They say you can't judge a book by its cover, and you certainly shouldn't judge a Central Coast wine by its label. For though there's not yet an official looking logo to alert consumers to their efforts, many of the region's winemakers are quietly adopting sustainable practices, making much of the wine from the area as good for the earth as it is for your spirits.
One such winery is Laetitia. Founded in the early 80s by French champagne house Deutz, Laetitia's breathtaking Arroyo Grande estate has since come under the careful stewardship of owner Selim Zilkha, and Lino Bozzano, who oversees the extensive vineyards. A third generation California farmer, Bozzano began his career by studying viticulture at college. His love of the land led him to become an early proponent of sustainable methods. Unlike the highly recognizable organic mark, the sustainable movement has yet to tightly bind its rules and put a stamp on them. In the meantime, like many farmers on the Central Coast, Bozzano participates in two voluntary self-assessments: the Central Coast Vineyard Team's Positive Points Program and the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance's Code of Sustainable Winegrowing.
"There's three principles," says Bozzano as he explains the essence of sustainable practices. "Is it environmentally friendly or responsible? Is it socially responsible? And is it economically viable? Whenever we're looking at putting input into the ranch we're asking those three questions."
It could be argued that since the rules of organic farming are so rigid, sustainable practices make sense for such a delicate crop, and a winemaking process that is steeped in thousands of years of tradition. "I prefer sustainability over organic farming because sustainability takes in the whole ecosystem of your farm," says Bozzano. "The hardest part for me about organics is it's very limited, and it doesn't address wine quality in the same way."
Bozzano maintains that some of his sustainable practices may even be more earth friendly than the ones demanded by organic codes when the big picture is taken into account. He cites the issue of spraying versus mechanical weed control as an example of this new thinking. The mechanical methods favored by organic farming require more tractor passes, and therefore use more fuel and spew out more CO2. So which is better for the planet? A well-chosen, minimally or non-toxic herbicide? Or oil-powered, mechanical methods? Where possible Bozzano chooses to take the third way, and uses the best of all worlds (traditional, organic and sustainable) to do what's best for the earth, what's best for the wine, and what's best for the dedicated team that makes it.
The Daily Mantra took a scenic drive up the Pacific Coast Highway to Laetitia to get better acquainted with their grapes, both in the glass and on the vine. As we toured the vineyards with Bozzano, he pointed out many of the sustainably-minded practices that lie behind each bottle of Laetitia's wine.
