Environmentally Sustainable Viticulture: Practices and Practicality

This title includes a number of Open Access chapters.

As climate change becomes a growing reality, more industries must grapple with how to implement sustainable business practices at every step of the production process. This is especially true for viticulture, where every step of production can take years to come to fruition, and any decision made must take into account the future.

This valuable volume serves as an introduction to some of the important concerns that viticulturists must address to keep this industry moving in the right direction, including the best sustainable practices in the wine industry, how to assess sustainability programs, how to consider viticulture in the broader context of sustainable agriculture and industry, and the role of the consumer.

Edited by a researcher from Cornell University, this easily accessible volume offers a glimpse into the future of the winemaking industry and points to future steps in both research and business practices.

Chris Gerling is part of the Cornell Enology Extension Laboratory (CEEL), which conducts applied research trials, industry workshops, and custom analysis. He is the project manager of the Vinification and Brewing Laboratory at the New York State Agricultural Experiment Station in Geneva, New York, and he is Cornell University’s extension associate for enology in New York State. Formerly a commercial winemaker, he now engages with the farm-based beverage industry to maximize the quality and sustainability of wine, spirits, and ciders. He serves as a liaison between the research and commercial sectors to help ensure that research is industry-driven wherever possible and that the industry learns of and benefits from research results.