We’re delighted to share the dissertation that earned Ona Rombaut DipWSET the Penfolds EMEA Prize for the best D6 submission in the EMEA region, as part of her WSET Level 4 Diploma in Wines. Ona’s dissertation not only introduces the core concepts behind regenerative viticulture but also examines how producers are putting them into practice.
The bibliography can be found at the end of the piece.
Viticulture leverages the ecosystem’s resources to produce wine, its most valuable product, with a unique quality. Traditionally, vineyards supported soil conservation and biodiversity. However, the shift to intensive, industrial viticulture, characterised by heavy ploughing, fertilisers, and pesticide use, has resulted in highly eroded, carbon-depleted, and biologically impoverished vineyards that are more prone to pests and diseases. This soil degradation negatively impacts climate change, water quality, and plant production, prompting a move towards sustainable vineyard management practices such as minimum impact and regenerative viticulture.
Although the concept of regenerative agriculture has existed for some time, its application to viticulture has only gained prominence in recent years. Many practitioners have long employed similar methods under the umbrella of agroecology. Regenerative organic agriculture encompasses practices aimed at regenerating soil health and the entire farm ecosystem. Unlike mere sustainable or organic, regenerative agriculture offers systemic and exponential positive benefits to help mitigate climate change.
Regenerative viticulture is a farming approach that collaborates with nature to restore vineyard soils and biodiversity while reducing dependency on synthetic chemicals. This method can lead to improved plant nutrition, better grape berry quality, and the suppression of pathogens and pests in the vineyard. The three important pillars that must be balanced are planet, people, and profit, representing ecological, social, and economical aspects.
The aims of regenerative viticulture and how they're achieved
In general, regenerative viticulture aims to help grape growers worldwide take the next step in:
- improving the ecosystem
- enhancing vineyard soils
- increasing biodiversity
There is no one-size-fits-all approach; instead, it requires using a regenerative toolkit thoughtfully, tailored to the specific characteristics of each location, with emphasis on improvement.
In Figure 1, Ochoa-Hueso et al.2 outline the key aims of regenerative viticulture to cultivate a healthy vineyard, with a focus on implementing a circular economy and the integral role of the soils in agroecosystems, innovation while maintaining or improving profit margins for farmers and winemakers. This is in correlation with the objectives of the Regenerative Viticulture Foundation3 who want to unite practitioners, researchers, and leaders, demonstrating the benefits of biodiversity through scientific proof and practical examples, educating wine educators, raising awareness through events and talks and providing support and resources for wine producers interested in regenerative viticulture. These goals align with the principles of regenerative agriculture, focusing on increasing biodiversity, enhancing soil health through reduced disturbance and carbon sequestering, minimising chemical use and ensuring continuous soil cover with growing crops to reduce exposure.
The transition to a healthy vineyard, following the aims of regenerative viticulture as outlined by Ochoa-Hueso et al. GHG: greenhouse gases (Ochoa-Hueso et al., 2023).
The aims and achievements of regenerative viticulture are subdivided under the most important factors in viticulture.
The growing environment
As viticulture faces different issues in various countries, the aim is to understand the local climate when adopting a regenerative approach. This can be achieved by characterising the biodiversity and functioning of vineyards worldwide in their growing environment. Climate change is a significant and rising factor to consider in the growing environment. It can significantly impact the wine industry, affecting ecosystems, weather patterns, and biodiversity. It is essential to research and understand how these changes affect the known climate of wine-growing regions to adapt viticultural practices accordingly.
Vineyard establishment
It is important to establish the vineyard for maximum efficiency to obtain the desired quality of the grapes while minimising costs and reducing negative impacts on the vineyard. Important is site assessment and selection, soil preparation and quality, planting materials, and animal integration, while considering the site's biodiversity. By aligning with natural processes and local conditions, regenerative practices aim to transform vineyards into sustainable, self-regulating ecosystems.
How to achieve this:
Soil quality
In agricultural ecosystems, soil serves various roles including biodiversity support, nutrient supply, productivity enhancement, and water retention. Assessing soil quality involves identifying specific attributes that indicate its functional capacity and overall health. Vineyards managed under these strategies exhibit significantly higher organic carbon levels and support more soil invertebrates.
