Organic Viticulture Resources
Establishing an Organic Vineyard
General Management
Pest Management
Irrigation
Organic Certification
Materials
Resources
Establishing An Organic Vineyard
Sustainable Agriculture and Grape Production, Chuck Ingels, January 1992. American Journal of Enology and Viticulture.- This paper provides an overview of how to establish vineyards, while keeping in mind sustainability and organics.
- Swiss Institute devoted to the research of organic agriculture, including vineyard production.
General Management
Multiple topics may be discussed such as vineyard establishment, general maintenance, canopy management (vine spacing, trellising, shoot positioning, leaf removal), pest management and irrigation practices.
Managing vines organically; growers focus on integrated canopy management techniques. McGourty, Glenn T. November 1 2008. Wines & Vines.
Organic Viticulture: An Australian Manual. Madge, David. Department of Primary Industries in Irymple, Victoria, Primary Industries Research. 2nd version January 2007.
Focuses on practicalities of grape production from an organic management perspective. Includes pest management, water and soil management, landscaping, and waste management specifically for the Austrailian climate, however can be translated to other areas.
Grapes, Organic Production. DuFour, Rex. 2006. This guide presents organic management options for diseases, insects and weeds, discusses cultivar choices in terms of disease resistance, and briefly presents marketing ideas for eastern labrusca-type grapes and organic wines. Emphasizes West Coast vineyards. (ATTRA #IP031).
Evaluation of Grape Varieties for Certified Organic Production – Neely-Kinyon Trial, 2005. Iowa State University Extension brief paper on farm grape production in Iowa.
Cover Cropping Systems for Organically Farmed Vineyards. McGourty, Glenn T. Viticulturist and Plant Science Advisor, University of CA, Mendocino and Lake Counties. September/October 2004, Practical Winery & Vineyard Magazine. Extensive detail regarding cover cropping. For example: what are the top cover crops to use in the North Coast region and reasons for their use.
Modern Ecological Wine Grape Production in South Africa. Duminy, H. January 2004. Wine Masters of South Africa. Introduces wine and grape production in South Africa and describes every aspect of establishment including economics, materials, people, and management. Diss., Cape Wine Academy.
The Grape Grower: A Guide to Organic Viticulture. Rombough, Lon. 2002, Chelsea Green Publishing Co., PO Box 428, White River Junction, VT 05001; 800-639-4099.
1992 U.C. Cooperative Extension Sample Costs To Produce Organic Wine Grapes in the North Coast With An Annually Sown Cover Crop. Klonsky, Karen, Laura Tourte, and Chuck Ingels. Article covers common practices and issues related to organic wine grape production from vineyard spacing and trellis design to floor management and agricultural inputs.
Grape Leaf Tissue Adequate Ranges from Several Reference Sources. Davenport, Joan. Washington State University Extension table shows adequate levels of grape tissue nutrient for grape petioles and blades at bloom and veraison reported in the literature.
A Rapid, Farmer-Friendly Agroecological Method to Estimate Soil Quality and Crop Health in Vineyard Systems. Nicholls, Clara Ines, Miguel A. Altieri, et al. 2004. A practical method for growers to assess the soil quality and crop health of vineyard systems using simple indicators based on comparable field measurements of soil and crop characteristics. Biodynamics, Autumn 2004.
Application of GPS, GIS, Yield Monitors and Brix Monitors for Effective Vineyard Management. Davenport, Joan, Lynn Mills, Julie Tarara, Francis Pierce, and N. Suzanne Lang. July 2001. Paper presented at Space Age Wine Growing. ASEV/ES Symposium Proc. Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada.
Pest Management
Includes diseases, insect, weeds, and wildlife management
Diseases
Fighting Disease Organically: Active intervention required for mildew, Botrytis, Eutypa, etc. McGourty, Glenn T. University of California Cooperative Extension in Mendocino County, California. October 2008 Issue of Wines & Vines. Describes diseases that effect wine grape plants, like powdery mildew, botrytis, phomopsis cane and leaf spot, and wood rotting diseases, and discusses ways to prevent and fight them.
Dosage of plant protection products adapted to leaf area index in viticulture. Siegfried, W., O. Viret, B. Huber, and R. Wohlhauser, Feb. 2007. Crop Protection. 26 (2). p. 73-82.
Blackleaf in Grapes. March 2005. Olmstead, Mercy, Davenport, Joan, and Russ Smithyman. Washington State University Extension. EB0745. Publication discusses symptoms, causes and prevention of this physiological disorder.
Integrated Management of Grape Diseases. Ellis, Mike A. and Mizuho Nita. Ohio State University Extension, Organic Small Fruit Disease Management Guidelines. Discusses major components of an integrated disease management program including: use of specific cultural practices; developing knowledge of the pathogen and disease biology, use of disease resistant cultivars, and timely application of organically approved fungicides or biological control agents or products when needed. Guidelines have been written for grapes as well as berries.
