Sustainable Winegrowing

Spring Mountain VineyardSpring Mountain Vineyard has been a sustainable wine estate since 1992 when it came under new ownership and direction.

Sustainable winegrowing has been a matter of course at Spring Mountain Vineyard from day one, not something adopted because it became fashionable to do so. From the beginning, responsible stewardship has been a primary goal in our vineyards.

Spring Mountain Vineyard is an 845 acre footprint with 225 acres of vineyard located near forests, streams and a diverse and thriving animal habitat. Its steep elevations and varied terrain present challenges that we have met using a variety of sustainable methods that not only preserve the land and the eco-system, but enhance vine health and wine quality.

The most common sustainable winegrowing practices include avoiding herbicides and insecticides and embracing natural, biologically-based regimens. One such regimen is the building of bird houses to provide habitat for bluebirds that eat blue-green sharpshooters, a destructive vineyard pest. The successful work of the bluebird population means no pesticides are used in the vineyard.

Another successful sustainable practice is used In the Spring, when a peaceful flock of sheep grazes on grasses between the vine rows. Their industrious work means no herbicides or machine intervention is needed.

We have developed and practice a variety of sustainable winegrowing methods. We never cease looking for environmentally friendly solutions in the vineyard as well as the winery and landscape.

The goal of sustainability is to avoid depleting the long-term health of the land and environment for short-term gain. We believe this is the only environmentally responsible choice. It requires ingenuity, dedication and the curiosity to find alternate solutions to the ongoing issues of farming a challenging and diverse wine estate like Spring Mountain Vineyard.  We have learned that it is indeed possible, as well as economically feasible.