Organic Vineyard Rockstar Phil Coturri's 70th Birthday Party Raises Funds for Mayacamas Volunteer Fire Fighters

Phil Coturri and Arden Kremer

The lawn was filled with gray hairs wearing tie dye teeshirts, kids played in the (organically farmed) vine rows, and partiers sipped rosé flowing from taps at Phil Coturri's 70th birthday bash Sunday in the heart of Sonoma's oldest wine growing region on Denmark Road.

Coturri, longtime organic champion and grower to the stars, marked his 70th birthday with a community oriented birthday concert and feast featuring the Dave Nelson Band in concert, with great food from Valley in Sonoma. A silent auction at the event raised more than $6,000 for the Mayacamas Volunteer Fire Fighters.

Organic since 1979, Coturri and his Enterprise Vineyards company have converted more than 800 acres of vineyards in Sonoma and Napa to organic farming and certification. [In 2022, Mayacamas Olds joined the company as COO to oversee day to day operations.] Among Coturri's clients are the 70 acre Oakville Ranch in Napa, where coveted grapes go into 100 point wines, and the giant 55 acre vineyard replanting project at Mayacamas on Mount Veeder completed last year. Coturri has helped more than 35 clients adopt organic farming. Among them: Amapola Creek, Kamen Estate, Lasseter Family, Laurel Glen, Repris, Rossi Ranch, Steel Plow, and Stone Edge. He has also sold grapes to Bedrock and Harlan Estate.

Closer to his home terrain, he was a primary force for creating the Moon Mountain District AVA. 

Sunday was no time to talk and talk about accomplishments, though. It was time to visit, enjoy, drink wine (the fine wines from Coturri's Winery Sixteen 600), and listen to two great bands-State Fair and Dave Nelson Band. 

State Fair

Phil's signature Winery Sixteen 600 teeshirts honor his
passion for the Grateful Dead and a love
of California's free spirits 

Coturri's known for his devotion to the Grateful Dead, and it was only fitting to have Dave Nelson play. Nelson was part of that scene as an early collaborator with Jerry Garcia, and one of the founders of the New Riders of the Purple Sage, a legendary band that included many Grateful Dead musicians.

Rocking out with Dave Nelson and fans

Sam Coturri, master of ceremonies, podcaster,
and chief host at Winery Sixteen 600 and its 
Tasting House in downtown Sonoma

Great eats from Valley in Sonoma

Volunteers manning the Silent Auction booth

Blankets with Stanley Mouse images
made for Winery Sixteen 600. Mouse
is a famous illustrator who was
responsible for the Grateful Dead's
cover art and posters