Delegates from the Paso Robles CAB Collective (PRCC) recently visited Bordeaux. They met with sustainability leaders to address challenges posed by climate change in cultivating Bordeaux varieties and to learn best practices from the historic French region.
‘With the changing climate in the world, it’s essential to share skills,’ said Marielle Cazaux, general manager and winemaker for La Conseillante, a historic, family-owned estate in Pomerol.
Different climates yet shared challenges
Despite the apparent differences between the regions – Bordeaux is wetter and prone to mildew, while Paso Robles often struggles with drought – both face the pressures of climate change. Even though the regions are quite different, ‘you can help each other find solutions because you’re coming at it from a completely different angle,’ said Caine Thompson, head of sustainability for O’Neil Vintners & Distillers and managing director of Robert Hall Winery. In Paso Robles, 39% of the approximately 16,000ha planted is Cabernet Sauvignon.
The PRCC was created to educate on the quality of Cabernet Sauvignon and red Bordeaux varieties grown in Paso Robles. The 29-member organisation is committed to sustainability, with all members either California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance certified or Sustainability in Practice (SIP) certified. From this visit, PRCC will report critical learnings and share actionable recommendations to members for implementing similar techniques and strategies in Paso Robles. ‘The idea is to put some of these learnings into action and create living case studies,’ said Thompson.
An opportunity for collaboration
This collaborative learning tour to Bordeaux, with visits to 15 châteaux, was an exploration of sustainability and a discussion on utilising regenerative farming to help combat mutual challenges in the light of climate change. PRCC members explored Bordeaux’s efforts in polyculture agroforestry systems within viticulture (viti-forestry), plus regenerative agricultural practices, including cover crops, dry farming, plot placement, pruning techniques and irrigation methods.
The impetus for the trip began with Thompson. In 2020, Robert Hall started a three-year trial of 17ha of regenerative viticulture compared to conventional control of 2ha as part of a regenerative organic conversion study. In that process, they conducted global regenerative research for like-minded growers and wineries with similar philosophies, including agroforestry, which was particularly interesting to Thompson. The research led him to Bordeaux, where over 75% of the vineyards are certified organic, biodynamic, or sustainable.
Agroforestry (viti-forestry as it is known in a vineyard) integrates trees and native plants into a farming system. Agroforestry involves planting around the boundaries of a vineyard, in corridors between vineyard rows, or planting within vineyards in a more randomised way. Thompson says that this intentional use of trees adds diversity and shade, allowing their roots to access water and nutrition deeper down into the soil profile. They help open cracks and crevices for the grapevine roots and create corridors for beneficial insects. They saw this in Bordeaux at Château Haut-Bages Libéral and Château Cheval Blanc.
Starting from this autumn, Robert Hall will establish the first inter-planted vitiforestry system in the US. ‘This is a revert to traditional farming methods to add diversity to help mitigate climate change through this poly system approach,’ said Thompson. The goal is for this to become a key study for vitiforestry in Paso Robles broadly and then expand that into their newly acquired Ram’s Gate property in Sonoma.
Château Cheval Blanc’s regenerative vineyard with espalier apples. Credit: Linda Sanpei
Facing the future
The very thread that connects the two regions, the shared Bordeaux varieties, may be the thing that separates them. With the Conseil Interprofessionnel du Vin de Bordeaux (CIVB) approving the use of six new varieties in 2021, Paso Robles could also diversify its plantings as a response to climate change and seek grapes that are more drought-tolerant and heat-resistant. Those six varieties in Bordeaux were explicitly chosen for their naturally high acidity, intense aromatics, and good resistance to mildew and grey rot. Without regional planting restrictions in the US, this process will be more subtle and slow-moving than in Bordeaux. Still, it is on growers’ minds in Paso Robles and throughout California.
Further collaboration opportunities were identified. In 2017, the International Viticulture and Enology Society (IVES) was created to promote the dissemination of free research results in Open access to scientists and wine producers. IVES partners and members include UC Davis, Fresno State University, Institut des Sciences de la Vigne et du Vin (ISVV), Napa Valley Vintners, and 40+ wineries worldwide.
‘That would be an excellent opportunity to meet the Paso Robles CAB collective during the IVES science meeting and a great way to inform Paso Robles growers about the latest research results,’ said Cornelis van Leeuwen, professor of viticulture at Bordeaux Sciences Agro and Bordeaux University’s Institut des Sciences de la Vigne et du Vin.
This group of Bordeaux producers may visit Paso Robles to reciprocate the information sharing. ‘Paso looks to be very collaborative and dynamic. I would love to go to Paso Robles with a group of French producers and reciprocate their learnings,’ said Cazaux.
Doug Filipponi, co-owner and chief operating officer for Ancient Peaks Winery and the current president of PRCC, affirmed: ‘We would love to host them here in Paso Robles to allow us the same opportunity for hospitality.’