Jean-Claude and I recently had the pleasure of attending the annual ARENI Live think tank in California as members of a delegation of six South Africans.
ARENI Global is an independent think tank dedicated to the future of fine wine. Through its comprehensive research and events schedule, it helps agencies, associations, companies, and decision makers to build a sustainably secure, prosperous and just wine industry.
This year fifty thought leaders from the global wine world participated in panel discussions, roundtable assignments and winery visits between the 20th and 22nd of June. Thought-provoking topics ranged from Wine Education and The Future of Fine Wine, Securing the Future of Vines and Securing the Future of Wine Tourism to Building a 200-Year Plan and many more.
We arrived on the 19th of June in Sonoma after a 30-hour journey and immediately joined the pre-ARENI dinner get-together hosted by John Sweazey of Anaba Wines and Polly Hammond from 5forests. It was a great opportunity to get to know the group and among others, to meet Erin Brooks, a reviewer for Oregon, Sonoma County and California Central Coast who works for Robert Parker and The Michelin Guide.
We started the sustainability panel discussion, ‘Racing to Zero, in Pursuit of Game Changing Agriculture’ at Vérité Winery. On the panel were Katie Jackson, Alison Jordan, Cristina Lazcano, Alice Waters and Pauline Vicard and during debates with these remarkable thought leaders certain epiphanies came to light. For example Alice Waters from the Institute for Regenerative Agriculture and Edible Education and of The French Laundry fame discussed the impact of food resources on USA education and health: ‘The senses are pathways to our mind’. Cristina Lazcano, assistant professor of Soil Ecology and Plant Nutrition, Department of Land, Air and Water Resources from UC Davis, gave us an update on carbon sequestration research projects in the Californian wine industry, especially with Jackson Family Wines.
Our discussions were followed by an onsite vineyard visit illustrating the benefits of regenerative farming by rebuilding soil and organic matter through limited tillage and adding carbon rich compost and other nutrients. Another example was increasing biodiversity in and around the vineyard with cover crops and animal integration – the latter requiring modification to trellising systems. Apparently the sheep manage to stand on each other to taste fresh juicy shoots! These measures also help to increase water holding capacity, while minimising erosion and reducing chemical inputs.
We then tasted with the ‘green’ certified producers at Jackson Family Wines and had a fabulous dinner where I had the pleasure of meeting and exchanging views with Gino DiCaro, Director of Communications at the California Wine Institute.