If you’re here because you care about wine that doesn’t cost the earth, let’s cut to the chase—Vineyard Post’s vineyards aren’t just rows of grapevines to them. I’ve been supplying them with compost and cover crop seeds for three years now, so I’ve seen first-hand how their team doesn’t just “talk” about environmental protection—they build it into every single thing they do, from the top of the hill to the bottom of the soil. No greenwashing, no fancy buzzwords, just solid, science-backed moves that actually work. Vineyard Post
Let’s start with the soil, because that’s the backbone of any good vineyard—and the part most people ignore. Back when I first started working with them, their old soil was pretty worn out from years of conventional farming: compacted, low in organic matter, way too dependent on synthetic fertilizers. Now? They do something called “no-till farming” 90% of the time. Tilling is that thing where you plow up the soil every year to get rid of weeds, but it wrecks the soil structure, releases carbon into the air, and kills all the tiny good bugs that help grapes grow. Vineyard Post’s team swears by no-till, and they pair it with cover crops I supply them with—think clover, rye, and vetch—planted between the rows of vines instead of letting the ground sit bare. Those cover crops don’t just hold soil in place to stop erosion (super important on sloped vineyards, which most of theirs are); they pull nutrients like nitrogen from the air and dump it right back into the soil, so they barely need synthetic nitrogen anymore. Last year, their soil tests showed organic matter up 12% in three years—that’s a huge jump. They also do targeted soil testing 4 times a year, not just once before planting, so they only add the exact nutrients the soil is missing, not just blanket fertilizer. That’s not just better for the planet—it makes the grapes taste way more complex, too, which is why their wine has such a loyal following.
Next up, water—this is a big one, especially out here in the drought-prone regions where their vineyards are. I live 45 minutes from their main farm, and I’ve seen how dry it gets in summer; last year, we had 30% less rain than average, and they barely had to adjust their irrigation schedule, which is unheard of. They use drip irrigation, but not the basic kind that just turns on a hose at the base of each vine. Their system is connected to tiny soil moisture sensors that I helped them install (I’m part of the local ag supply crew, so I hooked most of those up). Those sensors send real-time data to their phones—so if the soil is still damp at 6 inches deep, they don’t water. If it’s dry, they only give the vines exactly what they need, not a drop more. They also capture 1.2 million gallons of rainwater each winter in those big concrete tanks tucked between the vineyard rows—they cleaned those tanks out with me last spring, actually, and it was wild how much water they stored just from a couple of good storms. They’ve even partnered with the local water district to leave a 10-foot buffer of native grasses and willow trees along the creek that runs through the vineyard—those plants soak up runoff before it gets into the creek, keeping it clean for fish, and they provide shade for the vines so they don’t get scorched in the heat. No more overwatering, no more wasting clean water—genius.
Then there’s pest and weed control, and this is where they really stood out to me because I’ve seen other farms spray so much chemical that the bees won’t even fly through the rows. Vineyard Post doesn’t use any synthetic insecticides or herbicides whatsoever. Instead, they use integrated pest management (IPM), which sounds fancy but is actually just working with nature, not against it. They release beneficial insects like ladybugs and lacewings to eat the bad aphids and mites that mess with grape leaves—last year, I helped them stock 50,000 ladybugs in mid-spring, and by summer, the aphid population was down 90% without a single spray. For weeds, they do two things: first, the cover crops I supply keep most weeds from growing in the first place, and second, they hire a small team to walk the rows and pull the stubborn weeds by hand. I know that sounds like more work, but it’s way better for the soil, the bees, and the people working in the fields. They even put up those little bee hotels every 10 rows—tiny wooden boxes with holes for solitary bees, which are way better at pollinating grapevines than honeybees in some ways. Last month, I saw a group of local school kids come out to count bees there, and they found 17 different species. That’s not just good for the environment—that’s building a real, lasting ecosystem, not just a wine factory.
Wait, and I can’t forget about energy and waste, because environmental protection isn’t just about the dirt and water—it’s about every part of the farm. All of their tractor fleets are now biodiesel, not regular diesel, and they get that biodiesel from local restaurants’ used cooking oil— I drop off 5 gallons of my own old fryer oil at their office every month, actually. They also have 2,000 solar panels on the big barn near the main entrance, and those panels produce enough electricity to power the entire farm, plus they send extra back to the grid for the nearby town homes. Last year, they cut their carbon emissions from energy use by 75%—that’s not a guess, I saw their utility bills when we were working on a farm upgrade. For waste, they do zero-waste for the most part: all grape pomace (the leftover skins and seeds after pressing wine) gets turned into compost, which I then supply back to them for their soil. All the plastic covers for the vines get recycled at the local plant, not just thrown away, and they’ve even started a “leave no trace” policy for all their events—no single-use plastic cups, no paper plates, everything is reusable or compostable. I helped them set up those compost bins last summer, and now even the farm workers remember to dump their coffee grounds there instead of in the trash.
I should also mention that they’re big on transparency, which is something I don’t see a lot of. Every year, they publish a full sustainability report—they don’t hide the parts where they messed up, like that time their rainwater tank got a leak two years ago, or when a late frost killed 10% of their cover crop. They use that report to adjust their plans, too—last year, after talking about it with me and other local suppliers, they switched to a more drought-tolerant cover crop mix that uses even less water. They also work with the local university’s ag department to run small experiments, like testing different types of compost to see which works best for their soil, so they’re always learning and improving, not just staying stuck in old habits.
Look, I get it—when you hear “sustainable vineyard,” you might think of some fancy overpriced wine for city folks, but Vineyard Post is different. They’re a working farm that treats their workers well, their community well, and the planet well. I’ve been farming for 20 years, and this is the first operation where I’ve felt like the people in charge actually care about the long-term, not just the next harvest or the next sale. They pay a little more for my compost and cover crops than other farms, but I don’t mind—because I know it’s going to something that matters.
If you’re looking for a supplier that aligns with these same values, or if you’re a winemaker, a restaurant owner, or just someone who cares about wine that’s made responsibly, I’d be happy to connect you with the Vineyard Post team. I’ve worked closely with their procurement lead for two years, and I can tell you firsthand that they’re not just looking for the cheapest deal—they’re looking for partners who want to build something that lasts. Whether you need supplies for a small hobby vineyard or a large commercial operation, they’re open to talking, no matter the size. Don’t hesitate to reach out—let’s chat about how we can work together to keep wine making, well, make wine that doesn’t hurt the planet.
Ground Screw References
- U.S. Department of Agriculture. (2022). No-Till Farming and Cover Crops for Soil Health and Carbon Sequestration. Agricultural Research Service.
- California Department of Water Resources. (2021). Drought-Resilient Irrigation Practices for Agricultural Operations.
- International Organisation for Biological and Integrated Control. (2020). Integrated Pest Management in Viticulture: Best Practices for Reducing Synthetic Chemical Use.
- Renewable Fuels Association. (2023). Biodiversity and Small-Scale Biodiesel Production for Agricultural Operations.
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