelines vary from region to region? Why are they just guidelines instead of absolute standards?

Answer 8

• Differing circumstances (e.g. dry versus wet climates)
• They are more about setting in place a way of working (identifying key challenges and hazards, record keeping, ways of calculating thresholds)

Question 9

Name 3 examples of sustainable viticulture guidelines.

Answer 9

1. LODI RULES (for Lodi, California)
2. Sustainable Winegrowing NZ
3. Sustainable Winegrowing South Africa.

Question 10

Name 4 advantages of sustainable viticulture.

Answer 10

1. A more thoughtful approach to grape growing, with attention to the economic, social and environmental impact of viticulture.
2. The deployment of a scientific understanding of the threats to successful grape growing (pests and diseases) to minimise the number of interventions needed.
3. A reduction in the spraying of synthetic and traditional treatments.
4. The consequent cost saving that has incentivised grape growers to work in a more sustainable way.

Question 11

Name 2 disadvantages of sustainable viticulture.

Answer 11

1 . The term is not protected and therefore can be used to promote wine without a clear set of standards.
2. The danger that nationwide standards for sustainability can be set too low.
(Ex: New Zealand’s high rate of uptake for its scheme – virtually all commercial grape growers – has both been praised for reducing the amount of pesticides used but criticised for setting too low a bar for sustainable certification.)