Online response to “Does Ag Diversity Hinder Monterey,” winesandvines.com Headlines, Nov. 19.
 
Monterey is nearly a desert, with low annual rainfall. Agriculture there is not now nor will ever be in any way “sustainable.” They are already pumping wastewater into the ground to delay the inevitable exhaustion of the aquifer.

With the exception of the very obviously limited area of the Santa Lucia piedmont, Salinas Valley, the majority of Monterey’s ag land, is suited for row crops, not wine.  Winegrapes are not appropriate for planting on every square inch of creation, as seems to be the trend.
 
Mark Bunter
Watsonville (Monterey County), Napa & District of Columbia

Monterey County is arid—generally less than 10 inches annual rainfall. However, the watershed is 2.5 million acres; irrigated agriculture is 250,000 acres. Underground aquifers are fed from the entire watershed. 

The western side of the Salinas Valley receives about 20-25 inches of rainfall most years, and the region maintains almost 800,000 acre-feet of reservoirs for conservation of water. It is estimated that 10 to 15 million acre-feet of reserve water are secured in the Arroyo Seco Cone beneath the “center” of the Salinas Valley. We are blessed with one of the very best water resource situations in the state of California.

Regarding “sustainable,” I would challenge the writer to find a more sustainable region for grapegrowing. Our grapegrowing soils—almost entirely benchlands—are very well suited to grapegrowing. Actually, they are not well-suited to the row crop growers.

Our water resources are good quality and abundant. Our climate is blessed with moderate winters (early bud break) and slow accumulation of heat units (a long growing season = long hang time). There are generally less than five days a year that reach 100°F from Arroyo Seco north; the number of days at 100°F or more further south in the county are much fewer and less intense than most of the California winegrape growing regions.

The diversity of other crops and the mingling of natural habitats throughout most of the grapegrowing areas allow substantial natural populations (plants and animals) to sustain biological diversity and naturally sustained communities. Insect and disease pressure are low.

Irrigating our vineyards in an otherwise arid climate allows us a greater control of viticulture than many other coastal areas; it is one of our most significant advantages.

If the writer will tour Monterey wine country, he will see only about 15-plus% of our region is planted to winegrapes. Only the regions best suited to winegrapes are planted.

Rich Smith
Owner, Paraiso Vineyards
Santa Lucia Highlands
Soledad, Calif.