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| 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.
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