In a recent episode of the Oxford Wine & Spirits Podcast, Tony Chapman delves into the impact of regenerative viticulture on soil health, vine resilience, and the overall vineyard ecosystem. We did ourselves a favor and tuned in to learn more, zeroing in on the pros and cons of one key practice in regenerative farming: no-till cultivation.
Regenerative viticulture focuses on sustaining vineyard health by nurturing the entire ecosystem rather than seeking short-term gains. This approach, which is gaining momentum, tests various methods—such as cover cropping, reducing or eliminating tilling, and integrating compost and livestock at key parts of the cycle—with the goal to one day establish an ecosystem that will self-regulate.
Here we examine the case for saving the soil by putting down the plow.
What is soil tilling and why might it be done?
Tilling is the process of breaking up and turning over the top layer of soil to ready it for planting. It can help break up soil compaction, improve aeration, and allow water and nutrients to reach roots more easily. In spring, tilling can also warm the soil, reducing the risk of frost in the vineyard. Farmers will also use tilling to control weeds and mix in organic matter like compost, enhancing soil fertility.
The case for minimizing or eliminating tilling. A long-term vision.
Regenerative viticulture takes the perspective that while frequent tilling may offer short-term bursts of fertility, it ultimately results in more long-term damage than benefits.
Tilling disrupts the soil’s natural structure, distributing soil aggregates that disturb aeration and filtration. The process also exposes soil to erosion and disrupts the balance of beneficial microorganisms. These microbes, which are critical for nutrient cycling, are often killed during tilling, causing a quick burst of fertility as they decompose (part of the reason why short-sighted farming does tilling). But over time, this disrupts the soil ecosystem, leading to an imbalance in beneficial fungi and bacteria, which ultimately weakens the soil’s natural defenses and requires more intervention from farmers.
The Ultimate goal at Vannucci Vineyards: A self-sustaining vineyard
As Vannucci Vineyards evolves, our aim is to further implement these regenerative practices to establish a healthy biome with reduced need for human interventions. This Regenerative Viticulture approach aspires to think generationally, rather than adopting a short-sighted approach with quick enhancements. It will involve a continual focus on farming the whole system so that the cover crops and established ecosystem we’ve created will require little to no inputs. Instead, the nutrient cycling and soil food web built in this agricultural setting will supply the vines with everything that they need, from a macro and micronutrient level.
Rebuilding soil health takes time. This rebalancing won’t happen overnight, but rather through a series of calculated steps and careful monitoring. Tilling can and has been scaled back slowly over time as regenerative practices are integrated. The type of tool used for tilling, such as moving away from the disc plow to a spader, limits the amount of disruption since it doesn’t turn the entire top layer like tilling or plowing. In all instances, it should become much more targeted, such as reducing the amount of passes (1-2 per row) and increasing the gaps between till (3-5 years). Slowly but surely our regenerative focus is coming to life.
For a more nuanced, in-depth look at Regenerative Viticulture check out the full episode: Regenerative Viticulture with Anthony Chapman — Oxfords Wine & Spirits Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1mtQT3BtX4wJbVGoNAjsdC?si=b6bf76b63a314938