Sustainable Winegrowing

By eliminating foil capsules and switching to lighter bottles, SAMsARA cut waste and emissions—reminding wine lovers that great wine doesn't need extra packaging. Resources:   Apply for SIP Certified Wine Marketing Tips   eNewsletter Real Stories, Real Impact SIP Certified Marketing Toolkit Tell Your Sustainable Story Online Cour s e    Support the Podcast:   Make a Donation   Vineyard Team Progra...

Imagine one vineyard machine that can prune, harvest,  monitor  vine health, and help guide irrigation decisions throughout the season. Manoj Karkee , the Norman R. and Sharon R. Scott Professor of Agricultural Science at Cornell University, explores how artificial intelligence, robotics, and cyber-physical systems can make farming more efficient and economical. Learn how multipurpose and soft rob...

  When we talk about sustainability in wine, practices like conserving water, enhancing soil quality, and supporting biodiversity often come to mind. But sustainability is about more than caring for the land;  it's about caring for the people behind every bottle .   Resources:   Apply for SIP Certified Wine Join 2027  ReSIProcal February (Members Only) Marketing Tips  eNewsletter Real Stories, Rea...

Healthy soils are built through years of management decisions   and sometimes rethinking old practices.  Jim Lincoln, General Manager of  Beckstoffer  Vineyards in Napa Valley, shares how his approach to weed management has evolved from cultivation and herbicides to mowing, sheep grazing, cover crops, and no-till practices. Learn how these changes have improved under-vine  soil health, influenced...

Growers rarely taste the wine made from their grapes. At Hope Family Wines,  Stasi Seay  uses annual tastings to  help   them connect their  farming decisions  to  what's  in the glass .   Resources:   Apply for SIP Certified Wine Marketing Tips   eNewsletter Real Stories, Real Impact SIP Certified Marketing Toolkit Tell Your Sustainable Story Online Cour s e    Support the Podcast:   Make a Donat...

Microbats are tiny natural predators with a big appetite for insects , but the uniform structure of a vineyard can keep them from venturing far into the block. Matt Fowles, Owner and CEO of Fowles Wine, noticed that vineyard blocks near trees had less moth pressure than those bordered by open grassland. He shares how that observation inspired a system of vertical structures designed to give microb...

Social media keeps changing, but wineries can stay relevant with a focused strategy. Heather  Daenitz  (Craft & Cluster) shares practical advice on Instagram Stories, audience engagement, searchable content, authentic video, and content series that help wineries connect with wine consumers.   Resources:   Apply for SIP Certified Wine Join the SIP Certified Wine Finder (Members Only) Marketing Tips...

Why we like wine has less to do with our taste buds than you might think.  Zata Vickers, professor of Food Science and Nutrition and director of the Sensory Center at the University of Minnesota, explains the science behind why we like what we like. Learn how repeated exposure, positive social experiences, and even the words used to describe wine  influence our preferences. Along the way, she shar...

Mesa Vineyard Management teamed up with Cal Poly to track barn owls and understand where they hunt in an effort to help growers strengthen natural pest control in vineyards. Resources:   Apply for SIP Certified Wine Marketing Tips   eNewsletter Real Stories, Real Impact SIP Certified Marketing Toolkit Tell Your Sustainable Story Online Cour s e    Support the Podcast:   Make a Donation   Vineyard...

Biological control is  emerging  as one of the most promising tools against spotted  lanternfly . Anne Johnson, postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Entomology at Michigan State University, explains how spotted lanternfly damages grapevines by draining plant sap and producing honeydew that fuels sooty mold. She shares new  research showing that North American predators, including spiders,...

Boost your social media marketing without creating more content. Discover four simple strategies to improve SEO, help the right audience find your posts, increase saves and shares, build authentic connections, and repurpose content to maximize your reach.   Resources:   Apply for SIP Certified Wine Join the SIP Certified Wine Finder (Members Only) Marketing Tips eNewsletter Real Stories, Real Impa...

Choosing the right grapevine rootstock can improve drought resilience without sacrificing yield. Patty Skinkis, Viticulture Extension Specialist and Professor in the Horticulture Department at Oregon State University, shares findings from long-term Oregon rootstock  trial   comparing mature and young vineyards . Learn which rootstocks produced larger canopies and higher yields with less water stre...

While Santa Barbara's Foxen Canyon area is known for its natural beauty, reliable cell service is not one of its amenities. Read More.

