Are you bundling up for winter? So are our grapes! To help our grapes endure the chilly season, we wrap them in cozy geotextiles, ensuring they stay warm and protected until spring.
Geotextiles are a synthetic material designed to provide vital first protection for grapevines, sort of like a blanket! By increasing the air temperature within the tent-like structure, geotextiles shield delicate fruit buds from frost damage, ensuring a healthier crop. We pioneered geotextiles in BC, which we currently use at our Keremeos vineyard located in the Similkameen Valley, which lies on the southwest edge of the Thompson Okanagan.
Without geotextiles, an alternative method involves growing vines very low to the ground and covering the entire plant with soil for winter protection. However, this approach presents challenges, as the proximity to the soil makes vine management more labour-intensive and increases the risk of diseases like mildew and Botrytis (mould). Using geotextiles eliminates the need for annual soil tilling1 to cover the grapevines before winter. This not only simplifies vineyard maintenance but also supports healthier, more sustainable growing practices.
Our long-term environmental sustainability goals focus on reducing our carbon footprint and enhancing biodiversity in the soil and across the vineyard. The key to achieving these goals is limiting tilling operations and cultivating healthy cover crops. The use of geotextiles allow us to preserve our diverse grape portfolio while maintaining un-tilled soil. By storing carbon in the soil rather than releasing it through tilling, we enrich the soil ecosystem, fostering a thriving, sustainable environment that benefits both our vineyard and the planet. This approach is not only environmentally responsible and in line with our commitment to certified organic grape growing, it also improves our fruit and wine quality.
During the winter of 2022/23, we used geotextiles to cover approximately 6 acres of Gamay, Pinot Noir, and Riesling vines. This year, we’re significantly expanding our geotextile coverage to around 16 acres- nearly 15% of our total planted vineyard area. The varieties we’re protecting this winter include Cabernet Franc, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Gamay.
1: Till/ tilling: the method of loosening the soil before planting, it is done by plowing, sowing and raising crops on or in. It is important to mix the organic matter into your soil, help control weeds, break up crusted soil, or loosen up a small area for planting.