Weeds
Organic Farming: Vineyard Weed Management. Madge, David. Mildura, Victoria Dept. of Primary Industries, Primary Industries Research. December 2007. A very detailed and easy to follow manual of weed management. Weeds biology and management is discussed in great detail with many techniques offered including biological techniques.
Weed Management in Organic Vineyards. June 2006. IPM, University of California Davis. UC ANR Publication 3448. This guide discusses weed management before and after planting, vine row and middle of vine row management.
Non-Chemical Weed Management in Organic Farming Systems. Bond, W. and A.C. Grundy. Horticulture Research International, Wellesbourne, Warwick, UK. December 2001. Information about organic weed control in annual and perennial systems.
Managing Weeds in New York Vineyards. Pool, Robert, Richard M. Dunst, and Andrew F Senesac, Cornell University. Weed management is discussed for vineyards in the Northeastern U.S. region. 
Irrigation Practices
Seasonal water distribution around drip emitters in deficit irrigated wine grape vineyards.Washington State University Irrigated Ag. Research and Extension Center, Prosser. Poster. 2005. The objective of this experiment was to develop an understanding of soil moisture distribution patterns in regulated deficit, drip irrigated vineyards in the low rainfall area of the inland Northwest.
Estimates of water and nutrient movements in a commercial vineyard. Wample, Robert L., Joan Davenport, and Lynn Mills. 2000. Washington State University, Irrigated
Agriculture Research and Extension Center, Prosser, WA USA, 99350.
Materials and Supplies
OMRI
A directory of materials OMRI has deemed allowable for use in organic production, processing, and handling.
WSDA Organic Materials List and Information
This list is subject to change annually; please check current list.
WSDA Seed and Planting Stock Guidelines
USDA Plant Material Regulation: USDA NOP Section 205.204, Seeds and Planting Stock Practices Standard
USDA National Organic Program
The National Organic Program develops and administers national production, handling, and labeling standards for organic agricultural products.
USDA NOP National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances
Treated Posts Regulation: USDA NOP Section 205.206(f), Crop pest, weed, and disease management practice standard.
Treated Posts Reinteration: USDA NOP-AQSS (NOP Access: Answers to Questions on [NOP] Standards by NOP Staff)
Organic Certification and Sustainability
Oregon Tilth
- Provides organic certification services to organic growers, processors, and handlers in Oregon, US and internationally.
- Provides information on the procedures of becoming certified organic, and is a certifying agency for growers.
- The NOP develops and administers national production, handling, and labeling standards for organic agricultural products.
Resources
Associations, journals, newsletters, websites
Any lists of sources are designed to help users find materials, supplies and further resources. We do not endorse any of the businesses listed nor do we detract from any business not listed. Our web site provides links to external sites for the convenience of users. These external sites are not managed by WSU extension. Furthermore, WSU Extension does not review, control or take responsibility for the content of these sites, nor do these sites implicitly or explicitly represent official positions and policies of WSU Extension.
LIVE (Low Input Viticulture and Enology, Inc) is a non-profit organization based in Salem, OR that provides education and independent 3rd-party certification for vineyards and wineries using international standards of sustainable viticultural and enological practices in both wine-grape and wine production. Checklists, guides, workbooks and resources available.
The Lodi Winegrower's Workbook 2nd Edition is a comprehensive self-assessment workbook addressing the complex processes of growing quality winegrapes sustainably. Chapters include: Ecosystem, Soil, Water, Pest and Human Resources and Shop and Yard Management, Vineyard Establishment and Replanting, Viticulture and Wine Quality and Customer Satisfaction. Authored by the Lodi-Woodbridge Winegrape Commission.
Northwest Berry & Grape Information Network is a comprehensive information and communications resource for berry and grape production practices, research, and marketing. This Northwest network is sponsored by Oregon State University, University of Idaho, Washington State University and USDA’s Agriculture Research Service.
Puget Sound Wine Grower’s Association is a membership-based organization that supports wine grape growers and vintners in the Puget Sound region. They host public and member-only listservs, events, and seminars.
Washington Association of Wine Grape Growers is a statewide membership-based association that advocates for the wine growing industry by providing promotion, information, representation and education. In 2005, they made available their VineWise Guide: A Washington Guide to Sustainable Viticulture, which is a series of self-assessment evaluation forms covering a wide array of business and sustainable viticulture topics.
WSU Extension Viticulture Additional Resources
Additional sustainable resources listed within the VineWeb page.
Disclaimer:
Any lists of sources are designed to help users find materials, supplies and further resources. We do not endorse any of the businesses listed nor do we detract from any business not listed. Our web site provides links to external sites for the convenience of users. These external sites are not managed by WSU extension. Furthermore, WSU Extension does not review, control or take responsibility for the content of these sites, nor do these sites implicitly or explicitly represent official positions and policies of WSU Extension.
Extension programs and policies are consistent with federal and state laws and regulations on nondiscrimination regarding race, sex, religion, age, color, creed, national or ethnic origin; physical, mental or sensory disability; marital status, sexual orientation; or status as a Vietnam-era or disabled veteran. Evidence of noncompliance may be reported through your local Extension office.