U-Pick Pumpkin Time at Dry Creek's Preston Farm and Winery in Sonoma (You Can Get Your Winter and Holiday Wines, Too)

Gotta get a pumpkin? While it's always worth a drive to Preston Farm and Winery, an agrarian paradise and organic outpost, you probably missed the U Pick strawberries...but there's still time for pumpkins! And now cider!

They grow more than 200 crops and sell veggies, olive oil and lamb sausages at the local farmers market and their on site farm store.

 

Go for a country drive. Take the kids, the dog and leave some space in the car for their great wines, too.  

I recently visited for Slow Wine Guide USA's forthcoming 2025 guide and was reminded, yet again, what a great producer this is. When a place has a shining reputation as a farm to table winery, the quality of the wines can sometimes be overlooked. But let's let these wines speak for themselves. 

 Winemaker Grayson Hartley has really hit his stride. All of the wines were simply stunning.. 

In particular I would call your attention to the White Wine ($42), a blend of Sauvignon Blanc (50%) with northern Italian varietals Ribolla Gialla (25%), and Tocai Friulano (25%). Here are my notes: "The Sauvignon is skin fermented. On the nose, ripe apricot and pear juice with citrus and stone fruits on the palate. Complex and vibrant."

Uniquely the winery is making a Cinsaut ($40), which you don't find often. My notes: "From dry farmed vines planted in 1990. 100% whole cluster. Pressed off after a short maceration to neutral oak puncheons. A juicy go to wine with cherry pie flavors made more complex with darker fruit undertones along with herbal and savory notes in the mix. Also delicious served chilled."

Its Barbera is a standout and the Barbera Reserve ($65) is an absolute knockout. (You have to know to ask for it. Little is made.) My notes: "Foot trod and aged longer in large foudres, these special blocks produced a wine of great depth and complexity. The regular Barbera ($42), with raspberry and cherry cola on the nose and red fruits on the palate, is also excellent.

In recent years, the winery has adventurously planted Italian varieties including Barbera, Nero d'Avola, Ribolla Gialla, super rare Schioppettino (yes!), Tocai Friulano and Vermentino. And then there are the fine usual Rhone suspects–Grenache, Syrah, and, one of my faves, Mourvedre.

All definitely worth a road trip. (Or if you can't make it, you can buy wines online.)

 

Organics a Welcome Bright Spot Amid Industry Doom & Gloom, Says Argentine Producer Domaine Bousquet (Press Release)

I have been advocating for U.S. wineries to pay more attention to the organic ("Made with Organic Grapes") category...for more than a decade. A few producers have recently embraced this segment, but not nearly enough. But here's proof that focusing on this sector is good business. 

Organic is a bright spot.

Business Booming at Argentina’s Domaine Bousquet

Press Release 

September 30, 2024 

Miami, FL, September 30, 2024 – Amid a steady drumbeat of negative news on the state of the wine industry this year, with U.S. sales down 3.36% measured in dollars and 4.83% in volume, Domaine Bousquet is bucking the trend, strongly outperforming even the bright-spot organics category.

Organic wine sales are up 3.86% in dollar sales and 1.39% in volume, according to Nielsen data for the 52 weeks ending September 10, 2024, with the trend even strengthening when you look at the most recent quarter (+7.44% and +2.01%). Figures for Domaine Bousquet over the past year, all of whose wines have been organic since the winery’s founding in 1997, have registered an impressive 12% uptick by both measures.

With $11 million in annual sales recorded by its Miami-based Origins Organic importing arm (which is also USDA-certified organic), Domaine Bousquet now occupies the number three spot in both the organic and Argentine wine categories in the U.S. market. “Consumers may opt not to pay more for an organic wine, but they will happily choose it – and feel good about it — if it is the same price as a less environmentally conscious option,” notes Domaine Bousquet co-owner Labid al Ameri.

That consumer-friendly strategy and business model has propelled Domaine Bousquet into a leadership position in the eco-world. Not surprisingly, Domaine Bousquet Malbec is the number one-selling organic Malbec stateside and leads the field in the premium ($11 to $13) organic category, measured both by unit and dollar sales.

All Domaine Bousquet wines are imported by Origins Organic Imports, Miami, FL.

Domaine Bousquet: A leading pioneer in the organic wine category, Domaine Bousquet is Regenerative Organic Certified (ROC)™ silver level and has been a B Corp member since 2022. Vineyards planted in virgin terrain, starting in 1997, have been certified organic from the get-go. The home high-altitude vineyards, at over 4,100 feet, are in Gualtallary in Mendoza’s Uco Valley. Today Argentina’s largest exporter of certified organic wines, Domaine Bousquet is owned and managed by husband-and-wife team Labid al Ameri and Anne Bousquet. https://domainebousquet.com/en/

Stunning $15 Price on a Perfectly Aged (Jeff Baker winemaker, 2012) Cab: "A K&L Sleeper!"

I don't usually talk about wine sales, but this one is special.

I just got an email from K&L Wines, our local fine wine shop, regarding this wine. I visited this beautiful estates, planted by Phil Coturri, and can attest to its care and beauty. This wine is no longer being made. Probably a very, very good deal.

Italics mine.

2012 Cassata Estate "Utopium" Sonoma Valley 

Cabernet Sauvignon (Previously $50) ($14.95) 

"I don't remember a time I came across a more beautiful aged, classically styled Cabernet with this much interest and immaculate balance for such a ludicrously low price point." 

— Ryan Woodhouse, K&L Domestic Wine Buyer 

We just secured a library parcel from a tiny estate in Glen Ellen that flies well under the radar of critics and most wine drinkers. 

Tom Cassata founded Cassata Sonoma Family Vineyard in 2002, where he farms [certified biodynamic in 2012] with his daughter, turning out a mere 1,500 cases annually. 

