Sustainable Winegrowing

Earth and Wine: Centuries of Sustainability

Inspired by a centuries-old understanding of the delicate balance between earth and wine, Gloria Ferrer Caves & Vineyards pursues winegrowing with a respect for each vine and for each person in our extended California family. Gloria Ferrer’s founders, the Ferrer family of Spain, are the owners of the first Spanish wine company to obtain international ISO 14001 certification for ethical environmental management. This standard encourages the implementation of systematic approaches to improving environmental practices. True to our roots, sustainability is integral to all that we do at Gloria Ferrer.

Gloria Ferrer was among the first wineries in California to implement the Code of Sustainable Winegrowing Practices (a joint effort of the California Wine Institute and the California Association of Winegrape Growers). “We are committed to remaining a leader in sustainable vineyard management, with ecological practices being a way of life for us,” says VP Production Mike Crumly. “It’s all encompassing. It’s about natural, human, and economic resources, and, ultimately, this translates into wine quality.”

Biodiversity and Soil Health

Biodiversity on the estate is extensive. Our winegrowing crew cultivates seedlings in our estate nursery from indigenous seeds gathered throughout the property. These seedlings are then replanted to establish riparian corridors for local wildlife. On the surrounding hillsides, native grasses are planted to control erosion. In the valleys, legume cover crops are planted between rows to replenish the soil with nitrogen and provide habitat for beneficial insects.

Gloria Ferrer composts its pomace (grape skins, seeds, and stems), mixing it with horse and cow manure from neighboring ranches and dairies to create nutrient-rich humus that is spread on the vineyards and landscape in the spring. The estate’s clay soils have become loamier as a result, retaining water and nutrients to feed the vines more effectively.

Annually, Gloria Ferrer measures vine nutrition by taking tissue and soil samples from vines throughout our estates. As a supplement to compost, we create custom-mix fertilizers for the diverse soils that are applied through a drip system, encouraging specific vine nutrition.

Water Management

All wastewater from wine production is reused for vineyard irrigation. Our vineyard team uses a pressure bomb to accurately measure water demand in individual vines, ensuring that each vineyard block is watered according to its specific irrigation needs. Regulated Deficit Irrigation (RDI) decreases irrigation levels to approximately 60%, and this reduced water use causes vines to produce less vegetative growth and focus on fruit development, resulting in deeper, more complex flavors in the grapes and in our finished wines.

A system for storm water reclamation, consisting of underground French drains, diverts excess water from vine roots to avoid “wet feet,” thus improving vine health, and ultimately wine quality. During the winter, this system empties storm water into a dry spring, which acts like a well in recharging the underground aquifer. During the summer, we tap into the aquifer with irrigation wells to repurpose water collected during the winter months.

Integrated Pest Management

Gloria Ferrer was one of the first vineyards in the region to use a weather station in our risk assessment for powdery mildew, one of the most persistent diseases faced by California grape growers. We take a proactive approach to pest management by promoting biodiversity and maintaining the natural equilibrium in our estate vineyards. When addressing pest problems, our vineyard management studies the life cycle of the particular pest before taking action, strongly favoring natural practices.

Gloria Ferrer for many years has installed bluebird nest boxes throughout the vineyards to attract nesting bluebirds. Bluebirds act as natural pest control, feeding on insects harmful to the vines. Through a partnership with Sonoma Valley’s WillMar Center for Bereaved Children, we donate bluebird boxes constructed by our vineyard crew for children to paint. This unique partnership allows bereaved children to have a creative outlet with a project that facilitates the renewal of life, while contributing to a meaningful agricultural endeavor. These one-of-a-kind hand-painted bluebird boxes are available for purchase in our tasting room, with 100% of sales going to the WillMar Center.

Energy Conservation

Harvesting grapes at night conserves energy both in the winery and in Gloria Ferrer’s vineyard team, and provides better wines. Gloria Ferrer was one of the first California wineries to invest in underground wine caves, which require no refrigeration, maintaining a constant cool year-round temperature ideal for wine storage. Most production materials used at the winery are recycled, including water, which is re-used for irrigation in the vineyards.

Old World Values Sustain New World Business

Our most important measure of sustainability is expressed by the health and longevity of our team, many of whom have been with Gloria Ferrer for more than two decades. The Old World values of loyalty and dedication on which our winery was founded embody give-and-take relationships that are unusual in American business. Decades of pride and hard work invested by our team translate into the thumbprint of the brand. Our collective memory, between our vineyard and winery crews and throughout the company, ensures heightened wine quality from vine to bottle, vintage to vintage.