Top five regenerative viticulture transition techniques

Regenerative viticulture techniques can be an effective approach to support the long-term health and performance of your vineyard, which will also save on reactive expenditure required for disease prevention and nutrition.

With any change, however, there can be some apprehension and concern about the upfront costs, the time it takes for results to take effect or the confidence to know if you are doing it right. The decision to trial unconventional methods can be a nervous time for owners and vineyard managers.

The important thing to remember is regenerative viticulture is a transitionary practice.

“It’s better to take time to make changes gradually and in a way which works in unison with the site and its specific attributes.

The aim is to build soil health and resilience across the site, which can improve the overall performance of grapevines, and to do this in a cost-effective way.”

Soil health assessment

The first step is to understand the current state of your soil. You want to know how much your soil is retaining moisture, how much life is in the soil and if the soil is rich in nutrients. This will determine what you do next. I suggest digging soil pits in various locations across the site. Initially sending the soil off for analysis will provide a benchmark for ongoing analysis.

Analysing soil health can also be done by developing key metrics to be done by hand and sight – counting earthworms, measuring root depth, conducting slake tests by submerging soil in water and assessing the rhizosphere in soil. These tests will give you the data to measure the impact of the changes you make in the vineyard. Soil health assessments have become an invaluable tool for the team going forward.

Ground cover

One of the first actions which can begin to build soil health, is by reducing soil exposure. Planting cover crops can deliver nutritional benefits as well as prevent soil erosion. But grass coverage is also helpful to protect soil health and structure. The data collected from soil assessments can provide insights into cover crops to plant.

Legumes can support the nitrogen levels in the soil; flowering plants can attract companion insects and radish plants, for example can loosen up soil and improve structure. The right selection is best based on your soil health assessment. The use of cover crops as well as mulch or other ground covers align with a no-till approach to viticulture. Soil cover improves moisture management, nutritional properties and can improve carbon sequestration.

Organic nutrition

There are various forms of organic nutrition. One of the most vital and effective forms is compost. The end goal of regenerative viticulture is to reduce and eventually remove all chemical or disruptive mechanical interventions.

Spreading good quality compost under vine delivers organic nutrients and live populations of protozoa, nematodes and other diverse organisms to the vineyard. Studies have shown organic additions can reduce the risk of pathogens and improve vine resistance. Mulch and cover crops similarly bring protective qualities and contribute to resilient natural processes to improve vineyard performance.

Ecosystem design

Nature can prove more resilient than industrial processes have led us to believe. Advances in agroforestry have revealed how diversifying agriculture can improve both the quality of food produced and the local environment. Assessing the natural flora and fauna and companion farming opportunities available to suit your site can deliver significant benefits.

This option can involve some financial outlay initially but pay off by diversifying your income while also supporting the ecosystem to deliver productive outcomes to your vineyard. At Vinescapes, we have worked with clients to integrate woodlands, fruit orchards, animal grazing, indigenous plants and wildlife into the design and scale of vineyards. While monocultures are more susceptible to pests and disease, viticulture which works with the local ecosystem, can be more dynamic and productive.

Animal integration

The use of livestock or poultry in vineyards can reduce the time and cost of doing tasks like spreading fertiliser or managing pests. Sheep in the vineyard at specific times of the year can bring valuable nutrients and microbes, minimise grass or cover crop growth and aerate the soil. Ducks, geese, or guinea fowl similarly bring organic matter but also eat potential pests.

It is important to use the right animals to suit the vineyard and skills of the team to manage them correctly. It is also possible to contract grazing animals to support the vineyard without the responsibility of ongoing husbandry. This is one practice which might come later in your regenerative journey, but it is one which can bring substantial benefits to the soil, vines and site each season.

If you’d like to learn more about how regenerative viticulture can improve the performance, productivity and sustainability of your vineyard, Cameron Roucher is delivering a number of workshops this July and August.

Each workshop is designed for established vineyard staff and viticulturists. You can find out more here.

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