The 2012 Utopmium has some serious creds as well—the wine is made by Jeff Baker (formerly of Mayacamas), and sourced from a vineyard next door to the famed Pagani Ranch [where they use a lot of herbicide]. [The organic Utopium site sits in its own bowl above the valley floor with its own water supply, which is why the owners bought it]. Domestic buyer Ryan Woodhouse once again worked his magic to secure a jaw-dropping price, making this an awesome opportunity to load up on a complex and dynamic aged Cab that's ready to delight on the daily.

Ryan Woodhouse | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: September 27, 2024

To be totally honest with you I had never heard of these wines before. However, after learning Jeff Baker made the wine, my interest was piqued. Jeff started his long career at the iconic Mayacamas Vineyards in the 1970s. He then made the wines at Carmenet on Moon Mountain for 20 years, and is now co-owner / winemaker at Stone Edge Farm with viticulturalist Phil Coturri. Cassata is a small, family-owned estate, on the eastern bench of Sonoma Valley...just outside the town of Glen Ellen. The vineyard was planted in the early 2000s and is farmed using organic and biodynamic methods.

A soon as I pulled the cork on the 2012 Utopium Cabernet I knew it was going to be a winner! It's an absolutely perfectly aged Cabernet, in the prime sweet spot for drinking. Complex development from 10+ years in bottle mean this wine is sitting right where the beautiful blackcurrant and elderberry fruit mingles with leather, spice box, tobacco leaf, dried porcini, graphite, turned earth. It still has lovely plush fruit and a suave texture on the mid-palate, but the secondary aromas and flavors are coming through beautifully. This could definitely pass for a 10-year-old, warmer vintage Bordeaux, or even a more restrained style of aged Napa Cab. I don't remember a time I came across a more beautiful aged, classically styled bottle of Cabernet with this much interest and immaculate balance for such a ludicrously low price point. Honestly, I've had many many far more expensive bottles from iconic estates across the world that don't offer anything more impressive than this little under the radar gem. This is a K&L sleeper for sure!

2012 Cassata Estate "Utopium" Sonoma Valley Cabernet Sauvignon (Previously $50) ($14.95)

Alexandre Tweedie | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: September 26, 2024

Insider subscribers, we're back with another late summer show stopping deal, this time bringing you a bottling of beautifully mature Sonoma Valley Cabernet! Between the towns of Kenwood and Glen Ellen lies Cassata Estate, a winery that has been crafting tried and true expressions of soulful Sonoma for several vintages, and recently offered us this phenomenal back-vintage library release from their 2012 vintage.

Far below market price, this Cabernet is over delivering in every sense of the term a savory nose of warm saddle leather, gently stewed blackberry and plum, with mature edges of sous bois leaning towards autumnal leaves and white truffle. The palate is lined with slight dusty tannin, complimenting the developed fruit of the palate, with more forest fruit and savor into the finish. If you're looking for a California Cabernet that is fully into its proper drinking window, look no further than Cassata Estate's Utopium, and look no further than this amazing one-time price!

Congrats to King Estate (Certified Organic and Biodynamic) - #1 Wine on Wine Enthusiast’s Top 100 Best Buys

Happy to share this exciting news. 

Press Release

King Estate’s 2022 Inscription Pinot Noir is the #1 wine on Wine Enthusiast’s just-released (Sept. 25) Top 100 Best Buys list. 

This is the first time an Oregon Pinot Noir has made the list. 

Inscription debuted in 2019 from the 2018 vintage. Ed King, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of King Estate, described Inscription as “our pledge to showcase the best of pure Oregon Pinot Noir in every bottle.

“With Inscription, we fulfill our promise to honor the legacy of the legendary Willamette Valley. We believe Inscription embodies the true character and integrity of Oregon winemaking – and nothing is more important to us than that. We are proud and grateful that Inscription has received this incredible recognition from Wine Enthusiast.”

The wine is available at retail stores and on restaurant menus across the country or by ordering online.

According to Wine Enthusiast, 3,800 of the 22,000 total wines reviewed by the magazine over the past year were designated as Best Buys, with 100 deemed to be the best of the best. 

Yountville Oct. 17 Event: "Authors of the Napa Valley" | Come Hear From 5 Wine Writers (Including Yours Truly)

Excited to announce I will be speaking at the Yountville Arts annual Legacy Roundtable event "Authors of the Napa Valley."

The organizers say, "Event attendees will have a truly unique opportunity to spend time with each author at a small table of 10. Authors will rotate every twenty minutes so that each guest will have a small group experience with all five authors throughout the evening." Sounds like a great format. There will be a wine reception. Refreshments included.

My official bio is here. See a list of all my wine journalism here. Peruse at your leisure.

The writers roundtable takes place Oct. 17 from 5:30-7:30.

More details and tickets $35 available here. Should be a good time!

Organic Viticulture and Winemaking Pro Natalie Winkler Joins Dry Creek's Michel-Schlumberger Wine Estate; Winery Plans To Convert to Organic Certification

Healdsburg based winemaker and viticulturalist Natalie Winkler has a new job! Formerly at Salvestrin in Napa, where she focused on Cabenrnet, she is now the new head winemaker for Dry Creek's Michel-Schlumberger Wine Estate.

A winery spokesperson confirmed that the estate will now be transitioning to organic certification under Winkler's management. 

A talented organic and biodynamic vineyard farming expert as well as a seasoned winemaker, Winkler  has been viticulturist and winemaker at Salvestrin Estate Vineyard and Winery in St. Helena, where, during her tenure, the family owned winery achieved its first Top 10 wine award from Wine Spectator. 

She'd gone to Salvestrin in Napa to immerse herself in the ways of Cabernet, which complemented her earlier work at Westwood in Sonoma Valley which focused on Rhones and Pinot Noir.

Previous to her time at Westwood, she was at Mill Creek for four years in Dry Creek Valley, where she was starting to move toward organics and reached out to biodynamic consultant extraordinaire Philippe Coderey asking him to mentor her as an apprentice. 

She then took a job at Westwood in Sonoma Valley and convinced the team there to hire Coderey as a consultant.