Decompaction
Soil compaction is a major form of land degradation that limits agricultural productivity. It is caused by factors such as high mechanical loads and tillage systems. It results in less nutrient and water uptake, and lower carbon assimilation Minimising soil compaction can be achieved by cover crops to maximise root growth and humus build-up, using equipment with even weight distribution, minimal footprint, and low tire pressure.
Soil cover and cover crops
Primarily legumes or grasses and diverse plant species are utilised. Cover crops offer multiple benefits such as reducing soil erosion, increasing soil organic matter and carbon sequestration, enhancing water retention, and fostering biodiversity. Subsequently, they reduce soil temperatures during heatwaves and as previously stated, reduce soil compaction. However, they can compete with grapevines for resources, potentially reducing yields. Choosing suitable species and managing timing and width are critical.
Animal integration
Integrating sheep into vineyard management offers multiple benefits, such as enhancing nutrient cycling, reducing herbicide use and improving soil health through organic matter recycling and carbon sequestration.
Agroforestry
Agroforestry4 systems are believed to potentially sequester more carbon than pastures or field crops, both above and below ground, because of their roots. They provide multiple benefits, including retaining water to prevent soil erosion during heavy rainfall, improving soil fertility, and serving as habitats for diverse wildlife and enhanced air and water quality.
Cover crops planted between vineyard rows
Managing nutrients and water
Managing vineyard fertility/nutrition, composting, monitoring soil health, regulating water use and tillage are crucial factors in regenerative practices.
Soil
Incorporating biological indicators along with physical and chemical metrics in soil monitoring programs is crucial for assessing agricultural sustainability impacts. Soil data interpretation, enhanced in-field measurements, and modelling of the soil–vine–water–atmosphere system, provides a comprehensive evaluation framework. The aim is to enhance SOM5, focus on minimising losses and actively add new organic matter. Adding compost boosts nutrients and soil structure, while mulching increases SOM, suppresses weeds, and lowers soil temperature.
Water
Water consumption in wineries varies by wine type, ranging from 1.4 to 4.0 litres per litre of wine, with the highest usage for red wine. Due to water scarcity, especially in certain regions, wineries are committed to efficient water management, often opting to close the water cycle.
Tillage
Tillage exposes soil to CO2 release and disrupts beneficial microbes and mycorrhizal relationships crucial for vine nutrient uptake. Minimising tillage is critical to preserve soil carbon, reduce compaction, sustain the soil microbiome and improve water and nutrient retention. Techniques such as mowing, crimping, and rolling are applied, often alternating between rows to foster pollinators and invertebrates.
Canopy management
Canopy management plays a crucial role in advancing regenerative agriculture within vineyards by aiming to achieve balance. This includes optimising light interception, minimising internal shading, ensuring even grape ripening through microclimate management, balancing vine vegetative and reproductive functions, facilitating vineyard operations, and improving air circulation to reduce disease risks.
Hazards, pests and diseases
Regenerative viticulture advocates minimising or eliminating gradually pesticide use in vineyards to enhance soil health and adopt a fully regenerative system. Each vineyard's transition stage dictates the balance between chemical and physical methods for sustainable practices.
- Herbicide use: Alternatives like direct planting into existing ground cover are being explored. Small-scale trials can inform long-term effectiveness.
- Fungal control: Effective disease prevention relies on canopy management to maximise sunlight and airflow around vines and fruit. Sunlight and air naturally combat fungi. Maintaining vineyard hygiene is also critical.
- Insecticide control: Insecticides pose challenges due to their non-selective impact on beneficial insects and environmental footprint. Integrated Pest Management (IPM) integrates diverse strategies such as biodiversity promotion with native plants and biological controls like mating disruption.
The way pesticides are applied can also have an impact on efficiency and use, for example, the formulation is a key factor.
Harvest
Harvest provides an opportunity to assess the success of regenerative farming methods in producing high-quality crops while minimising environmental impact. The goal is to find an optimal balance between the ripeness and health of grapes during harvest. This often involves making strategic decisions.
