Sustainable Winegrowing

A decade of viticulture education is right at your fingertips. Executive Director Beth Vukmanic interviews longtime host Craig MacMillan to celebrate ten years and 300 episodes of the Sustainable Winegrowing Podcast. Together, they reflect on some of Craig's most memorable interviews—from new discoveries in sour rot and space-to-farm technology, to using storytelling to sell more wine and tackling leadership transitions. 

Resources:  

17: New Discoveries about Sour Rot 

129: The Efficient Vineyard Project 

161: Use Storytelling to Sell More Wine 

233: The Gap Between Space and Farm: Ground Truthing Satellite Data Models 

239: Ford Pro Pilot – Trialing Electric Trucks in the Field 

249: Making it Easier to Use Satellite Data in Agriculture 

257: Understanding Winery Visitors – Increase Sales with your Messaging 

268: How to Tackle Leadership Transitions Successfully 

286: To Till or Not to Till: Impacts on Soil, Vines, and Vineyard Budgets 

Craig Macmillan 

Support the Podcast: 

Make a Donation 

Vineyard Team Programs: 

Juan Nevarez Memorial Scholarship - Help students from vineyard families pursue higher education 

Online Courses - Earn DPR and CCA hours with expert-led sustainability trainings 

SIP Certified - A trusted third-party certification proving your sustainable practices with science-backed standards 

Sustainable Ag Expo - Join top experts at the premier winegrowing event of the year 

Vineyard Team Membership - Connect with a community advancing sustainable winegrowing

While the Whale Rock Music Festival is renowned for rocking the Central Coast every year with live music and family-friendly activities. The event has an even greater purpose: supporting Templeton High School musicians through the parent-volunteer organization, TIMBA. 

Resources: 

*** Tell Your Sustainable Story Online Course *** 
Apply for SIP Certified Wine
Marketing Tips eNewsletter
Supporting Arts & Community | Castoro Cellars
Sustainable Story Worksheet   Print  
Electronic  


Vineyard Team Programs: 

Juan Nevarez Memorial Scholarship - Donate 
Online Courses – DPR & CCA Hours 
SIP Certified – Show your care for the people and planet   
Sustainable Ag Expo – The premiere winegrowing event of the year 
Vineyard Team – Become a Member

Root systems are more than just anchors, they are the plant's stomach, communicating with their environment through a network of microbes.
Suzanne Fleishman, Assistant Professor of Root Biology at Penn State University, introduces the emerging field of Root Agroecology, which integrates plant physiology and omic methods to improve sustainability in vineyards. She shares insights from a five-year red fescue cover crop trial showing reduced pruning weights and improved vine balance, as well as shifts in rhizosphere microbiomes.
Her future goal? A grower tool that predicts the best cover crops by site. 

Resources:  

72: Soil Microbes and Nutrient Availability 

151: The Role of the Soil Microbiome in Soil Health 

159: Under-Vine Vegetation to Control Vine Vigor 

Can Cover Crops Improve Wine Grape Production Resilience? 

Research revealing grapevine root relationships 

Root Agroecology Lab 

Suzanne Fleishman 

Suzanne Fleisman – Google Scholar  

Suzanne Fleishman – Research Gate 

Undervine groundcover substantially increases shallow but not deep soil carbon in a temperate vineyard 

Support the Podcast:

Make a Donation 

Vineyard Team Programs: 

Juan Nevarez Memorial Scholarship - Help students from vineyard families pursue higher education 

Online Courses - Earn DPR and CCA hours with expert-led sustainability trainings 

SIP Certified - A trusted third-party certification proving your sustainable practices with science-backed standards 

Sustainable Ag Expo - Join top experts at the premier winegrowing event of the year 

Vineyard Team Membership - Connect with a community advancing sustainable winegrowing

Eco-conscious wine lovers are willing to pay more for sustainable products—but they won't dig for details.
In this Marketing Tip Monday, learn how to meet consumer demand for sustainability by making it easy. With 60% of younger and multicultural wine buyers preferring sustainable wines, visibility is key.
Show your story at a glance with the SIP Certified logo on your label. It's fast, simple, and signals your commitment to people and the planet. 

Resources: 

*** Tell Your Sustainable Story Online Course *** 
Apply for SIP Certified Wine
Marketing Tips eNewsletter
Sustainable Story Worksheet  

Vineyard Team Programs: 

Juan Nevarez Memorial Scholarship - Donate 
Online Courses – DPR & CCA Hours 
SIP Certified – Show your care for the people and planet   
Sustainable Ag Expo – The premiere winegrowing event of the year 
Vineyard Team – Become a Member

Lasers may offer a chemical-free way to deter bird pests in vineyards and other agricultural systems. 
George Gallagher, Department Head of Animal Science at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, explains why bird pressure goes beyond crop loss, raising concerns about disease risks like salmonella, E. coli, and transmission of avian influenza. He shares results from a controlled study using a handheld laser, aimed at birds' feet, to measure how long it took them to respond. 
The research showed that different birds react differently. George highlights the importance of animal safety and the role of species-specific vision when evaluating new deterrent tools. Listen through the end to hear if the lasers work on rats. 

Resources:  

58: Barn Owls
114: Designing a Vineyard for Year-Round Sheep Grazing 
272: 30 Gophers a Night: Why Barn Owls Belong in Your Vineyard
Cal Poly Animan Science Department
George Gallagher
George Gallagher  |Amanote Research
George Gallagher | Research Gate 
Tactical to Practical: The Human Component of Human-Wildlife Conflict Resolution 

Vineyard Team Programs: 

Juan Nevarez Memorial Scholarship - Donate 
Online Courses – DPR & CCA Hours 
SIP Certified – Show your care for the people and planet   
Sustainable Ag Expo – The premiere winegrowing event of the year 
Vineyard Team – Become a Member