You can enjoy hearing Natalie on this recent podcast or in this interview on Wine Spectator's podcast. 

I am excited to see another excellent Dry Creek producer planning to go organic–and with Winkler's expert help. Congrats!

A Very Special Way to Celebrate Grenache Day | Tickets Still Available for Friday Night Soiree in Sonoma with Grenache Specialists Winery Sixteen 600

Sam Coturri of Winery Sixteen 600 with
chef Nick Demarest of Baker and Cook

I can't think of anyone who has done more to promote Grenache, a climate smart–I would add climate sane–grape that can express the best of California than Phil Coturri and his son Sam, who run the family winery Winery Sixteen 600 in Sonoma. So, as International Grenache Day is just three days away (Friday), you may want to know how to celebrate what Sam Coturri (is he joking or not?) calls the "most important holiday of the year."

It is with great pleasure to let you know their team, together with Baker and Cook chef Nick Demarest, are offering a special pairing of the Coturri's outstanding Grenache (and a few more of their wines). See video on Instagram for more. 

See menu below. (Boldings are mine and are wines I have regularly reviewed for Slow Wine Guide over years.)

The rosé alone is simply astounding, made with famed Rhone winemaker Philippe Cambie's protocols and formerly under his guidance. It's now made under the hand of his collaborator and a Rhone winemaker in her own right–Isabel Gassier, a fifth generation vigneron from the Southern Rhone region. 

Oh and maybe I forgot to mention Phil Coturri has been the organic rockstar vineyardist in Sonoma–as well as in Napa–he recently completed a huge replant at Mayacamas, in addition to his ongoing work at Oakville Ranch in Napa, new work at Neotempo)–for decades. He was also "instrumental" in getting the Moon Mountain appellation created. It may well be the most organic AVA in the North Coast. 

In the AVA, he planted, farmed or farms for Hamel Family, Lasseter, Kamen, Moon Hollow, Repris, Stone Edge and more, including Dick Arrowood's no longer organic estate at Amapola Creek; sold upon his retirement as well as Phil's own three acre estate. That organic culture has spread, and now Gallo is on the verge of certifying its historic Monte Rosso vineyard, the old vines where Coturri grew up learning how to farm wine grapes.

Together with the Otellini family, he turned Rossi Ranch into another fine spot for Grenache–To Kalon for Grenache as 

Phil Coturri magically managed to let the Miner family allow him to plant Grenache on their hallowed Cabernet site, Oakville Ranch in Napa, a mountaintop vineyard full of volcanic soils and a site every 100 point winemaker in Napa wants to make wine from (as some have done). 

Space is limited. Here is the announcement from their Instagram feed.

GRENACHE DAY DINNER!

 Join our own @grapeswithaview & friends at @bakerandcooksonoma (https://www.instagram.com/bakerandcooksonoma/?locale=zh_tw&hl=ar) this Friday, September 20 for a very special pairing menu. Call (707) 509-9225 for reservations. 

first course:

duck rilletes and duck liver mousse toasts with apples, radishes, mint, micro greens and lemon

á deux têtes, 2022, grenache rosé, sonoma valley

second course:

grilled shrimp, canard farm melon and soba noodle salad with ginger-sesame vinaigrette, spicy peanuts, crispy shallots, cilantro and basil

sixteen 600, 2022, rossi homage blanc, sonoma valley

the entrée:

lamb shoulder braised in grenache with paul’s farm tomatoes and saffron-crème fraiche mashed potatoes

wine: sixteen 600, 2018, muchas piedras vineyard, moon mountain district

& á deux têtes, 2018, oakville ranch grenache, napa valley 

dessert:

local pears poached in grenache with vanilla mascarpone and pistachio praline

-----------

call or text 707-509-9225 for reservations

$145 per person with wine pairing plus tax & gratuity

$100 per person food only plus tax & gratuity

Congrats to Ram's Gate Certifying BOTH Vines and WINERY Organic; Heading for ROC in 2025

 

In an exciting new development, Ram’s Gate winery in Sonoma has passed the three year mark in the journey to organic certification, according to a press release from the winery. (SEE BELOW).

This 28 acres is "part of the 2,537 acres of winegrape vines in Sonoma County that are certified organic, according to CCOF," the winery said, out of 59,000 planted acres in the county. That means Sonoma is now about 4 percent organic (compared to Napa at around 12-14 percent).

I’ve been following their conversion for sometime, visiting the estate for Slow Wine Guide USA in 2022 and tasting with winemaker Joe Nielsen.

Readers may be interested to know it is just the estate wines that are coming from certified vines. That’s about a quarter of their 10,000 case production. (The rest is purchased from local growers who are not organic.) Here’s more from the company's team in 2022.

All of the Ram’s Gate [estate] wines have been farmed organically since late 2018. The first fully organically farmed vintage in bottle was the 2019 vintage. The Estate Chardonnay, Estate Pinot Noir, Estate Pinot Blanc and Estate Sauvignon Blanc are the only wines sourced entirely from the Estate Vineyard year over year and thus are the only fully organically farmed wines. Combined, 2,500 cases of these four wines were produced in 2021.

Bravo to the team and to Jeff O’Neill who is amassing a portfolio of fine wine brands from organic vines, including Robert Hall in Paso Robles. His company also owns Line 39, which offers some organically grown table wines, certified "Made with Organic Grapes," in its portfolio. 

Note: Winery certification gives the winery the ability to make "Made with Organic Grapes" wines for its own brand or others using only certified organic grapes. Such certified wines adhere to stricter rules on additives than other wines but do include limited amounts of sulfites (a good thing) to preserve the wine. 

Very few luxury wineries have taken this on. Others who do produce certified Made with Organic Grapes wines include Napa wineries Grgich Hills Estates in Napa and Neal Family Vineyards.

O’Neill himself bought out his Ram’s Gate investor partners a few months ago.  

The beautiful Howard Backen designed property, near the Sonoma Raceway, offers elegant culinary experiences paired with its wines. It’s luxury in Sonoma in a very convenient southern Sonoma location.

