As in other industries, there have always been organic producers. Some grape growers have stuck firmly with ˜the old ways™, possibly out of suspicion or because they refused to spend money on chemicals. They may have been lucky enough to survive because they lived in a favourable area, though many were very dedicated growers who observed the weather closely and relied on the ˜smaller toolkit™ which organic growers are permitted to use.

This vineyard toolkit contains:

• Knowledge of the basic requirements of the vine and to manipulate the physical and cultural conditions in the vineyard to provide just the right growing conditions, rather than intervening with a chemical.
• Varietal selection, location choice and trellis design.
• Creation of nutritious soil with a healthy structure to encourage natural disease and pest resistance and optimal supply of nutrients.
• ˜Naturally occurring™ chemicals, beneficial plants and vineyard structure to control pests and diseases.
• Limited weeding and crop cover to suppress weeds.