A Vineyard Odyssey: The Organic Fight to Save Wine from the Ravages of Nature

Although the strategy of raising wine grapes organically appears to be simple enough–no man-made chemicals–executing these principles in a vineyard, particularly one under threat from fungi such as powdery mildew, may prove daunting. As the French discovered with the nineteenth century’s phylloxera, whole vineyards can perish from the effects of a single pest. California vintner Kiger was determined to see his wines handled under organic protocols from vine through bottle. Leaving his Silicon Valley career, he and his wife took some courses and decided to personally husband a vineyard through all its seasons save for the actual harvesting, when they would hire pickers. They at once began the long process of converting from conventional vine management to total organic production. Kiger’s battle with powdery mildew alone stretched his resources, and other afflictions, including animals, proved no less challenging. Vineyard owners may profit from Kiger’s recounting of his struggles.

Armed with little more than good intentions, husband and wife John and Deb Kiger said goodbye to corporate life and set about turning their four acres of meadow into a vineyard in 2002. Like many before them who had leapt before they looked, the Kigers soon discovered the prospect to involve much more work and complication than they had imagined, as they were soon forced to abandon the romance of owning a vineyard and roll up their sleeves, battling fungus and mildew that continually threatened their yield. It’s a drop in a near-endless tide of memoirs written by folks who left Big Business in order to get their hands dirty; this time focused on viniculture, made even more complicated by the owners’ desire to produce wine as organically as possible. There are pleasant digressions, but all roads lead to fungus as Kiger recounts the various methods he employed in an effort to get the agricultural upper hand. Those interested in the logistics of vineyard operations and advocates of green farming will find Kiger’s experience to be insightful.

John’s naturally inquisitive, high-tech nature and Southern charm are exactly what he brings to his grape growing: the right amount of smarts, common sense, humor, and joy. If you’ve been bitten by the wine bug and want to jump in, and you think you know it all–or nothing at all–then this is a must read. John’s thorough research into day-to-day, perplexing organic farming will challenge the weathered veteran grower and give confidence to the weekend farmer alike. Salute!