And best of all the estate wines are simply gorgeous, winning them Top Wine awards from Slow Wine Guide for several years, which also awarded the winery a Bottle Award for wine excellence.

PRESS RELEASE

(Sept. 16, 2024; SONOMA, Calif.)—Jeff O’Neill, owner of Ram’s Gate Winery in Sonoma’s Carneros AVA, is pleased to announce that the winery’s 28 acres of estate vineyards and winery have officially received certification from the California Certified Organic Farmers association (CCOF) and that this year’s harvest will be the first certified organic vintage for the renowned producer of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Under 5% of Sonoma County vineyards are certified organic. This certification is in line with O’Neill’s longtime commitment to sustainability, exemplified in O’Neill Vintners & Distillers’ Certified B Corporation status and unwavering adherence to environmentally ethical practices.

“I have always championed the impact of sustainability at scale, particularly in the wine and spirits industry,” says O’Neill, who fully acquired Ram’s Gate in 2024 and was recognized as Wine Enthusiast’s 2022 Person of the Year for his environmental efforts. “Ram’s Gate has long been a leader in small-lot, elegant wines from Sonoma, thanks to years of thoughtful winegrowing from the team. Excellent winemaking and thoughtful winegrowing go hand in hand. We don’t green wash, and we hold sustainability as a core value. We will not stop here, and plan to apply for Regenerative Organic Certification in 2025.”

To achieve CCOF certification, farmers must follow strict regulations regarding farming practices for at least three years prior to certification. When Ram’s Gate Winemaker Joe Nielsen joined the team in 2018, he, along with co-founder O’Neill, made it one of the winery’s primary goals to transition the estate vineyard to organic farming with the goal of achieving organic certification. While the vineyard was already California Certified Sustainable and Fish Friendly Farming-certified, Nielsen escalated the farming with precise soil surveys and vine transpiration technologies to study the vineyard’s water needs, subsequently reducing water usage by 33%. Other measures adopted at the estate include falconry and owl boxes for natural pest control, and utilizing sheep for weeding and nutrient recycling. This has gone hand-in-hand with eliminating the use of all synthetic chemicals in the vineyard.

Ram's Gate's 28-acre estate vineyard will now be added to the previously certified 2,537 acres of winegrape vines in Sonoma County that are certified organic, according to CCOF, compared to the total winegrape acreage in Sonoma County, which is around 59,000 acres, according to the 2023 Sonoma County Crop Report.

“Since planting my first vineyard as a college student in my parents’ backyard in Michigan, I have believed in the power of sustainable and organic farming to not only benefit our shared environment but deliver expressive, site-specific wines,” says Nielsen. “We have been engaging in organic farming at our estate because we believe that is the right thing to do and we believe it results in better wine. It is with immense pride that we are now able to put that certification on our estate bottlings, so consumers know that they are drinking wines that are not only delicious, but grown in a way they can feel good about.” 

(Sept. 16, 2024; SONOMA, Calif.)—Jeff O’Neill, owner of Ram’s Gate Winery in Sonoma’s Carneros AVA, is pleased to announce that the winery’s 28 acres of estate vineyards and winery have officially received certification from the California Certified Organic Farmers association (CCOF) and that this year’s harvest will be the first certified organic vintage for the renowned producer of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Under 5% of Sonoma County vineyards are certified organic. This certification is in line with O’Neill’s longtime commitment to sustainability, exemplified in O’Neill Vintners & Distillers’ Certified B Corporation status and unwavering adherence to environmentally ethical practices.

“I have always championed the impact of sustainability at scale, particularly in the wine and spirits industry,” says O’Neill, who fully acquired Ram’s Gate in 2024 and was recognized as Wine Enthusiast’s 2022 Person of the Year for his environmental efforts. “Ram’s Gate has long been a leader in small-lot, elegant wines from Sonoma, thanks to years of thoughtful winegrowing from the team. Excellent winemaking and thoughtful winegrowing go hand in hand. We don’t green wash, and we hold sustainability as a core value. We will not stop here, and plan to apply for Regenerative Organic Certification in 2025.”

To achieve CCOF certification, farmers must follow strict regulations regarding farming practices for at least three years prior to certification. When Ram’s Gate Winemaker Joe Nielsen joined the team in 2018, he, along with co-founder O’Neill, made it one of the winery’s primary goals to transition the estate vineyard to organic farming with the goal of achieving organic certification. While the vineyard was already California Certified Sustainable and Fish Friendly Farming-certified, Nielsen escalated the farming with precise soil surveys and vine transpiration technologies to study the vineyard’s water needs, subsequently reducing water usage by 33%. Other measures adopted at the estate include falconry and owl boxes for natural pest control, and utilizing sheep for weeding and nutrient recycling. This has gone hand-in-hand with eliminating the use of all synthetic chemicals in the vineyard.

Ram's Gate's 28-acre estate vineyard will now be added to the previously certified 2,537 acres of winegrape vines in Sonoma County that are certified organic, according to CCOF, compared to the total winegrape acreage in Sonoma County, which is around 59,000 acres, according to the 2023 Sonoma County Crop Report.

“Since planting my first vineyard as a college student in my parents’ backyard in Michigan, I have believed in the power of sustainable and organic farming to not only benefit our shared environment but deliver expressive, site-specific wines,” says Nielsen. “We have been engaging in organic farming at our estate because we believe that is the right thing to do and we believe it results in better wine. It is with immense pride that we are now able to put that certification on our estate bottlings, so consumers know that they are drinking wines that are not only delicious, but grown in a way they can feel good about.”

Please click here for high-resolution images.

