Farming at Barowsky Disesa Vineyards

At Barowsky Disesa Vineyards (BDV) we are often asked about our farming methods.  There are many ways to farm a vineyard.  We think it’s important that the different types of practices are easily defined.  They are often confused, rightfully so, and all serve different purposes and achieve different results.  Sometimes vineyards even use multiple methods and overlapping styles.  Examples of some of the more common methods are Dry Farming, Sustainable Farming, Fish Friendly Farming, Organic Farming and Biodynamic Farming.  

Dry Farming or Dryland Farming is interesting because, in some areas around the world, vineyards have no choice but to farm this way.  This works by only allowing the water from nature to water the vineyard. Meaning, no irrigation, ever.  In some of the most popular viticultural areas in Europe, it is sometimes mandatory to farm this way. The areas known as the “5 B’s” Bordeaux, Burgundy, Brunello, Barolo and Barbaresco are all required to Dryland Farm.  It is important to note that these areas are often areas that get enough natural rainfall.  And more importantly, the origin of Dryland Farming regulation came not with the result of creating the best quality fruit, but to prevent farmers from irrigating the vineyards right before harvest to increase the weight of their fruit.  In most areas around the world, grapes are sold by metric weight.  More water in the fruit means heavier fruit with leads to a bigger payout.  Often it is not always the amount of rain that naturally falls, but when it falls that impacts the vineyard the most, so irrigating has become a tool to help vineyards obtain the best quality fruit.  

Organic and Biodynamic Farming are two methods which are most frequently confused, and are often interchanged, but they are different.  This could be because of the popular resurgence of Natural Wines.  The first step in creating such a wine, is farming Organically and then the process continues in the winery.  We will get into Natural Wines, and other types of wine in the future, when we talk about production methods.  All Biodynamic farming is Organic but not all Organic Farming is Biodynamic.  As every square is a rectangle, but not every rectangle is a square.   I think explaining Organic Farming, in related terms to grape growing first, is important. 

Organic Farming methods vary slightly around the world and in different viticultural areas.  But the important concepts involve only using natural products to maintain the vines and the soil.  The fertilizers, nutrients, and plant protection products are all natural and chemical free.  There are no herbicides, genetically modified organisms or synthetic chemicals used during farming.  Maintaining a healthy vineyard with organic additives is what Organic Farming is trying to achieve.  With everything in life, there are pros and cons of farming this way, or everyone would be doing it.  It can be cost prohibitive.  It can also lead to certain diseases or growths that are not healthy for the vineyard and negatively affect grape quality.  But it is a healthy approach towards sustainable farming.  

Organic Farming in California is done under The California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF) is a USDA agency which certifies vineyards with an organic label if certain conditions are met and upheld.  These include, using only organic pesticides and fertilizers with strict recording of such, registration and fees paid to California and annual third-party inspections by a certifier of both record keeping and farming.  

Biodynamic farming takes organic farming a step further.   We like to describe this method as a philosophy more than a technique.  Not only do these vineyards farm under the strict guidelines of organic certifications there are some noticeable differences.  One might label these as metaphysical or spiritual.  They entail details such as, using home grown composting, following a calendar based on earth and cosmos patterns, and overall treating the vineyard as one entire living ecosystem.  Again, as in the following of organic farming practices we respect and admire the farms that choose this method for growing their vines.  

The farming methods described serve a purpose.  To be clear, at BDV we do not choose to strictly follow the above methods, and this is why.  Dry Farming for us is by all accounts, irrelevant.  We like to be able to control the amount of water the grapes get, and we have very little rainfall during the production season, so the vineyard is by all practical sense, farmed in a similar way.  We are always farming grapes to make the best quality and value focused wine.  We have over 13,000 vines planted on approximately eight acres of steep terrain.  It is a small vineyard focused on quality of fruit, and while the restrictions and ideas of farming biodynamically are very romantic, they are not practical for us.  That type of high-density planting would not be natural under any environment in nature so why pretend to present it as such.  With this in mind, we decided to obtain and follow what is known as the California Sustainable Winegrower Alliance (CCSW) and Fish Friendly Farming (FFF).    

These methods all have strict standards to obtain and upkeep and we respect all vineyards that have made the choice to do so.  We have found a less invasive, and more sustainable model at our vineyard which you often hear during wine tours.  We farm with organic intentions but are not certified.  This means we are aware that sometimes we need a specific fertilizer or spray which might not fall in the organic category but will benefit the health of our vineyard.  An appropriate analogy would be that we don’t limit the medications we could use to fight in an illness by only using homeopathic methods.  

The CCSW website says it best.  “Certified California Sustainable Winegrowing (CCSW) is a globally recognized and widely adopted certification program dedicated to producing quality wine grapes and wine while protecting the environment, people and businesses.”  This quick promotional video visually reinforces that statement: 

https://youtu.be/MCZQ3pt5b6o

The primary goal at BDV is to produce the highest quality fruit for our wines, while at the same time creating an environment that is healthy for the terroir of the vineyard and the people who farm it, all the while producing a wine that is of the highest quality value to our customers.  While there are many, many decisions that factor into what is poured into your glass from one of our bottles of wine, they all begin on the vineyard.  The health of the vineyard does not just encompass the vines or the soil.  Like the ambiguous definition of Terroir, we like to think of it as total sustainability.  For example becoming Fish Friendly Farming certified.  This is a sustainable program focused on restoring fish and wildlife habitats and improving water quality. True sustainability ensures that the grapes we grow will continue to produce wines for years to come.  We believe this not only produces the best quality of fruit for our wines, but is the best practice for our microclimate, the people who work there and the animals and organisms that survive there.  

This is our first letter outlining the differences of farming standards and their importance in wine production.  Throughout the season we will continue to explain more of the decisions and techniques we use in creating our wines.  Our goal is to become as transparent as possible so that when you pour a glass of our wine, you can enjoy it knowing all the decisions that go into it.