Leading Mendocino County winery has partnered with Agrology to monitor vineyard microbial activity and showcase soil health outcomes from regenerative and organic farming practices.
HOPLAND, Calif., Oct. 7, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — Bonterra Organic Estates, the largest Regenerative Organic Certified® winery in the U.S., continues to advocate for the advancement of regenerative viticulture by sharing data that showcases how their farming practices enhance soil health. The California-based winery utilizes Agrology‘s advanced soil and carbon monitoring technology to gather unprecedented real-time insights into the climate-smart impacts of its regenerative farming methods.
“In wine, the soil is our story and we now have deeper insights into how our viticulture practices are actually impacting the long-term legacy of that story,” said Joseph Brinkley, Senior Director of Regenerative Organic Development at Bonterra Organic Estates. “For many decades, we’ve recognized the significant benefits of regenerative and organic farming practices for the health and vitality of our vineyards. Having real-time data to validate these benefits and guide our future actions is transformative.”
Since spring 2024, Bonterra has been using Agrology’s technology to monitor soil health and carbon in its Mendocino County vineyards. The winery will continue building a data baseline through 2025, allowing it to track improvements in soil respiration and overall health on a monthly and yearly basis while comparing the effects of different viticulture practices. Agrology’s system measures soil microbial activity, moisture and soil carbon providing growers with real-time insights into the biological life of the soil—crucial for maintaining a healthy vineyard ecosystem and addressing climate change.
METHOD AND TOP-LINE RESULTS
Agrology sensors monitor soil microbial activity and function through the lens of soil respiration. Measuring the total amount of this CO2 respiration indicates the total amount of biological activity in the soil, and has been used for more than 50 years by researchers and academics to assess and quantify soil health. As soil microbes go about their lives—digesting organic matter, cycling nutrients, and building soil structure—they exhale carbon dioxide, just as humans do. The more active the microbes, the higher the soil respiration, indicating healthier, more biologically active soil. Bonterra has deployed Agrology sensors in several of its iconic vineyards in Mendocino County. Data collected is being referenced against a nearby vineyard that uses general sustainable (but not organic or regenerative) farming practices.
In the highest performing Bonterra vineyard, Blue Heron, the average soil respiration was nearly triple that of the reference vineyard, indicating a three-fold increase in microbial activity thanks to Bonterra’s regenerative program. This increased biological activity, measured from mid-May to early September 2024, contributes to a variety of positive ecological impacts such as improved nutrient cycling (leading to increased vine health), improved water holding capacity, better soil structure and aggregate formation, as well as better pest and disease resistance.
Other measured results from the same timeframe include:
- Greater Total Soil Respiration in regenerative vineyards – This measures the overall soil respiration for the season so far, which is a key indicator of microbial activity.
- Across five Bonterra vineyards, the average Cumulative Soil Respiration value was 182.82 g/m² or 74.54% greater than that of the reference vineyard (104.74 g/m²).
- Bonterra’s Blue Heron vineyard was 360.870 g/m² or approximately 244.53% better than the reference vineyard Cumulative Soil Respiration value.
- Improved Average Soil Microbial Biomass Carbon in regenerative vineyards –This measures the carbon stored in the soil’s living microbes, including bacteria, fungi, and other microorganisms, which are crucial for soil structure and nutrient cycling.
- The average Soil Microbial Biomass Carbon across Bonterra’s five vineyards was 390.84 mgC/kg or 6.35% greater than that of the reference vineyard (367.490 mgC/kg).
- In Bonterra’s Blue Heron vineyard, the average Soil Microbial Biomass Carbon was 452.804 mgC/kg or approximately 23.22% better than the reference vineyard.
“Bonterra’s commitment to regenerative organic practices has set the standard in the wine industry,” said Adam Koeppel, CEO of Agrology. “Healthier soils respire more CO2, cycle nutrients more efficiently, and foster a thriving ecosystem. We look forward to supporting their ongoing efforts to enhance soil health and biological function, as well as drive improvements in vine health, wine quality, and making an overall positive impact on the climate.”
Bonterra’s pioneering leadership in the wine industry is well established, with certifications including Regenerative Organic Certified®, TRUE Zero Waste and B Corp. By harnessing the Agrology platform, the winery is further elevating its commitment to environmental stewardship. Agrology’s sensors continuously monitor ecosystem outcomes and growing conditions, enabling Bonterra to experiment with different practices and refine its regenerative strategies such as cover cropping, sheep grazing, compost application, reduced/no tillage and planting for biodiversity. Each of these methods plays a crucial role in enhancing farm, fruit, and soil health while building resilience against climate change.
JOIN BONTERRA ON OCTOBER 30
Bonterra Organic Estates and Agrology will host a webinar on Wednesday, October 30th @10am PST titled, “The Ecological and Business Outcomes of Quantifying & Building Soil Health.” This discussion will explore how measuring soil microbial activity and overall ecosystem health can inform the impact of a regenerative program in terms of ecological and business outcomes. Attendees will learn first hand from Joseph Brinkley, one of the leading experts in regenerative viticulture. This webinar is free to attend and interested parties can register here.
ABOUT BONTERRA ORGANIC ESTATES
The United States’ largest Regenerative Organic Certified® winery, Bonterra Organic Estates is an award-winning purveyor of multi-origin wines, selling in over 50 countries worldwide. Founded by Barney Fetzer in Mendocino County, CA, in 1968 as Fetzer Vineyards, and today part of global powerhouse Viña Concha y Toro, Bonterra Organic Estates continues to lead with a commitment to excellence, innovation, and environmental stewardship. With a focus on crafting wines made from organic and Regenerative Organic Certified grapes, Bonterra Organic Estates is a leading U.S. marketer of wines and the nation’s primary importer of South American wines. As a B Corp certified company, Bonterra Organic Estates is grounded in the transformational goals of regenerative business. For more information about Bonterra Organic Estates and its commitment to sustainability, visit bonterra.com.
ABOUT AGROLOGY
Agrology is a leading agricultural technology company, a National Science Foundation award recipient, and a Public Benefit Corporation dedicated to providing real-time data that helps growers directly measure the ecological and agronomic impacts of their regenerative farming practices and microclimate. Agrology monitors soil health, microbial activity, the carbon cycle, nitrous oxide emissions and a comprehensive agronomic dataset, empowering growers to monitor and predict growing conditions, as well as measure and link regenerative or sustainable practices to ground-truth GHG reductions and ecological impacts. Trusted by top growers, researchers, and global CPG brands, Agrology has offices in Alexandria, Virginia, and Salinas, California. Discover more at Agrology.ag.
