THE BIG IDEA On Shifting Ground
At its heart, making wine is the highest expression of agriculture. Practices related to fanning and production on the globe's more than 18 million acres of vineyards have an enormous impact on the planet. At the same time, events that can be attributed to climate change, such as temperature extremes, drought, wildfires, and out-ofseason hail and frost, are threatening the future of viticulture. It's not an exaggeration to say that, within a few years, intense summer heat and lack of rainfall could make it nearly impossible to produce well-balanced wine in a number of regions.
But a small group of family businesses is leading the charge to bring winemaking back to its roots, so to speak, with the introduction of regenerative farming as well as other measures to cut carbon emissions significantly. While there are many individual efforts, the largest endeavor is International Wineries for Climate Action (IWCA), established in 2019 by Spain's Familia Torres and California's Jackson Family Wines and now more than 40 members strong. Members must commit to net-zero emissions by 2050 and ensure constant reductions to meet intermediate targets by 2030, all without nurchasine carbon offsets.
As Miguel Torres Maczassek, general manager of Familia Torres, tells Robb Report, “Every time we till the soil, we oxidize the organic matter that is there, which releases carbon into the atmosphere.” To cut emissions, the Torres family and other IWCA members plant cover crops between the vines and employ flocks of sheep, rather than mowers, to trim them. Increased cover crops also retain groundwater, making vineyards more resistant to drought. In addition, members pledge to rely on renewable energy and use lighter-weight bottles to mitigate the impact of shipping.
Katie Jackson, second-generation proprietor and senior vice president of corporate social responsibility at Jackson Family Wines, believes it's possible to not only
