OREGON L.I.V.E. CERTIFIED (Low Input Viticulture and Enology) ~
We are very proud the LACHINI ESTATE VINEYARD earned certification in 2005 following a two-year certification process. The philosophy of L.I.V.E. is an approach of sustainable winegrowing that is more environmentally responsible and increasingly recognized as vital to a terroir-based winegrowing philosophy, which we embrace. In our opinion, wine quality and agricultural sustainability go hand in hand. Just as healthy people cherish nurturing their bodies, so does the responsible winegrower cherish the environment that gives him his fruit. It should then go without saying that pesticides and chemical fertilizers are not a part of the life of the Lachini family or our estate vineyard.
What is L.I.V.E.?
Low Input Viticulture and Enology, Inc., was incorporated in 1997 to promote sustainable, low-impact wine farming in Western Oregon. L.I.V.E. gives growers and wineries official recognition for their agricultural practices, according to the guidelines of The International Organization for Biological Control, based in Geneva, Switzerland.
These guidelines are highly regarded by winemakers and consumers worldwide. They provide assurance of fruit quality and the ecologically friendly practices used to achieve this quality.
The certification program provides growers with a list of vineyard practices that are prohibited and required. In addition, the program requires that growers institute a number of ecological practices. A 'point system' for ecological practices was developed, to codify growers' accountability, and to stimulate them to continually improve this "L.I.V.E." score, and thus minimize their environmental footprint.
Our Practices
Ron and Marianne hope one day to hand over this estate vineyard to their children - August, Gianluca and Giselle and towards that end our farming practices and those vineyards we work with in the Willamette Valley remain focused on long-term sustainability and quality. We hope this commitment will become evident to you the moment you open a bottle of Lachini Vineyards wine.
We strive to use:
- Natural, organic, elemental-spray solutions to combat vine diseases like mildew and botrytis.(primarily sulfur)
- Natural and indigenous predatory insects and bacterium to control noxious pests.
- Compost and verma compost teas instead of industrial fertilizers to feed our soils and young plants
- Foliar sprays of kelp, fish emulsions, and pulverized plant and mineral elements to help maintain the health of our plants during the dry summer months.
- Biodiversity in the vineyard by maintaining and inventorying all plant and animal species - this diversity is augmented by planting wildflowers and diverse varieties of cover crops and plant species throughout the property. This nurtures naturally-occurring insects and fungi that compete biologically with vineyard pests. A balanced ecosystem is the hallmark of a healthy vineyard.
- Alternating rows between vines are cultivated in nitrogen-fixing legumes, such as peas and beans, that constitute "green manure." This material provides essential nitrogen and other minerals to the vines.
We do not believe is use of insecticides or persistent herbicides our vineyards; therefore, striving to protect the natural flora and fauna in the vineyard as well as the nearby watersheds. Drainage tiles were installed under the middle and West blocks of the Lachini Estate vineyard in order to create more uniform soil moisture and help mitigate soil erosion.
