" It's The Right Thing To Do "
– JOHN GIGUIERE ( OWNER & FOUNDER )
At Matchbook Winery, we are committed to and embrace regenerative and sustainable practices. We take every step we can to preserve the ecosystem of our region beginning with our healthy soil initiative.
Certified Sustainable
Wine Growing
Matchbook Winery is honored to be a California Sustainable Vineyard since 2022. The California Rules Certified Green seal signifies a third-party audited commitment to farming that is environmentally and socially responsible while also being economically viable. This credential is just the first step in our mission to become certified organic and regenerative.
The Pillars of Our Program
Sheep grazing, cover crops, compost and compost tea, and the elimination of synthetic fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides are the building blocks of our program. By improving soil structure and biological activity the wines coming from these vineyards will be more alive with increased flavor, enhanced color and improved balance.
Sheep Grazing
Sheep graze in all our estate vineyards in both fall and spring. The sheep manure adds carbon, important in building organic matter which is at the heart of our organic and regenerative program.
Cover Crops
Our enhanced cover crop blend adds more shading mitigating the summer temperatures and evaporation that we experience with bare soils – which ultimately saves water. These crops also attract more arthropods and beneficial insects to help decompose dead plant material into organic matter to create biological pest controls – reducing the use of synthetic fertilizers.
Compost Tea
Our organic brewed tea that we spray on our estate vineyards in the fall is a mixture of humic acid chips (an enriched carbon source), organic mined gypsum, chicken manure and local almond shells. These additions are designed to increase organic matter and improve soil structure, necessary requirements for improved photosynthesis – the solar engine driving everything.