 

About Ram’s Gate Winery

Perched upon the rolling hills that define the landscape of the Carneros AVA, where the San Francisco Bay meets the edges of Napa and Sonoma counties, lies Ram’s Gate Winery. Founded in 2011, Ram’s Gate is entering a new era of winemaking excellence. Today, the winery’s portfolio showcases wines that are fresh, compelling and uncompromising in quality sourced from vineyards that encompass the breadth that Sonoma County has to offer. Rooted in a spirit of exploration, the Ram’s Gate Winery team brings a new perspective on refined elegance through thoughtful farming, intentional winemaking, genuine hospitality and sublime culinary experiences. The winery’s connection to the land is reflected in the breathtaking tasting room that overlooks the Ram’s Gate Estate Vineyard: 28-acres of organically farmed vines. The tasting room is currently open Thursday-Monday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Reservations can be made online, and walk-in guests are welcome. 

Please click here for high-resolution images.

 

About Ram’s Gate Winery

Perched upon the rolling hills that define the landscape of the Carneros AVA, where the San Francisco Bay meets the edges of Napa and Sonoma counties, lies Ram’s Gate Winery. Founded in 2011, Ram’s Gate is entering a new era of winemaking excellence. Today, the winery’s portfolio showcases wines that are fresh, compelling and uncompromising in quality sourced from vineyards that encompass the breadth that Sonoma County has to offer. Rooted in a spirit of exploration, the Ram’s Gate Winery team brings a new perspective on refined elegance through thoughtful farming, intentional winemaking, genuine hospitality and sublime culinary experiences. The winery’s connection to the land is reflected in the breathtaking tasting room that overlooks the Ram’s Gate Estate Vineyard: 28-acres of organically farmed vines. The tasting room is currently open Thursday-Monday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Reservations can be made online, and walk-in guests are welcome. 

Best Harvest Photo Ever? I'd Vote For It

What you can do with organic grapes. Need we say more?

A Blessing Indeed: Iconic Stag's Leap Wine Cellars Kicks Off First Organic Certified Harvest

 

Left to right: Father Stephen Carpenter, Mitch Williamson, Luis Contreras, Guillermo Perez,  Humberto Saenz, Adriana Cervantes, Mercedes Ochoa

Stag's Leap Wine Cellars, hallowed ground in Napa as the site that birthed the Cab that won the Paris Tasting, has now certified its first 10 acres of officially organically grown grapes (certified in July) and celebrates its first certified organic harvest this year, thanks to the efforts of a relentless and talented team led by senior vineyard manager Guillermo Perez. His predecessor Kirk Grace (at SLV 2006-2023) hired Perez in 2020 and conversion activities started after that. Grace had already farmed (at large scale) certified organic and biodynamic vineyards at Robert Sinskey before joining SLV. Perez was a huge proponent of organics as well and part of the team who suggested SLV consider it. It was later enthusiastically embraced by senior management.

The FAY/SLV vineyard will be certified on November 15th, 2024.

The other estate vineyards (Calistoga and Wooden Valley) are on target to be certified organic and Regenerative Organic in May 2025. 

AND...IT'S HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH AT SLV

The winery announced this week on Instagram that it is also celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month.

"Join Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month. This virtual wine tasting session will be co-hosted by winemaker Jorge Ramirez and renowned Napa Valley chef Victoria Acosta. The two will share stories of this legendary winery and Hispanic-inspired recipes that pair perfectly with wines from Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars

The live virtual event will be hosted on Zoom on Thursday, September 19, at 6 p.m. Pacific Time.

The showcased wines:

 • AVETA Sauvignon Blanc

 • KARIA Chardonnay

 • ARTEMIS Cabernet Sauvignon

 • FAY Cabernet Sauvignon

The winery's post asked interested participants to DM them on Instagram.

"The Leftover Subject Was Organic Farming": Rodrigo Soto's Incongruous Path Led to Working with the Greats

The Biodynamic Gang: From left to right, Jacques Lardière (winemaker in Burgundy, Oregon), Soto (winemaker in California, Chile), the late Alan York (biodynamic consultant), and Pedro Parra (soil consultant)

Rodrigo Soto was an organic and biodynamic pioneer in the early days when the movement and its leaders in the U.S.–Paul Dolan, Mike Benziger and Alan York, among them–were in the thick of learning how to make better wines from better farming.

His journey into this subject began incongruously, as he relates on this fascinating podcast. 

“I was a below average student in terms of grades. And at the time, in order to graduate, you have to make a research work and a thesis.

And the thesis, the subject was assigned based on your grades. And as my grades were fairly poor, I get the leftover subject. And the leftover subject was about organic farming. 

And that's when I start and crossed my path with organic farming for the first time."

There are so many jewels in the interview–and a lot of fun storytelling and history, which I do not even wish to summarize. But here's one more little gem.

 “I remember years past being with Pedro Parra in a pit, and he was grabbing the roots in this white ash soils that were very drying. And he asked me, you need to feel these roots, feel them. You need to feel and think like a root to understand these soils.

So when you start talking with people that they have nothing to do with biodynamics, it's a very similar frequency, it's a very similar language.

My favorite definition of biodynamic farming is the best way of listening to what's going on in your farm, whether it's a vineyard or whatever, that ability to listen and see and feel what's happening out there.”

You can hear the rest of his journey as well as his present day adventures. This year, he left his position as estate director at Napa's prestigious Quintessa winery to start his new Far Mountain label with his wife, Mai Errazuriz.  

Here's the link to all the goodies: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-wine-makers-on-radio-misfits/id1231778853?i=1000667369405

Sonoma's "Most Iconic" Vineyards–Are Pesticides Really Iconic?

Sonoma Magazine came out this month with a cover story on "Most Iconic Vineyards - Sonoma's Grand Cru sites and the wines to try from them." (There is no online link posted yet, sorry).

I was happy to see three certified sites–Bedrock, Monte Rosso and Rossi Ranch. Huzzah.

But only three? It's true some of the other sites are farmed organically but not certified (Hirsch, Las Cimas and others), but their numbers are few. 

Far more common are vineyards using chemicals known to persist in the vines–and in the wines, albeit in small quantities. And should these be considered iconic?

Under Dutton Ranch, the authors credit Steve Dutton with "meticulous farming." Should that specify the vineyard chemicals used? What about the others like Terra de Promissio? And Rochioli (pouring on the Roundup Powermax)?

