Sokol Blosser's
Environmentally Sustainable
Practices
Winery working towards Organic Classification for Vineyards
Sokol Blosser has been certified "green" by
L.I.V.E. (Low Input Viticulture and Enology, and international certification)
and Salmon-Safe
(a regional certification). The winery farms sustainably in their vineyards
and have virtually eliminated the use of synthetic chemicals and fertilizers.
Sokol Blosser designed their new underground barrel cellar to U.S. Green
Building Council standards, which oversees everything from construction
materials
to energy efficiency and landscaping. They use only natural cork, not
non-recyclable synthetic cork. They have eliminated metal capsules
in their packaging, and use unbleached paper products, such as wine
boxes and gift bags, whenever possible. They recycle paper, glass
and cardboard.
Even though Sokol Blosser is growing only
one crop (grapes), they have created a small ecosystem by encouraging
biodiversity through
the use
of compost,
beneficial insects, wildflowers and birds. Eveywhere you look at the
winery there are drought resistant perennials, wildflowers, native cover
crops, and birds. The vineyard is stunning in the summer, with huge plantings
of lavender, sage, yarrow, poppies, cornflowers, and dozens of varieties
of wildflowers.
From the winery:
When Bill Blosser and I started up our Volkswagen bus in 1970 and headed
west from Portland, we had a vision to create great wine, especially Pinot
Noir. There was no Oregon wine industry when we started! Though we had
our fair share of adversity we stayed true to our vision. In 1971, the
vineyard was established, and, in 1977, Sokol Blosser Winery became a reality.
Today, we have one of Oregon's finest and best known wineries. I say that
with modesty, but also with the pride that comes from being among the early
pioneers who helped make Oregon wine internationally famous.
The Sokol Blosser family has grown wine grapes in the Red Hills of Dundee
for more than 30 years. We know our hillsides are perfect for Pinot Noir.
It's a serendipitous coming together of all the necessary elements--the
well-drained red clay loam soil, the right elevation of the gently rolling
hills, the angle of the sun on the vines, the microclimate that protects
us from spring frost, the wet winters, the not-too-hot summers, the long
warm autumns. This is the terroir of Sokol Blosser. It is in our care
and we are determined to protect it.
In the early 1970's when we helped pioneer Oregon viticulture, the state
of the art was built around extensive use of synthetic chemical sprays,
artificial fertilizers, and a mono-cultural approach to farming. Our more
holistic approach looks at the vineyard as a small ecosystem. We seek biodiversity
starting with the soil and working up. We encourage microbial activity
in the soil and wildflowers in the buffer zones around the vines. These
in turn encourage butterflies, beneficial insects and birds. The vineyard
looks more beautiful, but the key is that sustainably grown grapes are
environmentally sound, healthier and make better wine. Our approach is
mindful of both the environment and the consumer.
Sunlight and Air
Sunlight and air are key components of healthy grapevines. The extra handwork
needed to pull leaves and adjust the vine canopy produces superb and intense
fruit. It also reduces the need for synthetic chemical sprays.
Biodiversity
By sowing wildflowers and other vegetation around the grapevines and the
edges of the vineyard, we encourage beneficial insects, which help protect
the grapevines from harmful pests. The vineyards may not look as manicured
as a clean-cultivated farm in which grapes are the only living vegetation,
but a variety of vegetation is an important part of a healthy vineyard.
Because we don't use harmful sprays which remain in the soil and kill wildlife,
we have an abundance of bees, insects, swallows and bluebirds to keep the
harmful insect population from getting too large. Sokol Blosser is part
of the Prescott Bluebird Recovery Project in the Northern Willamette Valley.
Erosion Control
Sokol Blosser set the standard as the first vineyard in Oregon to make
use of permanent cover crops in vineyards. In the early 1980's we partnered
with Oregon State University and the U.S. Soil Conservation Service to
test a number of different permanent grass cover crops. The goals were
to control erosion of top soil, eliminate run-off, provide a good surface
for tractors and foot traffic, be low growing and drought resistant, and
not compete with the grapes for water and nutrients. We are currently experimenting
with mixes of grasses and cover crops to enrich the soil.
Fertilizers and Sprays
We use only organic fertilizers, not synthetic fertilizers. Returning
grape nutrients to the soil in a sustainable loop, we spread the grape
pomace (skins and stems) generated by the winemaking process back into
the vineyard. We do the same sustainable loop in midwinter after pruning
the vines by chopping the pruned canes to mulch in the vineyard rows. We
control water-competing vegetation under the vines either by hand hoeing
or by a mechanical hoe attached to the tractor. To control powdery mildew
and botrytis, our two most significant disease threats, we use the most
benign sprays available, chiefly sulfur, an organic spray.
Land Use
When Oregon's landmark land use program began in the 1970's, the Sokol
Blossers took a key role in Yamhill County's planning process to protect
potential hillside vineyard sites from non-agricultural development. More
recently Sokol Blosser Winery took the lead in stream restoration, raising
funds and putting together a coalition of non-profit environmental groups
to help with remediation.
Certification
As a result of Sokol Blosser's longstanding
environmental commitment, the Pacific Rivers Council made us the first
winery to be certified as "Salmon
Safe" when it began its program to increase consumer awareness of
producers' environmental practices.
In November of 2001, Sokol Blosser recieved certification from the Food
Alliance. The Food Alliance provides an independent, third-party approval
process for farmers who are reducing or eliminating pesticide use, protecting
soil and water resources and providing safe and fair working conditions.
Producers seeking The Food Alliance seal of approval complete an application
that details pest and disease management, soil and water conservation,
and human resource management practices. In addition, applicants must submit
a farm plan and host a site inspection.
Sokol Blosser has also received certification
in a sustainable agriculture program called LIVE (Low Input Viticulture & Enology),
which has been recognized internationally.
 Susan
Sokol Blosser with Governor Kolingoski and Secretary of State Bill Bradford.
|
The process included defining environmental goals prior to breaking
ground, undergoing inspection throughout the construction process,
and undergoing final inspections upon completion of construction.
The formal application for the certification takes place only after
the project is complete. The new cellar also met exacting design
and construction requirements defined by LEED (Leadership in Energy
and Environmental Design) in five integrated certification categories:
sustainable sites, water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, materials
and resources, and environmental quality. It is such a rigorous process
that only 37 projects have been certified in the United States. 
