Vineyard Visibility: Michael David Winery Improves Results With Aerial Imaging

Despite the bucolic setting of the average vineyard, risk can be everywhere. Sun-dappled views through the vines can make for inspiring and great pictures. But for professional winemakers, those romantic scenes can hide the potential for drought, disease and pests that can disrupt production and, ultimately, business results.

 

Many of these risks, such as early stage crop stress caused by water or nutrient deficiencies, can be largely invisible to the naked eye. This is why the savviest vineyard owners and operators are turning to aerial imagery, combined with advanced data analysis, to understand more about the ways they can better protect their crops and solve problems confidently before impacting yield or quality.

 

For example, Michael David Winery is a sixth-generation, family-owned business that has operated in Lodi, California, since the late 1800s. Today, it produces 11 premium varietals, including Chardonnay, Cabernet, Petit Bordeaux, Petite Sirah, Primitivo, and Sauvignon Blanc, across some 3,600 acres of vineyard land. The winery follows the “LODI RULES” for sustainable winegrowing, which is “California’s original sustainable viticulture certification program,” described as a “rigorous, science-based , voluntary, and third-party accredited and audited certification process” that incorporates 100 sustainability and stewardship practices.

 

Part of complying with LODI RULES is minimizing the amount of pesticides used in the vineyard and adhering to the group’s unique pesticide risk model, PEAS. Regulations state that the “Pesticide Environmental Assessment System (PEAS) is a risk model used to quantify the environmental and human impact of all pesticides applied in a vineyard” and that the “PEAS model generates an Environmental Impact Unit (EIU) for each pesticide, which is based on the pesticide’s impact on 1) acute risk to farm workers, 2) dietary risks from acute and chronic exposure to people who consume the product, 3) acute risks to small aquatic invertebrates, 4) acute risk to birds, and 5) acute risk to bees’ and pests’ natural enemies.”

 

As a practical matter, LODI RULES certified growers must fall below 50 PEAS impact (EIU) units for the growing season. Michael David’s position as heavy user of aerial imaging and analysis provided by Ceres Imaging, a high-tech startup based in Oakland, California, has helped the winery enhance its compliance with LODI RULES, while also achieving other benefits.

 

According to Michael Klouda, the viticulturist and grower relations representative for Michael David, use of aerial imagery coupled with imagery analysis and support from Ceres Imaging helps them cover more ground, as well as get ahead of issues that may not be visually apparent with the naked eye. Using primarily fixed-wing planes, Ceres Imaging captures high-resolution NDVI (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index) imagery of Michael David’s vineyards- a widely accepted scientific method to determine photosynthetic activity and crop health. Once processed, the NDVI imaging data from Ceres Imaging enables Klouda to pinpoint the vineyard areas where he needs to focus his limited time and resources.

 

Importantly, the images and data from Ceres help Klouda and his team adhere closely to the LODI RULES when it comes to minimizing use of pesticides and fungicides. “Going beyond a certain level [with pesticides] means you don’t get certified,” he explains. “So, we do a lot of biological control, pheromone disruptors and sulfur instead of relying heavily on pesticides.”

 

Treading lightly in this manner enables Michael David to achieve a high-quality and low-impact crop, with minimal usage of chemicals. What’s more, aerial imaging enables Klouda to spot other pest and disease issues early, because within a day or two of each flyover, he receives current data that identifies other potential problem areas in his vineyards.

 

For example, recent NDVI imagery from Ceres provided advance warning of an infestation of esca, which is an untreatable fungus found in mature grape vines. Though Klouda and his team had previously scouted the affected area, the fungus was invisible in its early stages. Tipped off by subtle anomalies flagged by Ceres Imaging, Klouda was able to identify weaker vines and have Michael David’s crews remove the impacted vines, well before any infestation spread to other areas of the land.

 

Highly up-to-date information about the state of vineyard health empowers Klouda and his team to proactively adjust viticulture techniques as needed, because NDVI information and analysis from Ceres Imaging provides a deeper understanding of issues such as chlorophyll levels and water stress. Ceres, which is now used on an estimated 20% of all California and Washington wine grape acres, even provides Michael David Winery with early warnings about pest infestations, such as a recent visit from mites, which the winery was able to quickly manage in coordination with their PCA (Pest Control Advisor) – while staying within the bounds of the LODI RULES.

 

According to Klouda, Ceres Imaging provides real benefits to winegrowers. “If they have a large enough operation, I think it definitely provides value. If you’re not able to get out to every block, every day, aerial imaging gives you an idea – essentially a ‘heads up’ about what’s going on in the vineyards. This is particularly true if you can’t clearly scout everything by getting into the middle of every block. Ceres Imaging can help you identify weaker areas, vigorous areas, potential mite damage, and potential viruses. So, I definitely think it’s a great thing to use if you have 200 to 300 or more acres of vines.”

 

Ultimately, advanced data from Ceres Imaging allows the winery to “see the unseen” and more effectively allocate resources and proactively manage its vineyards, resulting in reduced costs and less business risk. For any business, more and better information, lower costs and improved business results are big wins – and for the family that owns Michael David Winery, it means the ability to extend its 150-year tradition of agriculture and environmental stewardship.