Should farming with Alion herbicide, Bucaneer, Lifeline herbicide and Roundup be considered meticulous farming?

Just asking.

Are These the Craziest Sparkling Wines Ever? Amista Vineyards, Now with Certified Organic Vines, Brings Unconventional Bubbles to Life

What will the Rhone Rangers say to this?

Sparkling Grenache anyone? Sparkling Syrah? You would not expect to find those at a Dry Creek Valley winery, would you...but that is exactly what awaits at the latest winery in the region to get certified organic in the vines.

Winemaker Ashley Herzberg, Proprietor Vicky Farrow, Vineyard Manager Paco Mendoza, Hospitality Manager Jackie Cain, Estate Director Brian Shapiro

It all started in the 1990s when the late Mike Farrow, a chemist fell in love with wine, at first making it in his garage. But it didn't stop there. With his wife Vicky, he bought a Dry Creek Valley vineyard–full of Chardonnay grapes (surrounded by a sea of Zinfandel). The Farrows were not very knowledgeable (by their own admission) about the venture when they started out, but learned over time. 

They started to gravitate toward climate appropriate Rhone varieties and began grafting some vines over to Grenache, Mourvedre and Syrah.

In 2011, they hired winemaker Ashley Herzberg, a fan of organics and mother of young children. (She also consults to Avaline, the celebrity branded importing organically grown wines from Europe and bottling them under the Avaline label.)

How did their sparkling Syrah start? Vicky says it was, like so many things at Amista, a happy accident:

"We’d been making Chardonnay and Syrah from our estate vineyards and Zinfandel and Cabernet with fruit from our Dry Creek neighbors since we launched Amista in 2004. We made our first Rosé of Syrah in 2005. In 2007, our winemaker asked if he could have some of the rosé juice to make a sparkling wine in his winemaking class using the traditional Methode Champenoise. We said, 'Sure, as long as we get to taste it!'

It was delicious, so in 2008 we decided to try making our own Sparkling Syrah. It was beautiful – a glittering raspberry color – and became an instant hit. I call it 'joy in a bottle.'"

When Rack and Riddle opened its doors in Healdsburg, up the road, in 2014, the stage was set for more. Herzberg credits Rack and Riddle's Penny Gadd-Coster for her mentorship and skill in making the traditional method wines. 

If you're curious, yes, they also make still wines, and the GSM is a popular hit.

And of course, what pairs with sparkling? Popcorn with lemon herbs sprinkled on top. (Free with your tasting). And what else? Caviar and local creme fraiche, bien sur. ($35 with your tasting). 

Whitefish caviar was delicious...will have to seek it out.

The child friendly (popcorn and vines) and dog friendly winery has a big covered tasting porch outside (with solar panels on top of it) looking out over a beautiful view of the mountains and forested hills. (There's plenty of indoor seating, too). And of course, the vines.

A perfect, unpressured place to have a lazy day...

It's relaxing, knowing that the vines are organic (no worries about kids running through them) and it's inspiring, too, to know the vines are tended by someone who is truly proud they are organic–Paco Mendoza, who was ecstatic when they got their CCOF sign.

Ashley and Vicky on The Good Stuff podcast

Vicky and Ashley were recently featured on Sonoma County's wine podcast here where you can hear more about the story of this friendly (Amista means "making friends" in Spanish) winery, where spending a relaxing time is easy.

Crazily enough, general manager Brian Shapiro, had a history of organics as a student in wine classes. Just a coincidence, but the ways of fate are mysterious and wonder-filled. 

Give yourself a relaxing afternoon off and visit...destress. Enjoy life. You've earned it.

(The winery is located just about a block south of the Dry Creek General store.)

I would also add these sparkling wines would make a great gift or something special to bring to a party. Probably no one has had sparkling Syrah before. 

Venice Film Fest to Honor Rachel Carson

Received this via email today from the Rachel Carson Homestead:

Just a quick note - more news coming soon!

RCH was invited to “participate” in the 2024 Venice Film Festival’s Environmental and Sustainability film segment…

This year’s program honors Rachel Carson on the 60th anniversary of her passing.

GREEN CROSS INTERNATIONAL (the Environmental parallel to Red Cross’ humanitarian aid, started by Mikhail Gorbachev and which the United States signed as an initial member in 1992… (and GREEN CROSS ITALIA present the GREEN DROP award for the best Environmental/Sustainability film.

We will post and email complete information this week.  

The award is granted on Sept. 6, but we just received notice of today’s program, which is live streaming (in Italian…) at

https://www.facebook.com/GreenDropAward/videos/1021916136294148    

If that doesn’t work, you can try

Facebook/Com/GreenDropAward  > Videos or Reels

(facebook may have a translation feature)

We hope to obtain a video with translation, and will provide more  information for the September 6 award presentation as soon as possible.

The Rachel Carson Homestead is honored to have been selected as an environmentally signification location because of its namesake. Prior locations have included “the cradle of humanity” Olduvai Gorge in Tanzania, Antarctic sands, Senegal to bring attention to desertification, and others.

This helps remind us of Rachel Carson’s visionary “Nothing in Nature exists alone” and we must recognize that “CLIMATE” is Global.”

Thanks for your continued support!

Health Experts Recommend Organic and Biodynamic Wines Over Others

Fascinating. 

"Avalon added that conventional wine, particularly in the US, is “often high in alcohol, sugar, additives and pesticides,” which could impact the health elements.

Instead, Avalon cautioned that consumers should search for organic and biodynamic wines that “do not have these compounds”."

Read more here.

Festa Italia in Healdsburg Celebrates California Cool Kids' Growing Italian Side: It's All About Pleasure

 a16 owner Shelley Lindgren (Tansy) and Dan Petroski (Massican)

celebrate Italian varietals on Festa's VIP panel.

