The Path to Industry-Wide Adoption of Regenerative Viticulture
For regenerative viticulture to make a meaningful impact on the wine industry, it needs to be adopted by both boutique wineries and high-volume producers—can it be done?
Climate Action & Sustainability in the Drinks Industry
There’s arguably no issue more urgent to the future of our world—and the drinks industry—than climate change. As agricultural products, wine, spirits, and beer are particularly susceptible to our planet’s changing climate—and producers have responded by taking decisive action.
In SevenFifty Daily’s Sustainability Hub, we profile the people, movements, and companies spearheading climate action. From widespread organic farming practices and reimagined zero-emissions production facilities, to packaging and transportation innovations aimed at lowering the industry’s carbon footprint, we’ll be reporting on the inspiring initiatives driving change at local and global scale.
The Science of Heat Stress in Grapevines
As more vineyards around the world face persistent and intermittent heat stress, researchers and vineyard managers are working to understand how grapevines are coping, and how they can better intervene
Revisiting Maui’s Bar Industry a Year After the Fires
From hiring displaced workers to prioritizing local suppliers, bar professionals in Maui are still rebuilding with the future of the entire community in mind
Sustainability
Wildfires Are Testing Sierra de Gredos’s Wine Revival
The ethereal Garnachas of Sierra de Gredos have brought new recognition to this Spanish winemaking region, but after wildfires recently swept through the region, can the momentum continue?
Pierce’s Disease Is Knocking at Europe’s Door
As warming temperatures increase the risk of Pierce’s disease in European vineyards, researchers and growers are looking to California for lessons in detection, prevention, and management
The Science Behind Disease-Resistant Wine Grapes
Fungus-resistant hybrid grape varieties, known as PIWIs, are evolving through advances in breeding, offering growers new options in a changing climate
The Economic and Cultural Stakes of Losing Ancient Vine-Training Systems
As labor costs soar, global wine regions are forced to weigh the high expense of traditional vineyard design against its tourism appeal and climate-adapting benefits
Mourvèdre Was Made for Heat. Rising Temperatures Are Testing It
In a warming climate, even one of the world’s most heat-tolerant grape varieties is reaching its limits
8 Tequilas Leading the Way in Sustainability, According to Buyers
From additive-free production to regenerative farming, these buyer-recommended tequilas reflect the category’s evolving standards
The Science Behind Vertical Shoot Positioning in Vineyards
Once a default choice, VSP is being reevaluated as changing conditions expose tradeoffs in ripening, yield, and cost
The Promise—and Limits—of Biochar in the Vineyard
Biochar is gaining popularity with viticulturists for its ability to sequester carbon and improve soil health, but researchers are still learning when and where it’s most effective
The Mounting Economic Toll of Grapevine Trunk Diseases
From hidden infections to nursery spread, grapevine trunk diseases pose a costly and complex challenge for vineyards
Can Wine Appellation Systems Withstand Climate Change?
Extreme weather is testing long-standing appellation rules on allowed grape varieties, vineyard locations, and more, intensifying the debate over the future relevance of geographical indications
South African Chenin Blanc Clones May Be Key to the Loire Valley’s Future
Nearly 400 years ago, Chenin Blanc traveled from France to South Africa, where it thrived in a warmer, drier climate. Now, researchers from the two countries are teaming up to find more resilient clones amidst climate change
Searching for Terroir in Tequila—Beyond the Highlands and Lowlands
If the agave cultivation and production process is approached with care, each tequila-producing state and subregion—even a single rancho—has the potential to demonstrate a unique sense of place
3 Brands Leading the Way for Sustainable American Wine
From precision irrigation to habitat preservation to simplified messaging, here’s how three U.S. wine brands are taking sustainability to new heights
Are These Smart Solar Panels the Future of Sustainable Vineyards?
Agrivoltaics, a new solar paneling system designed to support agriculture while providing green energy, has shown positive results in vineyards around the world—but its high cost and depleted federal funding is slowing its uptake in the U.S.
A Radical New Vineyard Shape for a Warming Climate
Vintners may not be able to change the climate, but they’re attempting to control microclimate through innovative new vine orientation and training approaches
Americans’ Love of Tequila and Beer Is Deepening Mexico’s Water Crisis
As U.S. demand for Mexican beer and spirits fuels industry growth, severe drought in the region complicates that success story and calls for a more sustainable approach
The Rocky Rollout of California’s New Bottle Bill
Expanding the state’s bottle redemption program to include wine and spirits is a massive undertaking, raising concerns—and hopes—from California’s beverage industry
5 Leaders in Sustainable Wine and Spirits Production
Eco-friendly practices—including organic, biodynamic, and regenerative production—are top of mind for winemakers and distillers around the world. These regions and producers are leading the charge
The 8 Best Organic Wines, According to Buyers
Sommeliers, retail buyers, and wine directors share their favorite organic, biodynamic, and sustainable wines
The Wine Industry’s Human Rights Challenge
It’s time to scrutinize the significant labor issues facing the wine sector—and explore the preliminary steps being taken to mitigate them
Does Premium Whiskey Need a Box?
Secondary packaging signifies a bottle’s collectable status in the premium whiskey market, but, now that sustainability is top of mind, consumers are shifting their priorities
Designing a More Sustainable Packaging System for the Spirits Industry
EcoSpirits set out to tackle the enormous waste and carbon emissions produced by single-use glass bottles in the beverage industry with a technology and design solution based on reuse
Could Reuse Be the Future of Wine Packaging?
Lightweight glass, recycling, and alternative packaging provide steps towards a greener future, but the ultimate solution lies in reuse
The Path to Zero-Emission Wine Shipping
As the wine industry reckons with the climate impact of its global transportation network, options multiply for decarbonizing freight and shipping
The Benefits of Contour Farming in a Changing Climate
Some vineyard managers are turning to this affordable, natural farming method to combat a growing suite of climate change-related problems, such as drought and soil health
Could Gene Editing Create More Disease-Resistant Grape Varieties?
Using gene-editing technologies like CRISPR, researchers are fighting back against one of the wine industry’s biggest problems—powdery mildew disease
Inside the Movement to Revive Forgotten Grape Varieties
As a means of fighting climate change and preserving history, producers across Europe are reviving grape varieties that have never been cultivated for modern, commercial wine production
A Proposed Pesticide Ban Divides Austrian Vintners
A draft EU proposal would prohibit the use of pesticides in nature reserves—but for winemakers in the challenging region of the Wachau, is there an alternative?
How Mycorrhizal Fungi Create More Drought-Resistant Grapevines
As climate change continues to alter viticulture, some farmers are harnessing the power of an ancient fungus to strengthen their vines
5 Standout Bottles from ProWein 2023
Our associate editor reports on five bottles—four wines and one sake—that illustrate many of the broader trends shaping the global beverage industry today
