Save the pinots!
On August 7, sixteen eighteen wineries joined the Carbon Neutral Challenge, a joint venture of the Oregon Environmental Council, the Oregon Wine Board and the Governor’s office. The goal: to produce great wine without carbon emissions.
It’s an ambitious goal, and an interesting one, since wineries as an industry produce relatively few carbon emissions. They are, however, exquisitely sensitive to the effects of climate change, since different wine grapes grow best in different kinds of climates. In fact, it’s possible that pinot noir may soon be the celebrated grape of the Puget Sound.
Other wine regions are already showing dramatic changes in terroir. In particular, the Spanish grape-growing regions have been shifting to higher altitudes as the heat increases.
I’d be sad to see Oregon pinot noir go. In my lifetime, our wines have gone from little-known to world-famous. The result is an industry that continues to boom, but a stable climate is essential to preserving economic growth. In fact, this is another example that fighting global warming will help the economy, while doing nothing could wipe out an entire industry.
I’d hate to see the next generation of great pinot noirs come from Washington.
So now the onus is on us wine drinkers. Next time I pop a cork, I’ll make mine local and carbon neutral.
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August 17, 2007 |
Leslie Carlson | Comments (15 so far)
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Comments
Posted by: Jeff Alworth | Aug 17, 2007 12:57:57 PM
Now we gotta get the beer guys on board!
Posted by: Stephanie V | Aug 17, 2007 4:03:58 PM
We need the beer guys in Oregon to start making lambic beers so I don't have to go to Belgium to get beer I like. Airplane travel generates a lot of carbon. %^>
Posted by: Kari Chisholm | Aug 17, 2007 4:45:29 PM
Sheesh, SV, they do sell some of those lovely Belgians here in the state...
Posted by: Garlynn -- undergroundscience.blogspot.com | Aug 17, 2007 4:52:39 PM
Well, look on the bright side:
If the pinots go north, at least Oregon would finally be able to start growing some decent Zinfandels.
;-)
I think that if climate change gets to the point where Oregon pinots no longer taste like Oregon pinots, however, we might start having some bigger problems on our hands.
I agree that the beer guys need to jump on this, though, they would seem to have a much higher carbon footprint...
Posted by: Leslie Carlson | Aug 17, 2007 7:45:32 PM
So all you beer-drinking dudes and gals: why aren't the microbrewers more environmentally aware? This seems like a great opportunity for an Oregon-based brewer to really stand out from the crowd...
Posted by: t.a. barnhart | Aug 17, 2007 8:07:37 PM
well, if we have to start growing hot-weather grapes, que syrah syrah.
i apologize. that was a zin.
Posted by: Leslie Carlson | Aug 17, 2007 8:46:50 PM
LOL, t.a. ;)
Posted by: Jesse B. | Aug 17, 2007 8:53:57 PM
I agree about the beer guys. There are a few out there, though.
Hopworks is a new brewery that is organic. I had their Organic IPA at the Brewers Fest. Delicious.
Hardest part about that in Oregon is the hops, no? I believe most organic hops are imported.
Posted by: Jeff Alworth | Aug 18, 2007 8:47:23 AM
Breweries aren't too bad. For years they've been recycling their spent grains, and the move toward organics is underway (HUB was preceded by Roots Organic). The two big issues are heavy water and substantial power use. Some breweries are tackling these, but it's not yet widespread. Keep our fingers crossed.
(A major issue is that for a lot of breweries, the operations are shoestring--no money to buy photovoltaic cells and so on.)
Posted by: pacowan | Aug 18, 2007 11:42:05 AM
hops are very, very pesty, however, the pests that lke hops don't live in new zealand, so that is the only place where it is really easy to grow them organically. i think some local producers are starting to pop up, at least in washington there is on.e
Posted by: David The Troll | Aug 19, 2007 10:58:57 AM
Yeah Nome If we Could get them To reduce Their Illegal Alien Foot print And Pay For Citizens to pluck their Grapes...
Posted by: Jonathan Radmacher | Aug 20, 2007 11:02:15 AM
Is it correct to conclude that breweries going organic necessarily means they have lowered their carbon footprint? There was an interesting piece on NPR this morning about RoundUp, and genetically-engineered soybeans which is RoundUp resistant, so they can use RoundUp rampantly, without killing the soybeans. "Oohh ... roundup = chemical = bad." Except the interesting part of the story is that it allows farmers to either not plow, or plow lots less, thus reducing their carbon output dramatically. My point is, there isn't necessarily a link between "organic" and carbon-sensitive.
Posted by: Commissioner Gordon | Aug 24, 2007 10:59:12 PM
Robin: Holy Heatwave, Batman! The whole planet is warming
because of fossil fuel carbon emissions! All of the
fresh-water glaciers are receding! The Poles are
melting! Sea levels are rising and threatening
coastal cities where billions of people live! The
permafrost is melting on the northern tundra,
causing man-made structures to sink, and releasing
more billions of tons of greenhouse gases into the
atmosphere! And yet, billions of humans in thrall
of those multinational energy corporations keep
ripping more coal and oil and natural gas
from under the crust of the earth and spewing more
carbon into the atmosphere! We've got to act now,
Batman!
Batman: Calm down, Robin - not so hasty, now! The good
people in a place called "Western Oregon" have a
plan to stop the Global Warming by implementing a
Bold Plan of Immediate Action!
Robin: Golly Batman! That's great news! Where's "Western
Oregon?"
Batman: It's over here on the map, between Canada and
Mexico somewhere... by the ocean I think...
somewhat north of California... wait, I'm Googling
it now!
Robin: Gosh! I'm so relieved, Batman! How are those brave
people going to stop the terrible processes of
sudden climate change, what with the floods, severe
weather events, and massive displacement of human
and animal populations?
Batman: It's quite simple, Robin. They are very concerned
that it might get too hot for a certain kind of
grape called "Pinot Noir" to grow very well, and
they know that a place called "Washington" might
get better at growing those grapes if they don't
drink wines that are called "Carbon Neutral"
Robin: Ummmm, so these brave, selfless people of Western
Oregon are going to, uh, start drinking wine that,
says, um, "Western Oregon Carbon Neutral Pinot
Noir" in order to save the planet and keep Western
Oregon from getting hotter?
Batman: Yes, they will, Robin! And so will you, and so
will I!
Robin: B-b-but... I don't drink wine, Batman! I-I-I'm
not even old enough!
Batman: {Backhands Robin upside his left cheek}
Well, You're about to start, Pup! Yer gonna drink
certified Carbon Neutral Western Oregon Pinot Noir
until it kills you or planetary greenhouse gas
emissions are reversed, whichever comes first, ya
little bastard! {Crams Carbon Neutral bottle of
wine down Robin's throat. Planet is saved. Curtain
falls}
Posted by: Tom Civiletti | Aug 25, 2007 10:29:25 AM
"there isn't necessarily a link between "organic" and carbon-sensitive."
There is not one-to-one correspondance, but there is very high correlation between non-organic agriculture and high energy use/carbon dioxide output. Synthetic fertilizers are high energy consumers, as are pesticides. Fields bereft of organic matter require more irrigation.
By the way, there are organic no-till techniques that use neither Roundup nor GMO seeds.
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Posted by: Jesse B. | Aug 17, 2007 12:50:45 PM
That's what I'm talking about. It surely is a welcome sight to see an entire industry working towards being carbon neutral.
Especially the wine industry. Mmm, mmm, tasty.