Grapegrower and Winemaker: Biochar in the Vineyard

Australian & New Zealand Grapegrower & Winemaker, October 2020

In my first article for Australian & New Zealand Grapegrower & Winemaker magazine I investigate the potential benefits of using biochar in the vineyard. What is biochar and how is it being used in New Zealand and Australia? To read the full article click here

Further afield in California, the results of a three-year field study with Pinot Noir vines planted over different soil treatments are due to be released later this year. Preliminary results are positive, with compost-biochar and biochar treated sites recording significant increases in yield when compared to control sites. This was a collaborative project between Sonoma Biochar Initiative, Sonoma Ecology Centre (SEC), UC Riverside (UCR), and Pacific Biochar and further information about the study can be found on the Sonoma Biochar Initiative website.

Additional Reading

Australia and New Zealand

1. Australia and New Zealand Biochar Initiative
2. Biochar Network New Zealand
3. Massey University – Marlborough District Council Grape Marc Project
4. McLaren Vale Biodiversity Project

International

1. Academic Wino – Biochar as an Alternative to Irrigation in Extreme Drought Conditions
2. Ithaka Institute
3. Sonoma Biochar Initiative