The commercial advantages and disadvantages of regenerative viticulture
Commercial advantages
Regenerative viticulture improves farmer livelihood by lowering costs, increasing crop yield and quality and boosting resilience against market fluctuations and extreme weather. It also introduces new income opportunities, such as carbon sequestration incentives. For wineries, it brings substantial benefits including improved market appeal, product quality, cost-effectiveness, and long-term sustainability. Transitioning to regenerative practices is not only ethical but also a strategic business move that can yield significant commercial advantages. The various commercial benefits that can positively impact wineries in terms of the 5 P's7, will be explored.
Product
By applying regenerative viticulture the quality of the wines improves and is guaranteed. Healthy, biologically active soils can produce higher-quality grapes, which in turn can lead to better wine.
The approach creates a more sustainable product which has a positive impact on our planet.
Certification labels identify the wine and show how it’s different from the competition. It can open new markets and provide access to premium pricing. The certification labels are rising, which we will further discuss in the disadvantages.
Price
For a wine from regenerative viticulture, premium to super premium prices are justified due to their perceived environmental and sustainability benefits and higher quality grapes.
Producing wine with this approach can lower input costs over time because there is no need for expensive chemical interventions, fertilisers, pesticides and water.
Employees are protected from chemicals, herbicides and pesticides, which will lead to lower healthcare costs in the end.
Vineyards managed regeneratively are more resilient to climatic extremes and pest pressures. Healthy ecosystems are better at withstanding droughts, floods, and disease outbreaks, reducing the risk of crop failure and associated financial losses.
Regenerative agriculture promises profitability, with a 2023 report suggesting initial investments close to $40 per acre could lead to a potential 120% increase in long-term profits. However, these projections are speculative due to agriculture's inherent variability. A 2018 study comparing regenerative and conventional corn farms in the Northern Plains revealed that regenerative farms achieved 78% higher profits, despite having an average yield 29% lower. This difference is attributed to regenerative farmers commanding higher crop prices and benefiting from investments in the regenerative farming label by public and private sectors.
Promotion
The sustainable reputation can be a USP, a Unique Selling Proposition. Wineries practising regenerative viticulture can leverage their commitment to sustainability to enhance their brand reputation and stand out. Consumers are increasingly conscious of environmental issues, and a winery that demonstrates genuine efforts to improve soil health, biodiversity, and ecosystem resilience can attract eco-conscious consumers.
The narrative around regenerative practices can be a powerful marketing tool. Sharing stories can create a compelling brand image that resonates with consumers.
Place
With a valuable story to tell, these wines are easy to sell in high-end wine bars or specialised wine stores.
People
Without the use of chemicals, it’s a much healthier work environment for everyone involved in viticulture.
Practices that enhance local biodiversity and ecosystem services can foster goodwill in the community. It can build stronger relationships with neighbours, local governments, and conservation organisations. Everybody goes for the same goals.
Commercial disadvantages
While regenerative viticulture presents numerous benefits, there are also several commercial disadvantages that wineries must consider. These challenges could impact the profitability of the company. For wineries contemplating this transition, a thorough cost-benefit analysis and strategic planning are essential to mitigate these challenges and ensure long-term success.
Product
The term ‘regenerative viticulture’ is not protected at the moment. This can be confusing for the consumer. What differs this approach from biological, biodynamic or natural winemaking?
The concept of certification is closely linked to term protection. Currently, there are five different certifying bodies each with distinct standards. Consolidating these under a single 'regenerative' label could enhance clarity for consumers.
The current certifying bodies are:
- The Regenerative Organic Alliance: Introduce a groundbreaking certification encompassing food, textiles, and personal care ingredients, offering bronze, silver, or gold certificates.
- Rodale institute: Pioneered the regenerative agriculture movement, creating the first certification program standardising regenerative farming techniques.
- The Regenerative Viticulture Alliance (RVA): The sole organisation dedicated specifically to viticulture. The RVA certifies wines rather than grapes.
- A Greener World: Defines regenerative agriculture as a series of deliberate farming practices. They awarded certification to the first vineyard in France.
- Regenified: Recognizes farms, ranches, forests, and producers committed to the growth of regenerative agriculture and the adoption of certified products).
Most of these organisations only certified their first vineyard in 2023. Obtaining certifications is often expensive and time-consuming, requiring extensive documentation, inspections, and adherence to strict standards, which can be particularly challenging for small and medium-sized wineries.
