Paso Robles wine collective releases study, outlines plan for sustainable future amid climate change 

It's no secret that wine is an iconic part of Central Coast culture. But in the midst of an evolving climate, those wines are facing a new threat.

"Wine is among the most sensitive and nuanced agricultural products and is highly sensitive to climate change," Linda Sanpei said. "Variations in temperature, water for irrigation, frost, pests, and other climate implications pose a significant threat to the wine industry of Paso Robles."

Sanpei, the executive director of Paso Robles CAB (Cabernet and Bordeaux) Collective (PRCC), is looking forward to leading the way to combat climate change's impacts with the help of a study the organization released on July 14 that aims to build a more sustainable future for the industry.

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• Photo Courtesy Of Paso Robles Cab Collective
• WINE WISDOM The Paso Robles CAB (Cabernet and Bordeaux) Collective is hopeful that a new study released on July 14 will help the wine industry thrive in a future facing increasing climate change impacts.

"We have been witness to many changes and issues over the last few years," Sanpei said. "As the leaders in shepherding the production of Paso Robles varietals, we not only take pride in it, we want to leave the earth in a better place than when we found it."

The PRCC formed in 2012 as an independent collaborative effort between growers and producers of cabernet and red Bordeaux varieties in Paso Robles.

Since then, the collective has strived to optimize the full potential of the region on the global stage—something that Sanpei said they have succeeded at on both the regional and national levels.

"Paso Robles as a region was just named in a USA Today list as the No. 1 wine region in the U.S.," she said. "It's something we take pride in and want to continue leading in—but to do that we also have to lead the way in how we are addressing the crises that affect our industry."

The PRCC conducted the study with a $15,000 grant it applied for in August 2022 through Montana State University. According to Sanpei, the six-month-long project combined the efforts of local winemakers, winemaking officials, and Cal Poly.

"We had a lot of voices to address the concerns we as an industry have about the impact of the climate on our industry," she said.

The sustainability plan those voices helped formulate focuses on water conservation in vineyards and wineries, energy efficiency in how grapes are harvested and wine is created, management of waste created from those processes, and how soil, compost, pest management, and air quality all factor in.

"None of this is necessarily new to what we have been doing," Sanpei said. "It is just taking that knowledge, looking into the future, and seeing how we can best prepare."

Sanpei said she and the rest of the PRCC want to implement the plan as an example for all of the Central Coast wine industry and the entire world.

"We hope that the [plan] will assist the wine industry in understanding the barriers to implementing sustainable practices across the vineyard, winery, distribution, and marketing sectors," she said. "The roadmap will assist in the development of future strategies by identifying key priorities for research ... not only for PRCC but also the wine industry at large."

The key to setting that example for the wine industry at large? According to Sanpei, it's the land the PRCC grapes are grown on and the Central Coast climate.

"Temperate days, cold nights, and the well-drained soil of Paso Robles echo the growing conditions of Saint Émilion in Bordeaux, France, inspiring the region's production of world-class wines from wine grapes," she said. "These perfect growing conditions have led to significant increases in wine grape acreage in the region."

Sanpei said cabernet and red Bordeaux grapes have become one of the highest-grossing exports out of Paso Robles and made the region the top producer of wine in the county.

"The cabernet and red Bordeaux growing industry contributes significantly to the $1.5 billion in economic return of the wine industry," she said. "Paso Robles accounts for 87 percent of the SLO County wine industry output and economic impact with more than 200 wineries—95 percent of which are small production, family-owned businesses."

Many of these businesses and farms suffered during the prolonged drought period the region experienced before this past winter's rainstorms, something that the study suggests will continue despite the recent increased rainfall.

"At the time of completing this study, it is unknown the long-term effects this additional water supply would have on groundwater recharge for the Paso Robles Groundwater Basin," Sanpei said. "Reports from various climate change experts have suggested that the groundwater supplies will likely take some time to recharge, and the California agriculture industry will still feel the effects of drought in the months and years to come."

Caine Thompson—the managing director of Robert Hall Winery and sustainability studies specialist—said that studies like this one can serve as the catalyst for future research.

"What's great about these types of plans is how they are going to be doing something about the long-term effects of climate change," he said.

He's also taking part in a study through Robert Hall Winery that looks at the regenerative nature of plants.

"It's a three-year study on the sustainability of regenerative viticulture and whether or not we can make use of farming carbon from the production cycle to fuel future production process," he said. "It will be complete by the end of this upcoming harvest, and we are very excited to see how this—along with the new study—will help us combat the impacts of climate change because it's not going away anytime soon."

Thompson and his peers are hopeful that through these types of research-based plans, the industry can continue—and thrive—in the face of climate adversity.

"How do we preserve what we have, and how do we enhance for the next couple of years?" he said. "Research is a big part of it as it serves as that catalyst for what we need to be exploring and implementing—but the biggest thing we need to address is how we can extend the life of the industry far into the future." Δ

Reach Staff Writer Adrian Vincent Rosas at [email protected].