It was indeed quite a festive event Sunday in Healdsburg at Orsi winery as more than 30 wineries gathered for a grand tasting of Italian wine varieties made in California at the first Festa Italia. The good news is that the Italian varieties are making headway with champions like Idlewild and Comunita (Sam Bilbro), Giornata, Unti, and Massican (Dan Petroski/Gallo) as well as Preston Farm and Winery who are all adventurously planting or making rare varieties. 

Somm and wine raconteur extraordinaire Chris Sawyer moderated several panels
of vintners making Italian varieties in California

There's also the newly minted Italian table wine vintners like Italian wine icon Shelley Lindgren who launched her Tansy brand last year as part of the newer wave of Italian wine evangelists and wine lovers. (Shelley's new book Italian Wine is a must have accompaniment to the topic). 

Best of all, there were plenty of people on hand at the Festa who celebrated these unique producers and flavors. (Who says wine sales are falling? You wouldn't know it from the event attendance.)

One producer even makes an Amarone which was poured at the VIP panel. (Delicious.)

People also celebrated gelato from locally made Fiorello's, endless slivers of a16 pizza hot from the oven, Italian music and locally made (Journeyman) Italian style sausages.

. 

I have to say the Nocciola (hazelnut) was my favorite.

Alas, there weren't very many wineries who were either certified organic or practicing organic farming. (The beloved Giornata and Unti Vineyards fall into the latter category.) But more are on the way.

Comunita, an exciting new brand founded by a newly retired Google exec, with Sam Bilbro (Idelwild), plans to become certified at some point in the future. They've already grafted 46 Italian grape varieties in their 86 acre Russian River estate vineyard named Las Cimas Ranch. 

Wine grapes from Fox Hill Ranch (now owned by Broc Cellars), just got certified in December of 2023. Wines from that Yorkville Highlands go into some Idlewild vintages and to other producers. 

But since I committed this blog to just the certifieds, enjoy these two–DaVero and Preston. (You can read about the others in Slow Wine Guide.)

DaVero owner Ridgely Evers spoke about the value of matching Mediterranean
varieties to our Mediterranean climate.

DaVero is certified biodynamic and poured its Alto Basso ($90), a stunning red blend of Sangiovese (60%) and Barbera (40%) grown on its Dry Creek estate (around the corner from Orsi) just outside the town of Healdsburg. The producer makes only Italian varietals. It also produces incredible olive oil, which is what it originally launched before it got into wine.

Preston is certified organic and exploring new frontiers in Italian varieties, producing some tiny lots of Schioppettino (ask at the winery), as well as its regular offerings of Barbera ($42) (and Barbera Reserve which you really must try) and Nero d'Avola ($42).

Preston also makes a Barbera Reserve (only 50 cases)
which is available at the winery.

On the white front, Preston also now grows Ribolla Gialla and Tocai Friulano which it incorporates in a White Wine blend with Sauvignon Blanc. 

Of course, you can stop by the DaVero and Preston tasting rooms to see what you missed. 

But...you can catch some of the festive spirit here in the musical accompaniment that had everyone smiling. See it on Instagram here to hear the music!

More fun clips on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/festaitaliahbg/

Biggest Biodynamic Vineyard in U.S.–Oregon's King Estate–Gets Even Bigger, Growing to 535 acres

America's largest biodynamic grower/winery is adding 70 more acres

King Estate is already the great big granddaddy of biodynamic growers in the state of Oregon–a state that, thanks to its Burgundian role model cousins, has more than half of America’s biodynamic vines. Oregon’s biodynamic plantings are still growing as successful producers expand (King Estate, Cooper Mountain) and a few new vineyards are in the process of getting biodynamic certification.

King Estate is getting bigger with 2022 the purchase of the 70 acre Pfeiffer vineyard, 30 miles north of the southern Willamette Valley estate.

(Although Ehrenfried Pfeiffer was a key person in the biodynamic movement, the name of the vineyard is purely coincidental.)

A press release from the winery states:

“Pfeiffer was our first contracted vineyard in 1992. Planted in Bellpine and Dupee soils rich in silty clay and silt loam, the vineyard’s 28 acres of pinot gris and 42 acres of pinot noir sit on a southward-facing slope and are privileged to enjoy long sun exposure during the summer months. Pfeiffer is considered a warm site for Oregon. The vineyard was planted by the Pfeiffer family in the early 1980s.”

The winery is going through the three year process of becoming biodynamic certified, which means adding tons and tons and tons of biodynamic compost, among other things. They could be certified as soon as the 2025 harvest.

For more on the story visit our new substack newsletter on biodynamic vines and wines. 

Booker Expands Paso's Regenerative Organic Vine Acreage with Acquisition of Adjacent Caliza

Booker Vineyards, an organic beacon in the Paso region, announced on Instagram that it's...

"Excited to announce that we’ve expanded our vineyard estate into a contiguous 27 acre vineyard from our friends at @calizawinery. Like our original estate, this vineyard is predominantly planted to Rhône varieties, including Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre and Viognier."

“We know this site well, having shared a fenceline with it for so many years. We’re excited for that fence to come down and to bring this incredible vineyard into the Booker fold with the blessing from our friends at Caliza.”

The former Caliza vineyard has been farmed with organic methods for more than four years and @hilarysgraves now aims to raise the bar and achieve the same certifications for this expansion that Booker has already attained at our original estate: CCOF and Regenerative Organic Certified® (ROC™) 

CONGRATS. 

A First! Organically Grown U.S., Artisanal Bag in Box Wine!

I've written two major articles about bag in box wines that will be out soon and gave an industry presentation last week at the International Bulk Wine & Spirits Show on this format's bright trend signs. Eliminating 83 percent of carbon emissions makes this an obvious, ecofriendly, fun alternative to bottled wine, which, the more you learn about glass bottles, makes buying wine in bottles seem kind of crazy (unless it's a wine you want to age).

Europeans already drink a lot more boxed wine than we do, and they'd like you to drink theirs, too, but for now, I'd like to see this grow with U.S. producers, since we are the biggest wine market and need to grow our organic side.