This brand-new approach is still evolving constantly. Changes in regulations can create uncertainty and may require wineries to adapt their practices which causes additional administrative burdens.
Price
Regenerative viticulture is a more resource intensive process of winemaking which makes the final wine more expensive. Price-sensitive consumers may not have the willingness to pay a premium price. This can limit market reach and affect overall sales volumes.
The initial implementation of regenerative practices can demand significant investments in infrastructure, training, and adjustments, affecting short-term profitability, particularly for smaller wineries with limited financial resources.
When a winery is in transition to regenerative agriculture, yields may fluctuate or decrease, as stated in price advantages. Until soil health and ecosystem balance are restored, this can affect revenue stability for a certain period. This period of lower productivity can affect the winery's income and profitability during the transition.
Promotion
It can be difficult to promote the wines because of the lack of a clear definition.
Place
Producing wine on a large scale is challenging due to its higher land requirements, making mass production difficult and limiting its availability in supermarkets.
People
As farmers will need to acquire new knowledge and skills, this will take time. This need for specialised knowledge can increase labour costs and create challenges in finding skilled personnel.
Regenerative viticulture is time-consuming. Transitioning from conventional methods requires significant time and effort.
This approach requires planning and extensive organisation which can make their adoption challenging.
Price-sensitive consumers may not have the willingness to pay a premium price for these wines.
The future of regenerative viticulture
Viticulture is facing huge challenges today. According to the Regenerative Viticulture Foundation, less than 20% of vineyards globally are part of a sustainability scheme, with only 6% certified organic and less than 1% certified biodynamic. In this context, the state of regenerative viticulture is still embryonic by comparison. Yet, the level of interest in this approach around the world is growing exponentially.
Regenerative farming represents a transformative approach to viticulture, emphasising a holistic approach to grape growing that considers the economic, social, and environmental impacts. It offers numerous long-term benefits such as reduced costs for farmers, minimal environmental footprint, and easier implementation in smaller vineyards, thereby improving yield quality and decreasing reliance on chemical inputs.
While initial implementation challenges like costs, learning curves, and the need for community and policy support exist, they are outweighed by long-term gains. Although certification remains a critical issue as the term is not protected, allowing its use in promoting wines without clear standards. Nevertheless, growing consumer demand for sustainable products is likely to expand the market. However, slow adoption persists due to perceived short-term commercial impracticality for farmers. Overcoming this barrier requires establishing standardised environmental metrics, creating markets that value carbon reduction, sharing transition costs, aligning governmental policies with regenerative goals, and fostering collaborative sourcing models. These initiatives are crucial for scaling up regenerative agriculture. Still, there is no recipe for regenerative viticulture. Rather, it’s about applying the toolkit in an intelligent way, considering all the different characteristics of the place.
The question arises if we need another sustainable approach on producing grapes for wine. Regenerative viticulture continues to gain the attention of fine wine producers and consumers. The difference lies in making soil health the central component of the approach. The emphasis on the soil, carbon sequestration and holistic focus should be applauded - mostly if objective standards are built into practices, including certification programs.
Nonetheless, the certification programs should be combined so every link can team up to achieve a strong multidisciplinary overarching organisation. It is important for winegrowers, researchers and policy makers to collaborate with others and discuss techniques and wines in detail. Governments and international bodies are likely to offer more incentives, grants, and certifications for regenerative practices. Providing financial and logistical support for wineries making the transition to help them grow, while maintaining or even improving, the profit margin for farmers and winemakers.
The future lies in a clear definition, objective standards, application of academic knowledge and conventions. Once people understand the positive impact wine farmers can have on climate and biodiversity they might start adopting a more regenerative approach to vineyard management. Wine lovers are becoming more conscious of what they drink. All this suggests that consumers can increase demand for regenerative viticulture. The concept and benefits as discussed in this paper are gaining traction, and must be perceived as becoming mainstream rather than marginal. So overall, the future is bright, with significant potential to redefine the wine industry.
Our thanks to Ona Rombaut DipWSET for sharing this dissertation with us, which earned her the Penfolds prize as the top performer in the D6 module Level 4 Diploma in Wines. Ona is a sommelier from Ghent, and together with her husband, Arne Braeckman DipWSET, own two wine bars in the city.
