Excerpted from WINE ENTHUSIAST
by Matt Kettmann
“With a focus solely on Rhône whites, Acquiesce Winery is already an outlier in Lodi, the land of Big Zins. Now the brand is taking a regional lead in regenerative farming while their traditionally minded neighbors watch.
“A lot of eyes are on us, especially when they drive by and see a jungle of cover crops as opposed to nicely cleaned, tilled rows,” says Christina Lopez, a Sonoma County native and Washington State grad who started as Acquiesce’s winemaker in 2021. “People are waiting for us guinea pigs to figure it out,” she explains, crediting LangeTwins Family Winery and Vineyards for pursuing such techniques on a much larger scale.
Acquiesce was already farming according to the Lodi Rules, which was America’s first sustainable wine protocol when it launched in 2005. But Lopez wanted to go further. “We should be building resilience in the vineyard,” says Lopez, who sought guidance from Oregon’s regenerative leader Mimi Casteel. “Mimi really gave us the confidence that we can set ourselves ahead.”
When you look at the vineyard, you only see half of it—the other half is below ground.
Prudy Foxx, Foxx Viticulture, Santa Cruz
The project began in 2022 with the planting of nearly five new acres and the transition of the original 11, which includes nine different white Rhône varieties. Step one is building up the property’s organic matter, then protecting it with cover crops. Instead of discing those into the ground, Lopez uses a roller crimper and an under-vine weeder to keep the soil intact.
“Especially in the hotter spots, we need permanent cover to keep those soils cool and the vineyard functioning,” said Lopez, explaining that these techniques foster healthier bacteria while retaining more water. “We’re using natural cycles and tuned-in microbes to take care of the vine and have less inputs from us.”
She’s already happy with what she sees. “All of the pieces are there,” said Lopez. “It just takes a couple people to show it can be done and people will catch on.”
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