I've gone through box after box of Ode to Lulu rosé this summer and last year from Bedrock, and as wonderful as it is, it's a blend of organic and non-organic fruit. Plus it's really hard to get as it sells out right away. 

While Tablas has produced its Patelin wines in a box, those are not from organic estate fruit, but from neighbors who planted the Tablas clones. So I was really happy and excited to see this new organic estate wine hit the market.

The convenience aspect is the #1 reason to buy these boxed wines. SOOOO easy to pour a little glass or half glass. (No more guilty pangs about wasting wine, too.)

More like this, please! 

Here's where to buy it: https://tablascreek.com/wines/2023_grenache_alouette_box

$115 each. Limit 3 boxes. 

Only 800 boxes were produced.

P.S. Look for an in-depth article on boxed wine coming in the October issue of Wine Business Monthly (the print magazine) and a shorter article online and in print at Grape and Wine in the August issue. 

Four Out of USA Today's 10 Top Winery Tours Feature Organic Vines

USA Today has published a list of the 10 Best Winery Tours, just in time for planning your next trip to wine country. While organic grapes are only maybe four percent of overall wine production in fine wine in the U.S., four of these wineries made the list.

1 Dr. Konstantin Frank Winery (Hammondsport, New York)

2 Davis Estates (Calistoga, California)

3 Eberle Winery (Paso Robles, California)

4 Robert Hall Winery (Paso Robles, California)

A Central Coast winery focused on regenerative wine grape growing (though it buys half of its grapes from local growers).

5 Ken Wright Cellars (Carlton, Oregon)

6 Inglenook (Rutherford, California)

One of the most historic wineries in Napa and a very upscale producer today, it was lovingly restored by Francis Ford Coppola (with a bit of personally expressive flair). Has a great museum. 100 percent estate grown.

7 Benziger Family Winery (Glen Ellen, California)

Created by a family and now owned by a corporation. Visitors can take a biodynamic estate tram tour through the vines. Seven percent of its wines (i.e. all of its estate wines) are from organic and biodynamic vines.                

8 Buena Vista Winery (Sonoma, California)

9 Cline Family Cellars (Sonoma, California) (practicing organic)

10 Neal Family Vineyards (Angwin, California)

One of the original OG's of organics in Napa, owner Mark Neal has been a leader in Napa for decades for organic wine grapes and makes affordably priced (for Napa) wines from two estates–one in Rutherford on the valley floor and one on Howell Mountain. 100 percent estate grown.

Slow Wine Guide USA

For more details on these and other eco-friendly wineries, consider buying the Slow Wine Guide here. It lists 400 wineries in the U.S. that farm responsibly and make great wines. 

MAHA and Villa Creek Founder JoAnn Cherry, Central Coast Biodynamic Vintner, Dies After Long Struggle with Cancer

JoAnn and Cris at their tasting room in 2017 when then Demeter Executive Director Elizabeth Candelario and I visited in advance of  the 2018 International Biodynamic Wine Conference

It’s a sad day when you look at your Facebook page and see that the female founder of a prestigious biodynamic winery–and someone you’ve met and written about–has died.

Here’s what the winery’s Facebook page posted: 

“It is with a heavy heart and a sense of peace that we say farewell to our beloved JoAnn after a 5 year battle with colorectal cancer. She was a beacon of joy, a creative force, an icon of style, devoted friend, mother, and partner. To know JoAnn was to know someone who always went out of their way to make you feel better. Though her loss has shaken our world, we are comforted by endless memories of her smile, her laughter, and her irreplaceable warmth. 

A celebration of life honoring JoAnn will be held on August 24, 2024 from 10:00am-2:00pm at the MAHA Estate. 

In lieu of flowers or other gifts, please consider a donation to MUST! Charities in JoAnn’s name.

To RSVP to the event or to make a donation, please see the links below. Kindly RSVP by August 17th.

JoAnn and her husband Cris were always among the “cool kids” in Paso, first with their restaurant Villa Creek, which every renowned wine critic who hit town raved about. 

By 2001, they started their Villa Creek winery, originally buying grapes and making 300 cases of wine to serve as the house wine at their restaurant.

After their 2001 vintage won 93 points from the Wine Spectator, they decided to expand production and sell wine, building a winery in 2003. The couple purchased a 60 acre property where they planted 14 acres to vines—including the classic Rhone varieties (Grenache, Mourvedre, and Clairette Blanche) along with Carignane and Petite Sirah. The couple also planted 25 olive trees, which they made olive oil from, and 30 sheep, who mowed the vines in the spring

Biodynamic consultant Philippe Coderey initially helped the Cherry's adopt and integrate biodynamic practices.

Their biodynamic vineyard case production grew from 400 to 750 by 2024. 

In recent years, rave wine reviews from top voices have lavished praise on the limited production wines, receiving some of the highest scores in the Paso region. While their first wines were pretty big and extracted, they became more nuanced and complex over time. Today, even at prices of $100 a bottle, they sell out.

They were also among the few to label wines organic and biodynamic on the bottle. 

Certified

MAHA Estate 

• Vineyard, organic, 2015-2018 (Stellar Certification Services), 2018-present (CCOF); biodynamic, 2015-present, Demeter USA

• Winery certified, organic and biodynamic, 2022

ESTATE WINES | MAHA ESTATE

Adelaida District AVA

WHITE

• Clairette Blanche-Before Anyone Else

 RED

• Red Rhone Blend-Understory

• Red Rhone Blend–Backlit

MORE

The Wine Independent shared a 2023 piece about MAHA and Cris and Joann. Read it here. 

MEMORIAL

Is There a More Beautiful Biodynamic Farm and Vineyard than Filigreen? I Don't Think So. Open One Evening Only.

The most beautiful farm and vineyard I have ever seen. 

Catch the good vibes at this (never open to the public) farm and winery in beautiful Anderson Valley this summer. Includes a farm tour. It's sure to be a very memorable event.  

Filigreen website