When Mike Beneduce, the owner and winemaker at Beneduce Vineyards in New Jersey, planted his first vines in 2009, he knew almost immediately that irrigation wasn’t part of the plan, even though most growers would consider it essential. In Hunterdon County, where annual rainfall typically exceeds 40 inches, Beneduce believed his vines could survive on their own.
More than a decade later, all of Beneduce’s 27 acres are dry farmed. This decision, guided by equal parts restraint and sustainability, meant he could avoid the plastic pumps and tubing often required for irrigation. “We’re always trying to minimize inputs,” says Beneduce. “Water is certainly an important one in today’s world.”
Today, dry farming, or relying only on rainfall to water crops, is often framed as an ecological ideal. In an era shaped by water scarcity and sustainability concerns, dry farming offers clear benefits: fewer inputs, deeper root systems, more resilient vines. A region generally needs between 15 and 20 inches of annual rainfall for successful dry farming, but as the practice has gained traction across the wine industry, our understanding of dry farming and what it takes to make it work has flattened almost to the point of distortion. In reality, those working closely with dry farming know just how detailed it is to put into practice – pointing to annual rainfall thresholds, soil composition, and vine age – and how much is actually happening underground. With climate change making it harder to predict when and where sufficient rainfall will occur, dry farming has only become an increasingly more complex system for winemakers to navigate.
Dry farming was once the norm in arid winegrowing regions, but the popularization of drip irrigation in the 1960s opened up a world of possibility in regions that, while not necessarily arid, still benefited from some sort of irrigation. Even today, many of Europe’s most prestigious regions including Bordeaux and Piedmont are bound by strict irrigation legislation, permitting it only under specific conditions.
The belief that irrigation diluted the flavor and intensity of the grapes, ultimately erasing any sense of terroir, helped position dry farming as a quality-driven choice. But growers and researchers say the reality is more complex and insist the benefits exceed flavor alone.
Therese Herzog, the owner and general manager of Hans Herzog Estate in Wairu Valley, New Zealand, reinforces just how conditional dry farming truly is. “It’s always about quality, balance, and respect for the environment, rather than simply avoiding irrigation,” she says. “When discussing dry farming, context is everything. Climate, soils, and water reserves all matter.”
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