Show Notes
Rising temperatures and erratic weather accelerate ripening, spread disease faster, and shift sugar, alcohol, and acidity levels. All of which threaten wine quality and style.
At Geisenheim University, Dr. Manfred Stoll is testing "vitivoltaics": semi-transparent, trackable solar panels installed above vines. The system moderates heat, radiation, and extreme weather, while improving young vine establishment and water infiltration. Beyond the vineyard, this renewable energy can power everything from irrigation pumps to EV charging stations for wine tasting guests.
Resources:
281: How Rootstock Impacts Vine Drought Tolerance and Longevity 283: Developing Cold-Hardy Grapes with 23andMe Technology Agrivoltaics in the Vineyard Agrivoltaics in wine growing areas Are These Smart Solar Panels the Future of Sustainable Vineyards? Assessing the economic performance of agrivoltaic systems in vineyards - framework development, simulated scenarios and directions for future research Grape Growth and Berry Development Under the Agrivoltaic System in Vineyards Manfred Stoll Soaking Up the Sun: Agrivoltaics Build Resiliency into Producers' Operations in Rio Grande Valley
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More from 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:
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 robotics can tackle vineyard tasks, how cameras and sensors feed AI models to guide crop management, and how human-robot collaboration reduces labor, input costs, and resource use.
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.
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 weed populations, and affected costs. Jim discusses the real-world tradeoffs of building soil health and the opportunities it creates to improve fruit quality.