In the era of climate change, wineries are increasingly asked to demonstrate their commitment to notions of sustainability. Show a label, badge, or certification of your fealty to responsible viticulture and winemaking, and the market, particularly the market of younger wine consumers, might reward you and your wines with robust sales. That’s one idea behind certifications like LIVE, Sustainable WA, Napa Green, organic grape growing, Demeter Biodynamic, and many more.
But consider for a moment the small vineyard owner: sustainability isn’t a new or modern goal. It’s always been the purpose. Farmers grow what they grow because they hope to sell it at a profit and to keep farming. If they spray something on their vines, it’s because they believe it’s the only way to keep the plants alive. Though you will have to forgive the generalization, small farmers don’t casually choose unsustainable practices like excessive chemical and pesticide use; some massive operators might do that, especially when they don’t live next door to their fields.
In truth, most sprays are fairly benign or at least have only temporary effects. Since the late 19th century, the preferred application in vineyards has been sulfur (a natural element) to combat two kinds of mildew. Until recently, copper was often added as well. Copper may well be natural too, but it’s also toxic in small quantities and, unlike sulfur, will linger long in the soils. Today, in places like Champagne and Bordeaux, there is a reckoning due for all the copper that has been spread for the last 150 years.
Fortunately, in US vineyards, copper is not a mainstay, though sulfur has been and remains so. No one has yet found a great substitute for sulfur; that Cabernet or Chardonnay you like so much exists because a small amount of sulfur was used to grow it and probably to make it as well. Miniscule sulfur additions underpin all but a few wines, helping them last a long time in your cellar. Let me state for the record that sulfur in wine is not an allergen. People have reactions to wine for several reasons but very rarely because of sulfur. If you think you’re allergic to the sulfur in wine, then you’d better throw away those frozen meals and vegetables—they contain far greater amounts of sulfur.
Today, some of the grapevines grown in the Midwest seem to be providing an alternative; many are naturally resistant to mildew. While many of these grapevines are foolishly forbidden in Europe, breeders there are creating new (and legal) vines by crossing, say, Villard, Bacchus, and Vidal Blanc (these have created Villaris and Felicia grapevines). These new grapes fall under the German term pilzwiderstandsfähige reben or its unfortunate moniker PiWi, with the even more unfortunate pronunciation of “pee-wee.” This simply means the grapes are fungus resistant.
These new varieties are allowing people to use fewer sprays in their vineyards, which means less sulfur and no copper. That’s a noble pursuit but one that merely reflects the fact that nobody adds anything to wine if they can help it. Missouri vines are part of this crucial work. Our Vidal Blanc, Seyval Blanc, Vignoles, and others are helping move the wine world away from harmful sprays and additives. That’s work I’m sure Missourians will support and, well, sustain.
Doug Frost is both a Master of Wine and Master Sommelier, one of only three in the world to achieve both titles. He lives in Kansas City.
This article was originally published in the June 2024 edition of Missouri Life.
