As harvest wraps up across the valley, many growers are shifting focus to vineyard redevelopment, and this year, more acres than ever are being removed and replanted. With those pulled vines come piles ready for burning, and the permissive Crop Replacement burn season, the question becomes: how do we manage them responsibly?

It’s easy to understand the impulse to light up on the first clear, burn-authorized day. But when everyone acts at once, the valley fills with smoke, visibility drops, and what could have been a series of clean, well-timed burns turns into what looks like a valley-wide event.

As growers and stewards of this land, we share a collective responsibility to protect air quality — for our neighbors, our crews, and the greater community. A little coordination goes a long way.

​Here are a few simple ways to help keep the air clear:

1. Talk to your neighbors. If you know nearby vineyards have also been pulled, coordinate your burn days so fires are staggered. A quick text or phone call can make all the difference.
2. Connect through your AVA group. Local AVA meetings or email lists are great ways to share plans. If several growers are planning burns, consider spreading them out over several days.
3. Cover your piles if you can wait. Tarping piles keeps them dry and ready for cleaner, more efficient burning later in the season.
4. Be weather-smart. Always confirm with the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD) before burning and follow their daily authorization updates to avoid temperature inversions or poor dispersion conditions.
5. Consider alternatives. Explore chipping, grinding, or other biomass management options.

 
Every grower wants to do the right thing, sometimes it’s just about slowing down, looking around, and remembering that we all share the same air.
 
Learn More
For details on permitting, air quality notifications, and best practices for vineyard burning, visit NVG’s Agricultural Burning resource page.
 
Local Contractors
David Eakle, Eakle Construction
(707) 965-3610 ext. 101
 
Johnny White, Pina Vineyard Management
(707) 486-2198
 
Manuel Rios, Rios Farming Company
(707) 965-2587
 
Mark Neal, Jack Neal & Son, Inc.
(707) 963-7303
 
Matt Weinert, High Demand
(707) 227 - 6119

In this episode of Trellis Talks, Caleb Mosley sits down with soil scientists Dr. Paul Anamosa and Dr. Nick Madden to explore their 2023 paper, “The Other White Rock in Coombsville Vineyards.” The conversation unpacks the geological mystery and viticultural significance of diatomaceous earth found in the Coombsville AVA—a lightweight, silica-rich sediment formed from freshwater algae in an ancient caldera lake. Anamosa and Madden discuss how these unique soils, often mistaken for volcanic ash or bentonite, impact vine growth, emphasizing their low pH, high aluminum toxicity, and unusual water retention characteristics. They explain how proper soil analysis and management—particularly the use of gypsum and lime—are crucial for successful vine development in these challenging conditions.
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The episode also delves into the broader story behind their collaboration, from international development work to building one of Napa’s most extensive soil pit databases. As Paul transitions into retirement, he reflects on the importance of mentorship and passing on deep technical knowledge to the next generation of consultants like Nick and their colleague Scott Nippelmeyer. Their combined efforts promise a new era of viticulture grounded in science, innovation, and deep respect for Napa Valley’s complex terroir.

In this episode of Grown in Napa Valley, host Caleb Mosley speaks with CAL FIRE’s Matt Ryan and JC Greenberg about the recent Pickett Fire in Calistoga and the evolution of wildfire management in Napa County. They recount how lessons learned from past disasters like the Glass Fire informed a faster, more coordinated response, aided by years of fuel reduction, maintained containment lines, and collaboration with Napa Firewise. New technology—including AI-enabled smoke detection, night-flying helicopters, and mobile retardant bases—has revolutionized early fire response. The chiefs emphasize that resilience depends on community-wide preparedness: defensible space, pre-fire planning, and responsible vineyard burn practices to prevent smoke impacts during harvest.
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The conversation then turns to Bill Hanna, Napa Valley Grapegrowers’ first Lifetime Achievement Award recipient, who reflects on his family’s 50-year partnership with Château Montelena and their deep roots in Napa farming. Hanna shares how trust, quality, and collaboration have sustained this grower–winery relationship across generations. Beyond the vineyard, he highlights decades of advocacy for farmworker housing and community well-being, noting Napa’s leadership as the only county where growers self-assess to fund workforce housing. Looking ahead, Hanna discusses the need for balance—between groundwater use, vineyard density, pricing, and long-term environmental stewardship—underscoring education and cooperation as the keys to Napa Valley’s enduring agricultural legacy.

• “We pulled out the Glass Fire playbook and threw everything at it — air tankers, helicopters, dozers — everything we’d learned over the past five years came together.” - Chief Matt Ryan
• “The work we did before the Pickett Fire — those containment lines, those partnerships — that’s what saved us. The real fight starts long before the flames.” - Chief Matt Ryan
  
• “The terrain was steep, rugged, unforgiving. Our crews hiked miles just to reach the fire’s edge. Every firefighter out there knew exactly what was at stake.” - Deputy Chief JC Greenberg
  
• “Defensible space doesn’t just protect your home — it protects your neighbors, your community, and the valley we all love.” - Deputy Chief JC Greenberg
  
• “What started as a handshake between my dad and Jim Barrett at Château Montelena turned into a 50-year partnership — and three generations of trust.” - Bill Hanna 
  
• “Our biggest challenge isn’t just drought or markets — it’s remembering that sustainability means balance: between the land, the water, and each other.” - Bill Hanna 
  

​In this episode*, organic dairy farmer, and keynote speaker at the July 25th Organic Winegrowing Conference, Albert Strauss of Straus Family Creamery, shares his journey into organic farming and the challenges faced by dairy farmers today. He shares insights that apply to grape growers on  the importance of collaboration among farmers, as well as thoughts on the economics of organic products.

