Tech: Battling vineyard pests

Native, natural, furry, feathered, scaly, creepy crawly” creatures are actively encouraged at Hill-Smith Family Estates’ vineyards. So says Louisa Rose, winemaker and head of sustainability at the Aussie producer. For Rose, biodiversity is vital for sustainable pest management. Many producers want to reduce their use of insecticides, herbicides and fungicides for a bevy of reasons. From improving soil health to cultivating native yeasts, their motivations are diverse. Harpers canvassed wine producers from the world over to understand how they are pursuing greener pest management and what benefits they are reaping.