Vineyard Sustainability

At DANCIN, sustainability is not just a “feel good” word, it’s woven into the fabric of who we are and therefore it's a natural extension of what we do. Our Bottom Line? Be a steward of the land who is accountable to future generations.

We believe that one of the keys to a sustainable vineyard is not to react haphazardly to issues that present themselves in the vineyard. We have been taught, and experience confirms that if you maintain an overall healthy vineyard and surrounding ecosystem, nature will resolve most issues that arise in due course. We understand and appreciate the role of nature’s natural assistants. From birds to insects and other wildlife, they all play a crucial role in keeping things in balance…naturally.

Organically Conserving

We are dry-farmed and we utilize organic farming methods on our original estate planting! Since 2012, we have intentionally extended the date on which we began our first irrigation set. In 2015, it was July 15th and in 2020, it was September 3rd, and then, only for three short sets! We have been dry-farmed ever since! 

We also sow new cover crops throughout our blocks consisting of Austrian winter peas, fall cereal ryegrain, crimson clover, annual ryegrass, vetch and buckwheat. At our much steeper upper block we have sown a mixture of perennial ryegrass, creeping red and hard fescues with micro clover. These cover crops attract the insects that are beneficial to our sustainable vineyards. We also gently incorporate the alternating cover crop rows along with the chicken manure into the soil, which provides an organic fertilizer for the vines. Throughout the growing season, we mow (on a very high setting) the cover crop and allow the clippings to naturally work its way into the soil. This process is repeated when appropriate.

Wildlife in Flight

We built owl boxes to encourage residency for owls to use while they hunt for ground squirrels, moles, and gophers during the overnight hours. In addition, we installed bat houses, which assist with keeping the nocturnal insects in balance. Our vineyards are located in a natural setting that attracts hawks, particularly red tails who are regularly seen on our vineyard end posts or fence posts perched and on patrol for some furry pests in the vineyard. We have also maintained native forested areas around and between our vineyard sites, which provide a natural habitat for birds, insects and animals that assist with biodiversity and balance.

Prudent Packaging

We're excited to announce a new step in our sustainability journey at DANCIN. Starting this year, our wines will be in bottles that are up to 30% lighter and are made in America. The transition to these bottles will help reduce shipping distance and overall transportation weight. You will also notice that we have transitioned to capsule bottles to reduce packaging waste. These efforts reflect our dedication to nurturing both our land and community.