Vineyard Practices
Ascona Vineyards are farmed with precision, intention, and respect for the land—balancing regenerative methods with hands-on expertise. From soil health to canopy management, every detail is guided by a commitment to sustainability and site expression.
Craftsmanship & Care
Every vine at Ascona Vineyard is carefully tended by hand, ensuring each cluster reaches peak ripeness and complexity. Our farming philosophy embraces:
Minimal intervention for pure, unadulterated expression
Precision pruning & canopy management to optimize fruit quality
Hand-harvesting at ideal phenolic ripeness
Regenerative Farming
& Viticulture
At Ascona Vineyard, our approach to farming is rooted in regeneration over intervention—a philosophy that honors the land's natural intelligence while producing fruit of exceptional purity and balance.
We begin from the ground up, focusing on the health of the vineyard floor. By cultivating a diverse cover of native plants and beneficial groundcover, we avoid the pitfalls of monoculture and encourage a thriving microbial ecosystem. These microbes, fungi, and beneficial bacteria work in harmony to cycle nutrients, improve soil structure, and build resilience in the vines. In particular, we support the development of mycorrhizal networks—underground fungal systems that connect and nourish the root zones, enhancing vine health and facilitating natural nutrient exchange.
Inputs are minimized by design. Instead of relying on synthetic fertilizers or chemical treatments, we allow the soil’s own biology to do the heavy lifting. Compost teas, organic mulches, and minimal tilling practices protect this living system while reducing our ecological footprint. Every decision in the vineyard—from cover crop selection to pruning timing—is made with the intention of supporting soil vitality and long-term vine balance.
By stewarding the land through low-input, biologically rich farming, we not only protect the vineyard’s future—we allow the terroir to speak clearly through the fruit. The result is wine that is both a sensory experience and a reflection of a truly living landscape.
Sustainability at the Core
From the ground up, our vineyard is a living ecosystem. We embrace:
Natural pest control methods, including beneficial insects and companion planting
Deficit irrigation for water conservation and resilience
Compost and organic amendments to enrich soil microbiology
This commitment to sustainable viticulture isn’t just a practice—it’s our promise to the land and future generations of winemakers.
About Rhizos Viticulture
Since 2018, Ascona Vineyard has been under the stewardship of Ken Swegles and Abbey Crystal—co-founders of Rhizos Viticulture™—who bring a holistic, regenerative approach to farm management. Ken, a veteran of vineyards across the Santa Cruz Mountains and UC Davis-trained, founded Rhizos in 2017 to advance truly sustainable viticulture.
Abbey, with a background in paleo‑marine geochemistry and experience at Bonny Doon and Santa Cruz Mountain Vineyards, collaborates closely with Ken to integrate high‑elevation farming, cover‑cropping, biological pest control, and microbial soil regeneration into the daily care of the estate. Together, their leadership has guided Ascona into a model of low‑input, terroir‑driven viticulture—focused on enhancing soil vitality, vine balance, and site expression.
Contact
© 2025. Ascona Vineyards. All rights reserved.
