Slow Wine USA at the Inaugural Terra Madre of the Americas: A Talk, A Meet the Maker Area, An Enoteca and An Agroforestry Talk (Plus U.C. Davis Panel)

Caine Thompson, head of sustainability for O'Neill Vintners and Distillers giving a presentation on agroforestry
in France and U.S. He has led tree planting in vineyards at Ram's Gate in Sonoma and Robert Hall in Paso
Robles to increase biodiversity. 

It was a first. 

A first for Slow Wine USA. A first for Slow Wine USA wineries. A first for Terra Madre of the Americas.

Visit Sacramento brokered a deal with Slow Food International to bring an Americas only version of the grand, global food fair in Italy, Terra Madre, to California. The international organization has begun to feature regional versions of the event in Japan, Belgium, the Nordic countries and elsewhere. 

ATTENDANCE: 140,000+

Estimates from Visit Sacramento and the "Farm to Fork Capital of America" Facebook page say 140,000 to 165,000 attended over three days.



 (The event piggybacked on Sacramento's annual Farm to Fork event which typically draws 100,000 over two days.) 

MORE THAN 50 U.S.WINERIES POURED

Despite the fact that the event took place during harvest, more than 50 U.S. wineries participated.

Here are a few scenes from the three day event:

• A panel with North American and South American winemakers including Steve Matthiasson (from Napa) and Paul Bush from Madrona Vineyard in Casino (in the Sierra Foothills). 

• A Sip and Savor event providing an overview of Slow Wine USA, led by national editor Deborah Parker Wong, managing editor Pam Strayer (me) and former Sacramento Bee wine journalist), wine judge and author Mike Dunne, now a Slow Wine USA field contributor for the Sierra Foothills.

• A talk on agroforestry in vineyards with Caine Thompson, head of sustainability for O'Neill Vintners and Distillers which has planted fruit trees in its vineyards at Ram's Gate in Sonoma's Carneros and at Robert Hall in Paso Robles

SLOW WINE USA EVENT PHOTOS

Enjoy these photos below.

SATURDAY WINEMAKER PANEL

 (Left and center left-unnamed South American winemakers). Center right, Steve Matthiasson (from Napa) and right, Paul Bush from Madrona Vineyard in Casino (in the Sierra Foothills).

EVENT POSTER

Event poster showing featured headliner speakers

SUNDAY PANEL ON SLOW WINE USA GUIDE

Author Mike Dunne speaks with a Slow Wine USA fan

Wine educator Deborah Parker Wong with wines tasted
for Slow Wine USA Guide Overview panel,
a sip and savor event.

MEET THE MAKER WALK AROUND TASTING 

Jambe des Bois winegrower Dan (married to 

JDB winemaker Danielle Langlois) from Sonoma poured for 

a fan at the Meet the Maker area. Consumers paid $50

to meet more than 50 winemakers in hosted tastings.

Andis Wines GM Lorenzo Muslia (a former Florentine
restauranteur) pours for an attendee. And is seeking 
organic certification, a three year process. 

ENOTECA (WINE PURCHASE BY THE GLASS)

                        

Wines by the glass were available for purchase from dozens of Slow Wine 
USA wineries. (Visit Sacramento booked the sponsors.)

U. C. DAVIS TERRA MADRE PARTICIPATION

"The Americas: Wine and Science" panel of scientists from U.C. Davis Vit and Enology faculty
and a South American vintner discussed the state of climate impacts on winegrowing and research on mitigations.
At right, newly appointed department chair Ben Monpetit.
  (He has been in the dept. since 2016 and was promoted to
department chair in 2025). 

The next Terra Madre USA, sponsored by Visit Sacramento, is scheduled to take place in Sacramento in 2027. 

130+ ORGANIC ESTATE WINERIES IN SLOW WINE USA 

NOTE: Terra Madre and Slow Wine USA do not require organic certification or a ban on synthetics in farming–a fact I am mentioning to eliminate any reader confusion because this blog only features wines from certified organic vines. 

What the guide does do: it does not review individual wines farmed with synthetic herbicides. 

Yet, Slow Wine USA is the only eco friendly wine guide in the USA and is the most transparent about the winegrowing and winemaking processes for each wine reviewed. Writers include 16 field contributors located in wine growing regions who annually visit and taste at the wineries. 

Slow Wine USA is the best the US gets to featuring wineries with certified organic vines, with more than 135 (out of 380) included in the guide. The guide is $25 and available for purchase online at slow foods website or on Amazon.com.