Organic By Nature
As an organic farmer, Patianna Organic Vineyards partner with nature to care for the land in a non-exploitive way and to balance a diverse ecosystem. Once part of the Fetzer family land holdings, Patianna Organic Vineyard has been certified organic by California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF) since 1987.
- The vineyards are farmed naturally without harmful or toxic chemicals (herbicides, pesticides, fungicides and fertilizers). Intensive handwork controls weeds.
- Domestic animals and plant life add biodiversity and control pests by natural means; at Patianna, the resident chickens forage in the vine rows. Goats and sheep graze on the riparian habitat, eliminating the environment that harbors Pierces’ Disease. Owl boxes provide nesting homes for raptors that control gopher populations. Year-round cover and companion crops provide host environments for beneficial insects. Soon beehives will join the ‘good bug’ population.
- Healthy soils are a cornerstone of organic farming. The vine pulls nutrients from the land, heightening the expression of terroir, that unique “taste of place”. Farm-produced organic composts and manure amend the soil. No petro-chemicals are used.
- Organic vineyards must go through a rigorous certification, in accordance with the USDA’s Natural Organic Program guidelines (NOP). Organic certification by California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF), a non-profit, independent organization, guarantees that the grapes have met specific standards of organic agricultural methods.
