Constellation Brands Converting 331 Acres at To Kalon at Robert Mondavi Winery to Organic Certification; Second Historic Brand To Announce Organic Path This Week

According to CCOF records and company news, Constellation Brands is officially planning to convert its 331 acres of the historic To Kalon vineyard in Napa to organic certification. Company spokespeople said they expect the certification to receive final approval in 2023.

The CCOF website documents the application on Sept. 22 this year. The alcoholic beverage giant, whose biggest holdings are in beer, owns Corona, Modelo Especial, Negra Modelo, and Pacífico, along with spirits brands and an extensive wine portfolio, would become the first publicly traded U.S. company with organic Napa vineyards.

Recently Constellation Brands bought Booker Vineyard, a Paso Robles winery with a certified organic estate, its first organic estate vineyard holding in the U.S. 

Constellation already sells organically grown Pinot Grigio and Prosecco from Italy under its Ruffino brand. (The Italian wines are certified Made with Organic Grapes.

Other owners of To Kalon–MacDonald (15 acres) and Opus One (100 acres of To Kalon plus 70 additional acres across the street)–have already certified their To Kalon holdings organic. 

The other main owner of To Kalon, Andy Beckstoffer, has not announced plans to pursue organic farming or certification.

Constellation's announcement comes as the $1.2 billion Chateau Ste. Michelle issued a press release saying 117 acres of its historic Stags Leap Wine Cellars in Napa are currently in conversion to organic certification, including its most prestigious and famed holdings–the 66 acre Fay vineyard (home to the wine that won the Judgment of Paris in 1976). The process of becoming organic certified takes three years and is expected to be completed in 2025.

Ste. Michelle, which makes 8.2 million cases a year, was recently purchased by private equity Sycamore Partners for $1.2 billion. The parent company has also just acquired two Oregon brands, the giant A-Z Wineworks and tiny Rex Hill (a boutique winery with about 50 acres of organic vines, that relies primarily on purchased, non-organic grapes). Those moves make Ste. Michelle the largest wine producer in Oregon.

The announcements affirm a new trend among high end brands to compete on wine quality and appealing to consumers, especially younger consumers, who like organic.

For a list of other recently announced organic conversions in Napa, see here.

Slow Wine Guide: 14 SWG Wineries Among the 36 U.S. Wineries in the Wine & Spirits Top 100 Tasting

 

It was lovely to see a sense of joie de vivre and good food, as well as phenomenal wines, return to this annual San Francisco gathering after two years of pandemic disruption and low attendance.

As noted a few days ago in another post, one of the best tastings of the year is always the Wine & Spirits magazine Top 100 tasting in downtown San Francisco. Roughly a third - or 36 - are from the U.S. And of the U.S. producers, roughly a third are featured in this year's Slow Wine Guide USA (which was recently featured in the San Francisco Chronicle).

I tasted and explored mostly foreign wines (more difficult to find Burgundy and Rhone tastings in these parts), but had to stop and taste at the 14 wineries featured in the forthcoming Slow Wine Guide 2023 (or previous SWGs) who were among the 36 US Top 100 wineries. 

That list includes Au Bon Climat, Bergstrom, Calera*, Corison, Eden Rift, Eyrie Vineyards*, Hermann J. Wiemer, Hirsch, Lingua Franca, Lumos*, Domaine Nicolas-Jay, Radio Coteau*, Ridge Vineyards* and Tablas Creek*.

[* = Certified organic estate.]

AND CONTRARY to how the SF Chronicle whines about prices being too high in Napa, Sonoma, etc. I would like to say so many of these producers have wines that are not overpriced. You can just start with Slow Wine Guide or this tasting to verify that wines to love and to drink are within reach. No $900 cult Cabs in these circles. 

And aren't these some beauties? 

Mike Waller, winemaker for Calera, and his brother Cory Waller (Eden Rift's winemaker) have side by side wineries in Hollister, so it was only natural that they were side by side at the tasting. I look forward to having a serious talk with Mike about clones soon. And how did Eden Rift decide which clones to plant? Entirely different vineyards, or so it seems on the surface. I look forward to learning more.

I visited Eden Rift for the first time this past month and was mightily impressed, but could not coax them into letting me taste their "Terraces" chardonnay and Pinot Noir on site (because they were saving them for the Top 100 tasting crowd). Coupon redeemed. And they are extraordinary and quite unique.

One of my (and everyone else's) favorite Oregon producers and organic experts, Dai Crisp, of Lumos*, looking elegant in white jacket. Love their Pinot Gris (not to mention the Pinot Noir). 

Oakville Grocery offered up some real food. Chicken tenders. 

For when you're like, HANGRY, cause it's time for dinner.

The big hit in my book - oysters - parked next to the Bollinger and Roederer tables. Say no more. 

Ken Swegles and Cole Thomas of Madison Wines (in Slow Wine Guide)

and I met over the section of Burgundies. They make great Pinot Noir in the Santa Cruz Mountains. 

The phenom that is Ivo Jeramaz, from 
Grgich Hills*. Nice to see them in the Top 100!
One of Napa's largest organic producers. And just a
great winery overall.  

Eric from Radio Coteau*, as I failed to get all of W&S publisher  Joshua Greene in the photo (apologies), but did get to say HI to both briefly.

My New Article on California's New 2022 Climate Report: A Comprehensive Report Card on the State We're In

California's new Climate Indicators Report deserves a look from everyone interested in drinking, making or selling wine (since 89 percent of wine is still made here). 

Check out the state's press release (recommended), the full report, the report summary or my article for The New Lede here.

 

Elizabeth Spencer's New Organically Grown $25 Cabernet Sauvignon and a DeLoach Chardonnay from Mendocino

At a recent tasting in Napa at a trade event, I came across this new and lovely 2020 $25 Cabernet Sauvignon from Elizabeth Spencer that is now labeled "Made with Organic Grapes." International Sales Director Leigh Ann Reed said the winery is making about 5,000 cases of the Cab.

Boisset Collection acquired Elizabeth Spencer in December 2021. 

Elizabeth Spencer usually made a few wines from Mendocino's organic growers, including a popular Sauvignon Blanc written about here many years ago. 

Reed said Elizabeth Spencer will also be releasing "Made with Organic Grapes" 2019 Mendocino Chardonnay (see label featured at the bottom of this post). These may be arriving on Whole Foods shelves.

Boisset's International Sales Director Leigh Ann Reed displays the new
2020 Elizabeth Spencer Cabernet (unlisted on the winery website
but available for purchase there or at retailers).

The DeLoach brand, also owned by Boisset, features a new 2019 Chardonnay that is also Made with Organic Grapes.