Many winegrape growers  don't  realize that grapevine roots are constantly growing, dying, and regenerating throughout the season. In this episode,  David Eissenstat, Professor Emeritus at Penn State University , explains how decades of root research have challenged the myth that roots only grow  at  bloom and after harvest. He shares how underground research techniques reveal the hidden life of g...

Think print is   a thing of the past ? Think again. Discover why print  remains  a powerful marketing tool for wineries, offering lasting impressions, stronger recall, and a personal touch that digital channels  can't  always match. Learn how to make your print materials work smarter and more sustainably.   Resources:   Apply for SIP Certified Wine Marketing Tips eNewsletter Real Stories, Real Imp...

Three-cornered alfalfa hopper (TCAH) is the only confirmed insect vector of grapevine red blotch virus in Vitis vinifera, yet many growers first realize they have the pest only after spotting petiole girdling in the vineyard. Cindy Kron, North Coast IPM Advisor at UC ANR, shares findings from two years of weekly sweep-net monitoring at Oakville Research Station that revealed TCAH adults are presen...

Meet Gilbert the Pig and friends. These goats, sheep, and Kunekune pigs replaced herbicides and mowing with year-round weed control. And they're adorable. Resources:   Apply for SIP Certified Wine Marketing Tips eNewsletter Real Stories, Real Impact SIP Certified Marketing Toolkit Tell Your Sustainable Story Online Cour s e    Support the Podcast:   Make a Donation   Vineyard Team Programs:   Juan...

Wine grape growers are turning to precision technology to  mitigate  bird damage while  reducint labor and material costs. In this episode, Joseph Traut (Cypress  AgTech)  joins growers Chad Foster (Maverick Farming) and Paul Ramirez (Loma Escondida Farming) to share real-world experience using an autonomous, silent laser system that protects 20–30 vineyard acres per unit. Learn how to optimize  p...

Two-thirds of consumers say sustainability matters when choosing what to buy. Learn how to equip your tasting room team with simple, authentic talking points that help guests connect with your values and turn every interaction into a memorable brand experience.   Resources:   Apply for SIP Certified Wine Marketing Tips eNewsletter Real Stories, Real Impact SIP Certified Marketing Toolkit Tell Your...

The biggest challenge in ag tech  isn't  innovation —  it's  making tools that  actually work  on the farm.   Matthew Hoffman, General Partner and Head of Farms at Reservoir, shares how the company is helping ag tech startups develop tools that solve real farming challenges. By partnering directly with specialty crop producers, including winegrape growers, Reservoir gives companies access to farms...

Andy Fles, Vineyard Manager at Shady Lane Cellars, wanted to make his fungicide program even more sustainable. So, he set up an experiment that put "soft" materials head to head with his usual program. Support the Podcast:  Make a Donation   Vineyard Team Programs:  Juan Nevarez Memorial Scholarship  - Help students from vineyard families pursue higher education Online Courses  - Earn DPR and CCA...

Can your soil hold enough water to carry vines through the season without irrigation?  Miguel Garcia,  Regenative   Agriculture Project Manager at Napa RCD,  shares findings from a 15-vineyard study across California's North Coast .  By measuring organic matter, soil respiration, active carbon, and aggregate stability, the project evaluates how soils store and supply water over the growing season....

Memorable winery visits  don't  happen by accident.  They're  designed.  Craig Macmillan (Niner Wine Estates) shares how storytelling, insider access, and well-trained staff turn winery tours into long-lasting customer relationships.    Resources:   *** Tell Your Sustainable Story Online Course ***  Apply for SIP Certified Wine Marketing Tips eNewsletter Sustainable Stories   Support the Podcast:...

Making the best sustainable farming decisions  isn't  about choosing one solution;  it's  about weighing the best  strategies  for your vineyard.    Lucas Pope, Vice President of Altera Solutions, shares how growers can balance performance, cost, and long-term impact by understanding trade-offs .  Lucas dives into  developing a vineyard for efficiency,   the best irrigation setup,  composting , he...

147 native plants now create a thriving monarch butterfly sanctuary. What started as a passion project now supports biodiversity with minimal maintenance. Resources:   *** Tell Your Sustainable Story Online Course ***  Apply for SIP Certified Wine Marketing Tips eNewsletter Planting for Pollinators | Sustainable Story Sustainable Story Worksheet  | Electronic    Support the Podcast :   Make a Dona...