In "Glass with a Grower," Jim Duane from Seavey Vineyard  discusses his podcasting adventures on his show, Inside Winemaking, and the benefits of the platform. He shares a bottle of Seavey Vineyards Merlot as he provides his approach to grape growing and winemaking.

* We were having technical difficulties with our microphone for our interview with Albert. We didn't want to scrap it, because the conversation was so good. Caleb just sounds like he's in a car. Thanks in advance for your understanding! ​

"We aim to create an economically viable organic dairy farm model that’s good for the planet and our communities while providing high-quality organic food." - Albert Straus

"We’re now recognized internationally as one of the only ways to reverse climate change rather than just reduce it. My assertion is that livestock have an essential role in reversing climate change and mitigating against wildfires." - Albert Straus

"We strive to create a model that’s replicable, so rather than trying to take over the world, we want to make something viable for our community, our farms, and produce high-quality food locally." - Albert Straus

"One of the things I'm most proud of at SEAVEY is that we farm our own grapes for our own production. Every decision we make is focused solely on quality, without a push and pull between quantity and quality." - Jim Duane

"At SEAVEY, we integrate the whole system. It's not just about grapes. We have cattle, sheep, and oak woodlands. We’re constantly thinking about how to keep the entire ecosystem healthy and growing." ​- Jim Duane

Dr. Ayana Johnson, co-founder of Urban Ocean Lab and the All We Can Save Project, sits down with Professor Andrew Isaacs of UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business. Hear from two great minds in the climate science field about the role that coastal waterways and vegetation play in absorbing carbon and how their protection will ultimately keep us safe from storm surges. In Napa, we are connected to these coastal systems via our river, streams, and riparian areas. Dr. Johnson emphasizes the connectivity between oceans and our farming practices that may not always be front-of-mind. 

Included in this discussion is the importance of climate justice when addressing the disproportionate impacts of climate change on communities. Dr. Johnson also highlights tenacity, collective action, and remaining joyful when confronting the challenges brought by a changing climate. What role can a farming community, and more specifically, our wine community play in meeting these challenges?

Senior Policy Advisor with Carbon 180, Vanessa Suarez, discusses key practices to promote carbon storage in soils, an opportunity to counteract the 1.5 degree Celsius warming threshold. Suarez encourages AOTC attendees to reframe their idea of carbon emissions to focus on the long game: net negative emissions. A concept Carbon 180 explores is agroforestry. How can we incorporate more biodiversity into our vineyards to promote the soil carbon holding capacity while improving wine quality and creating another path to economic stability for smaller wineries?

​Jamie Goode of Wine Anorak demystifies consumer perspectives and presents pathways for those in the wine industry to communicate and market environmental ethos and practice. While warning against the blanket term “sustainability” which he notes is well-positioned to promote greenwashing, Goode projects that future wine consumers will increasingly care about where their wine comes from. The audience is encouraged to share their innovative practices in narrative form through their labeling, marketing, and DTC channels to connect the consumer to the vineyard, farmers, soil, and ultimately, the wine. Illuminating the path forward for the wine industry, Goode shares, “Wine is the rockstar of agriculture and is ideally placed to lead conversations about climate change and green credentials.”

​Elisa Turner, Founder and CEO of IMPAKT IQ discusses the rapid acceleration of global ESG standards in the pipeline for 2024, and how financial institutions will begin looking at ESG scores like credit scores. In the past, there was no significant framework for consumers to learn about a company’s brand ethics. Now, ESG reporting is becoming mandatory for some sectors, whether the push is from government regulations, or consumer demand to purchase socially responsible and environmentally friendly goods. Wine distributors and wholesalers will require that wine companies meet certain ESG standards soon, particularly public companies like large grocers and retail. Elisa dives deep into the impacts this could have on local businesses and shares how IMPAKT IQ was designed to help navigate this new age of our industry both for large companies and smaller growers. 
Alan Lewis, VP of Natural Grocers, addresses the rapid state of transition in consumer demand for natural foods and the failure of regulatory bodies to keep up with what science now knows about the microbiome. When consumer trust erodes, how should companies respond, what changes in practices are expected, and how does this translate into market demand for Napa Valley wines? Turner & Lewis discuss the intersections of their work through a Q&A with the audience.

​Anthony Myint, Executive Director of Zero Foodprint, highlights incredible pathways for growers striving for innovative change, and poses this thought experiment: Can Napa Valley become the regenerative wine capital of the world? In their 5-year plan to generate funds to support growers with climate-smart farming, Zero Foodprint suggests an inventive OPT-OUT ordinance of 1% tax on food and wine that could be given directly to farmers. 1% of the Napa wine industry is more than $70 million dollars. Imagine what the Napa Valley could look like in 10, 20 and 50 years with this emphasis on regenerative agriculture: lush landscapes, healthy soil microbiomes, and a new consumer market dedicated to Napa Valley’s forward-thinking wines.