Closed Nutrient System

As much as possible, we try to keep our ranch a closed-system, especially when it comes to nutrients. This makes our waste stream very valuable because now it is our primary source of food for our plants. In the past it was garbage that cost us $2,500-4,000 a month to haul away. What a difference a philosophy makes.

All organic material (landscape waste, vineyard waste, pomace, stems, winery waste) on our ranch is collected, composted and recycled. Composting is similar to fermentation. The pile is carefully constructed and turned 4-5 times a year. The waste is transformed by microbes into a beautiful earthy humus.

One tablespoon of well-made compost contains over a billion micro-organisms and up to 100,000 different types. At Benziger, the chief use of compost is not fertility, but for soil vitality. The annual compost program maintains and increases soil biology year in and year out.

Think of these microbes as our own personal chefs in the soil. They break down and absorb organic nutrients in the soil (much of it cover crop residue) and combine it with the volcanic minerals in our soils to make a gourmet dish of food for our plants and vines. Since this process uses the unique elements of our ranch, it contributes to the individuality of our wines.

Compost is normally spread one time a year at a rate of two to four tons per acre, which is not too much. It is usually applied after harvest, but before the cover crop is drilled. The main application is timed to coincide with the root growing period in a grapevine.