Organic Winegrowing

Sunstone has been committed to growing wine grapes without the use of herbicides, pesticides, or fungicides since the initial planting in 1990. With 100% of their 55 acre estate vineyards approved by the California Certified Organic Farmers (C.C.O.F.), Sunstone estate-grown wines are the product of a vineyard that respects the importance of the Earth’s cycles throughout the year. “Not only do organic vineyards and toxin-free soils more accurately reflect the Santa Ynez Valley terroir, but it is also a benefit to our consumers’ health and to the people working here,” explains Bion Rice.

The Rice Family’s fundamental philosophy of producing high-quality wines at Sunstone is preserving the maximum quality possible at every step,... from the grapes to the glass. This holistic approach also creates a healthy environment in which to work and live. “Organic farming actually produces strong, healthy vines, with natural, durable immune systems. Owls, bats, hawks, gopher snakes and beneficial insects set the stage for Nature to seek her own equilibrium,” says Bion.

“There was once a time when pesticides were thought to be the universal remedy to agriculture. The concept of disrupting eco-balance was non-existent, and the belief that ‘the only good bug was a dead bug’ permeated society,” explains Linda Rice. “The population was rapidly growing and becoming urbanized, small farms were disappearing, and agriculture was becoming mass-produced by agribusiness, which had to produce large volumes of food at affordable prices.”

“We are constantly experimenting with different methods to achieve a natural balance in the vineyard, which can be severely disrupted by the “quick-fix” employment of herbicides or pesticides,” adds Fred Rice. "We use cover crops, like barley, which not only generate competition with the vines, but also host beneficial insects. This type of equilibrium is an ongoing process that we are constantly fine tuning each day.”

Consultant Winemaker, Daniel Gehrs claims “It is really wonderful to work with fruit that has no residual pesticides. I feel that the vines tend to be healthier, and organic farming is certainly the way of the future, as we will have to use a more sustainable approach to agriculture as a way of caring for the world that we live in.”

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