(Wines&Vines) - With minds focused on the prolonged drought, it’s not surprising that the seventh Organic Winegrowing Conference scheduled a session about dry farming. Nor is it a surprise that the dry-farming session was very well attended by attendees—even though, strictly speaking, dry farmers don’t have to be organic. (Most are, however.) 

Ironically, noted iconoclastic but eloquent John Williams of dry-framed Frog's Leap Winery, “Dry farming isn’t about saving water. It’s about producing better wine—and long-living vines.” 

Williams acknowledges that dry farming saves water, too—he feels that most grapegrowers overwater vines.

The sold-out conference sponsored by the Napa Valley Grapegrowers attracted 150 growers, winemakers and viticulturists to Inglenook winery, one of the first 10 organic vineyards in Napa Valley. (Co-owner Eleanor Coppola noted that the ranch was certified organic in 1989.)