"Green" is Not a Logical Prerequisite for Good Wine

By Jason Feulner, Finger Lakes Correspondent

Sometimes, seems like we are in the midst of a green invasion, rather than a green revolution.

The term is used all over the place nowadays and has cropped up in several Finger Lakes stories lately:

• Democrat and Chronicle staff writer Karen Miltner discusses green grape growing here
• In a special report to the Democrat and Chronicle, freelance wine writer Thomas Pellachia outlines the effect of global warming on Finger Lakes vintages (Pellachia is also the author and publisher of the Vinofictions blog). 
• The Finger Lakes Weekend Wino has also unearthed this report on Finger Lakes green space from MPNnow's Bryan Roth.

My first attempt to gather some thoughts on this topic came off like an expository essay, which I quickly abandoned with the assumption that there is enough preaching going on in the green movement already. The crux of it, from my perspective, is that like many trends "green" is largely a good thing. But within the discourse there is plenty of bad as well.

The good is easily recognized, of course.

In terms of agriculture, the advent of the motor took farms that were previously run like artificial but efficient ecosystems and allowed for faster, less-expensive work, thereby producing more waste. Better transportation spurred the development and distribution of chemical treatments that could be delivered cheaply, creating a dependency on these methods.

Green, on some level, is the acknowledgment that efficiency has been lost from the system, and that farms of any kind can benefit from careful planning and a dedication to allowing the natural systems and by-products to work with one another to keep the farm clean, sound, efficient and sustainable. It just makes sense, doesn't it?

The bad part of green is a little more complex, but is also obvious to many observers. Those who espouse "green" the loudest run the risk of hypocrisy since the reality of what is possible with current technologies and market demands is never quite up to speed with the rhetoric.

In the wine industry, the wineries that have embraced "green" and market it like crazy sometimes seem to lose sight of their main purpose--creating the best wine possible. What if the best wine from a given year requires both conventional and green techniques? Those who want to buy wine based solely on whether it is green or not are not buying wine, but a concept that is emotionally satisfying. That is their right, but they are in the minority.

I am far more impressed with winery operations that go green because it makes sense but promote it as a secondary consideration. Green is not a logical prerequisite for good wine.  A sense of modesty about green indicates an acknowledgment of the challenges inherent in such a venture. Over-marketing of the term is simply tiring and serves to dilute the meaning of such a commitment.

The Finger Lakes is abundant in natural beauty and has many open green spaces. Any sensible wine entrepreneur should keep the environment foremost in his or her mind as the region's natural features are just as much of an attraction as the wine, and I would argue the two work in close conjunction in terms of making the Finger Lakes a unique place to visit.

Yet, the growing challenges of the Finger Lakes region should remind us all that sometimes compromises have to be made. The use of any green method is an improvement over the past, even it is has to be mixed with more conventional farming practices.  At the end of the day, I want the best bottle of wine possible.  Otherwise, why is it worth making at all or, even more directly, why would it be worth buying?

As a region known for its unpretentious nature, I think most Finger Lakes wineries will embrace green with their heads as well as their hearts.  Some may overdo it, but I think most see the creative challenges inherent in green agriculture and will embrace them sensibly. Certainly, the state will see to it that some of these methods are more attractive to the average grape grower.

In the interest of a sane discussion, I am leaving out my thoughts on global warming and its relationship to all of this green farming talk. I have a funny feeling we'll be seeing more and more references to this phenomenon if the east coast is hit with a few more hot and dry vintages like 2005 and 2007. Certainly, a lively discussion for another day...

Comments

[winehiker]

I agree that while green processes are something we should all be considering more strongly in our daily routines, “green” is a means to an end.

This discussion reminds me of social investing, in which one invests in companies that, for example, do not harm animals or do not pollute the environment; and yet the returns from such investments are often relatively marginal at best. Better to invest with more solid ROI in mind, then buy carbon credits or embark upon a socially-conscious gift-giving campaign, with some or all of the investment profits.

And so it should go with wine: buy the wine primarily because you like it, not because of the process by which it is produced.

Ideally, however, there will be plenty of room for quality "green" wines in our near future.

[Jeff]

I love green wines, when I get that grass, jalepeno or bell pepper component it drives me wild!

It seems to me that green is one of those words like organic that is slowly starting to lose meaning. Is green/organic the new low-fat/low-carb? Just asking.

[Chris]

Interesting post. There seems to be an assumption in here, to a degree, that being "green" means doing something that has an impact on the wine. I commend to you a recent post on my blog about a new winery in Virginia that has taken "green" measures for business reasons, none of which play into the actual winemaking. I think this is a model to be followed.

http://winewithdinner.wordpress.com/2008/05/06/barrel-oak-winery-green-wine-is-good-business/

[Jason Feulner]

Chris

I have no assumption beyond clarifying my own opinion that, much like the article you suggested, green needs to be taken into context. More pointedly, wineries that go green should do so for a variety of reasons that make sense, including business efficiency.

My gripe is with those wineries which might contemplate pushing green processes that could hinder the final product, or those that market green to the point where they relate some aspect of their green commitment to the wine itself whether or not the "green" has anything to do with the juice in the bottle. In the former case the means do not justify the end, and the in the latter case there is an implied association that simply does not exist.

[Bryan]

I've had the opportunity to try several "green" wines thanks to good timing and my willingness to fight crowds at Astor wines when I'm in the city.

While many of them have showed amazing character that I don't often taste in other wines, many were just meh! Either way I would never have tried these wines if they weren't practicing green methods and were promoted as such.

My favs in the past were Cousin-Leduc Anjou Pur Breton and the Movia Merlot (cab/pinot blend).