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August 2018 WINES&VINES 33 VINEYARD VIEW Another big change in the past 20 years is that pesticide risk has declined dramatically in vineyards in many regions. There are several reasons. One is that almost all the pesticides registered for wine grapes in the past 15 years are much lower-risk than the older materials. Another is the increase in use and efficacy of personal protective equipment by workers who handle and apply pesticides. A third is that the sprayer technology discussed above is resulting in more efficient use of pesticides and less drift. And finally, many growers are intentionally selecting lower-risk pesticides to apply. Knowledge about wine grape growing has steadily increased. University research, cou- pled with grower experience, has greatly im- proved our ability to grow high-quality wine grapes in all regions of the U.S. through im- proved management of irrigation, canopy, trel- lis design and crop load. The implementation of sustainable viticul- ture used to be measured by an assessment of the practices being used in a vineyard. A rela- tively recent development is the interest by some to measure the outcomes of the use of sustain- able practices through metrics, such as the amount of water, nitrogen and fuel used to produce a ton of grapes. The approach is to establish a benchmark for each metric and then measure change over time so one knows if prac- tices have improved sustainable performance or not. I am hoping this trend continues, and I recommend that growers start using these met- rics to assess vineyard performance and efficacy of their sustainable farming programs. There has been a significant increase in interest and participation in sustainable viti- culture programs in the last 20 years. Initially the programs focused on growers self-assessing their practices. The idea started in California, resulting eventually in three regional and one statewide program, and it quickly spread to Washington and New York. Some have evolved into certification programs so that sustainabil- ity claims can be made in the marketplace. There are now four programs in California encompassing more than 100,000 acres of certified vineyards; one program that straddles the border of Oregon and Washington; and one program on Long Island. I occasionally hear some growers say, "Talk to a 90-year-old farmer; now that is someone that is sustainable." Nevertheless, I feel that all of the changes I have discussed above have Improved spraying technology has helped more growers be sustainable. Let us help you Crush It! This is your year Bulk Wine & Grapes 415-209-Wine | www.TurrentineBrokerage.com