Good for the grape, good for the wine, good for the environment

Sustainable agriculture (see: What is Sustainable Agriculture?) is the new buzz word these days.

In essence, sustainability is doing the right thing — managing environmental, human resource and community issues so that the industry survives and prospers far into the future.

There are articles you should not miss like,

Local Wineries More Sensitive to Environment -- Oakland Tribune
and
Wine Notes: Wine industry makes plans for decades of vintage years -- Modesto Bee

And since sustainability is aimed at assuring that California will have a healthy wine industry for many decades to come, it benefits anyone who wants to continue enjoying the state's signature beverage.

In the meanwhile, some of the grapegrowers want to have their grapes to mature on the vine longer. They think this practice will increase the levels of brix in the grapes resulting in better quality wine. (Growers, winemakers at odds about when to pick up fruit -- Napa News)

But others in the wine industry say that the practice threatens the economic viability of grape growers, by reducing crop levels and adversely affecting the health of grape vines.