Bibliography
About US- Global Initiative of Sustainable Agriculture and Environment. (2023, September 14). Global Initiative of Sustainable Agriculture and Environment. Retrieved June 22, 2024, from https://www.globalsustainableagriculture.org/about-us/
A Greener World. (2024, March 14). Find certified sustainable farms and products near you. Retrieved June 27, 2024, from https://agreenerworld.org/
Amtec. (2022, December 20). The Pros and Cons of Regenerative Agriculture. The Pros and Cons of Regenerative Agriculture. Retrieved June 16, 2024, from https://amtec-group.com/blog/the-pros-and-cons-of-regenerative-agriculture
Andrés, P., Doblas-Miranda, E., Silva-Sánchez, A., Mattana, S., & Font, F. (2022). Physical, Chemical, and Biological Indicators of Soil Quality in Mediterranean Vineyards under Contrasting Farming Schemes. Agronomy, 12(11), 2643.
Antle, J. M., Stoorvogel, J. J., & Valdivia, R. O. (2007). Assessing the economic impacts of agricultural carbon sequestration: Terraces and agroforestry in the Peruvian Andes. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment, 122(4), 435–445.
Brunori, E., Farina, R., & Biasi, R. (2016). Sustainable viticulture: The carbon-sink function of the vineyard agro-ecosystem. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment, 223, 10–21.
Cataldo, E., Fucile, M., & Mattii, G. B. (2021). A review: Soil management, sustainable strategies and approaches to improve the quality of modern viticulture. Agronomy, 11(11), 2359.
CFI Team. (2024, July 3). 5 p’s of marketing. Corporate Finance Institute. Retrieved June 6, 2024, from https://corporatefinanceinstitute.com/resources/management/5-ps-marketing/
Co-formulants in pesticides. (2023, May 19). PAN Europe. Retrieved June 17, 2024, from https://www.pan-europe.info/eu-legislation/co-formulants-pesticides
Dick, M. (2019, January 24). Minimizing harvest losses under wet conditions- Top Crop Manager. Top Crop Manager. https://www.topcropmanager.com/minimizing-harvest-losses-under-wet-conditions-20821/1418002840
FAO Climate | Climate change | Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. (n.d.). ClimateChange. Retrieved June 19, 2024, from https://www.fao.org/climate-change/en
Familia Torres | Familia Torres. (2024). Retrieved June 7, 2024, from https://www.torres.es/en/wines/familia-torres
Goode, J. (2022). Regenerative Viticulture.
How to write a unique selling proposition. (2024). Wine Australia. Retrieved June 14, 2024, from https://www.wineaustralia.com/selling/export-ready-hub/how-to-write-a-uniqueselling-proposition
Integrated Pest Management (IPM). (2024). Food Safety. Retrieved June 17, 2024, from https://food.ec.europa.eu/plants/pesticides/sustainable-use-pesticides/integrated-pest-management-ipm_en
Kiss The Ground Documentary Film. (2022, May 31). Kiss the Ground Film | Official website. Kiss the Ground Film. Retrieved June 16, 2024, from https://kissthegroundmovie.com/
Mishler, J. (2023, September 25). The promises and pitfalls of regenerative agriculture, explained. Sentient. Retrieved June 23, 2024, from https://sentientmedia.org/regenerative-agriculture/
Nair, P. K. R., Kumar, B. M., & Nair, V. D. (2009). Agroforestry as a strategy for carbon sequestration. Journal of Plant Nutrition and Soil Science, 172(1), 10–23.
Ochoa‐Hueso, R., Cantos‐Villar, E., Puertas, B., Del Rio, J. F. A., Belda, I., Delgado‐Baquerizo, M., Fernández, V., Gallardo, A., García‐Morales, J. L., Garde‐Cerdán, T., Gonzaga‐Santesteban, L., Lazcano, C., Liberal, I. M., Serrano‐Grijalva, L., Tortosa, G., & Casimiro‐Soriguer, R. (2023). Nature‐based strategies to regenerate the functioning and biodiversity of vineyards. Journal of Sustainable Agriculture and Environment, 3(1). 15 18002840
Oliveira, M., Saraiva, A., Lambri, M., Rochard, J., Fragoso, R., Romanini, E., Hipólito, P., Ettore, C., & Duarte, E. (2022). Water management toward regenerative wineries. In Elsevier eBooks (pp. 201–219). Percival, G. C., Graham, S., & Franklin, E. (2023). The influence of soil decompaction and amendments on soil quality. Arboriculture & Urban Forestry, 49(4), 179–189.
Pickard, C. (2021, October 18). Viticulturist Mimi Casteel on her “No-Till” farming approach to combat climate change. Wine Enthusiast. Retrieved June 25, 2024, from https://www.wineenthusiast.com/culture/wine/mimi-casteel-farming-viticulture-interview/
Regenerative Agriculture. (2024). Chesapeake Bay Foundation. Retrieved June 10, 2024, from https://www.cbf.org/issues/agriculture/regenerative-agriculture.html
Regenerative Agriculture Certification | Regenified. (2024, April 11). Regenified. Retrieved June 27, 2024, from https://regenified.com/
Regenerative Organic Certified. (2023, May 11). Why Regenerative organic?Regenerative Organic certified. Retrieved June 6, 2024, from https://regenorganic.org/why-regenerative-organic/
Regenerative Viticulture Association. (2024). Regenerative Viticulture Association. Retrieved June 28, 2024, from https://www.viticulturaregenerativa.org/en
Robinson, D. M. (2023). From sustainability to regeneration: The role of wine tourism in building back better wine regions. In Handbook of research on sustainability challenges in the wine industry (pp. 32-52). IGI Global.
Rodale Institute. (2018, November 12). A scientist shares insights and tips for managing compost piles- Rodale Institute. Retrieved June 18, 2024, from https://rodaleinstitute.org/science/articles/a-scientist-shares-insights-and-tips-for-managing-compost-piles/
Rodale Institute. (2024, May 2). Rodale Institute- Global leaders in Organic Agriculture research. Retrieved June 28, 2024, from https://rodaleinstitute.org/
Shah, A. N., Tanveer, M., Shahzad, B., Yang, G., Fahad, S., Ali, S., Bukhari, M. A., Tung, S. A., Hafeez, A., & Souliyanonh, B. (2017). Soil compaction effects on soil health and cropproductivity: an overview. Environmental Science and Pollution Research International, 24(11), 10056–10067.
SOIL FOODWEB SCHOOL. (2024, July 2). Dr. Elaine’s TM Soil Food Web SchoolRegenerating Soil- Regenerative Agriculture courses. Soil Food Web SchoolRegenerating Soil. https://www.soilfoodweb.com/
The Australian Wine Research Institute. (2023, January 17). Non-chemical weed management- The Australian Wine Research Institute. Retrieved June 17, 2024, from https://www.awri.com.au/industry_support/viticulture/weed-management/non-chemical-weed-management/
The Regenerative Viticulture Foundation. Retrieved June 6, 2024, from https://www.regenerativeviticulture.org
Torres, J. L. R., Júnior, A. L. B. L., Barreto, A. C., Carvalho, F. J., De Assis, R. L., Loss, A., Lemes, E. M., & Da Silva Vieira, D. M. (2022). Mechanical and biological soil decompaction for No-Tillage maize production. Agronomy, 12(10), 2310.
Villat, J. (2021). Down to earth: Identifying and promoting regenerative viticulture practices for soil and human health (Master's thesis, Harvard University).
Visconti, F., López, R., & Olego, M. Á. (2024). The Health of Vineyard Soils: Towards a Sustainable Viticulture. Horticulturae, 10(2), 154.
What is Regenerative Viticulture, Is it Important, and What Does it Mean? (2024). COMMUNICATING EFFECTIVELY ABOUT WINE. Retrieved June 10, 2024, from https://www.charlieleary.com/leary_wiine_blog/what-is-regenerative-viticulture-is-it-important-and-what-does-it-mean
Wine & Spirit Education Trust, 2023. D1: Wine production. London: Wine and Spirit Education Trust.
Wuorenma, S. (2024, April 16). A new vintage. A Greener World. Retrieved June 10, 2024, from https://agreenerworld.org/regenerative/a-new-vintage/
5 benefits of regenerative agriculture– and 5 ways to scale it. (2023, January 11). World Economic Forum. Retrieved June 23, from https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2023/01/5-ways-to-scale-regenerative-agricu lture-davos23/
