Pairs Well in Paso: Pizza Parties, Gourmet Burgers and Sheep Tours

Paso Robles, no bastion of organically grown wines, offers its annual Paso Robles Wine Festival this coming weekend (May 18-20).

Of the 150 participating wineries, just three have organically grown wines.

If you're going, seek out:

• Castoro Cellars


One of the earliest wineries in the region, Castoro has a certified organic estate vineyard - Whale Rock. Look for bottles made solely from grapes from Whale Rock (ask).

I've heard that the winery will be labeling their organically grown wines sometime soon (when they stop blending them with non organic grapes).

Castoro will be doing a pizza party Friday night with live music, along with wines ($37.50 per person).

Saturday and Sunday they'll be offering live music from 12-4 pm with food available for purchase. Tasting is $5.

(Note: most of their wines are not organically grown).

• Lone Madrone

Run by the winemaker from legendary Tablas Creek, Lone Madrone has a few organically grown wines. (Ask). On Sunday, Lone Madrone will be serving gourmet burgers, hosting live music, and putting local craftspeople in the spotlight with a crafts fair.

• Tablas Creek

The high point of any trip to Paso Robles is this French-founded Rhone wine powerhouse, beloved by Robert Parker (and many of the rest of us who do not necessarily share his likes/dislikes).

Friday night Tablas will be hosting a dinner at Thomas Hill Organics in town ($89 per person) - 5 courses, and 5 wines.

Tablas will be doing tastings in town at the park (festival location) Friday and Saturday as well as offering tours all weekend, showing their new sheep, alpacas and chickens in the vineyards.

Their new rose will also be on offer. (Won't last long).

With the exception of their Patelin wines (a blend of their estate grapes as well as purchased grapes from non-organic neighbors), all of their wines are organically grown.

Other Destinations

Although they're not listed as official participants, I would also seek out and visit organically grown wines made by winemakers at Ambyth Estate and Giornata/Luna Matta.

The Pinot Festivals are Coming, the Pinot Festivals are Coming!

Let no grape be without its own tribute - and that means festivals! While the Zin crowd has ZAP, Pinot Noir has three upcoming starring roles.

These Pinot Noir festivals should be on your radar screen - Anderson Valley's and the touring Pinot Days Festival.

The Anderson Valley Pinot Noir Festival - held May 18-19 - has been the Big Kahuna of Mendo-grown mainstays for 14 years. Tickets for the grand tasting on Saturday are almost sold out, as are tickets for the "technical session" on Friday.

Personally I would make it a high priority to attend the technical session's morning presentation (if I could) to hear one of my favorite speakers Glenn McGourty, who is the UC Cooperative Extension viticulture advisor for Mendocino and Lake Counties. He'll be presenting "The State of the Pinot Noir Union."

Glenn is a great speaker and while he won't be addressing this specifically, he's also one of the state's leading experts on organic viticulture in particular.

The event will be moderated by Greg Walters of the Pinot Report.

At the Grand Tasting: look for this following organically grown Pinot (which, unfortunately, are few and far between - what's with that Pinot crowd when it comes to pesticides?):

• Handley Cellars' RSM Pinot Noir ($52)

This organically grown Pinot - the RSM - comes from the winery's best vineyard, located right on the estate. It's named in honor of proprietor and winemaker Milla Handley's late husband Rex Scott McClellan and the wine is a fitting tribute. It's not made every year - just when it's good enough!

The 2009 won a Gold Medal at the SF Chronicle Wine Tasting Competition.

Says Pinot File: "A first-rate wine of uncommon charm that is terrific now and will age gracefully."

Wine & Spirits selected it for its April 2012 article on the best pinot noirs giving it a 93 point rating.

Pinot Days is June 9-16 in San Francisco, with small events scattered through the city, followed by the Grand Tasting June 16 at Fort Mason.

Organic producers whose wines will be available to taste include:

• Big Basin (selected Pinots)
• Masut (only one Pinot and it's organically grown)

For more on the Masut Pinot Noir, see the post below. I'll be posting pictures from the Masut 2010 Pinot release party (it was Saturday) soon.

I look forward to seeing a list of more of the participating wineries from the Pinot Days web site. I'd expect to see more of the organically grown wines represented when the list is published.

Sonoma's Russian River Pinot Passport event takes place June 9-10.

DeLoach is the only participating winery with some organically grown Pinots.

Masut 2010 Pinot Noir Event - May 12

Masut, up and coming makers of organically grown Pinot Noir, is hosting an open house and wine release party May 12 at their winery north of Ukiah.

The event will take place from 1 to 5 in the afternoon.

Visitors will get a chance to sample the 2010 Pinot Noir, which sells for $40 a bottle.

Their 23 acre site is part of what could be a new AVA named Eagle Peak. Proprietors Ben and Jake Fetzer, along with their neighbors, have petitioned the TTB for this new appellation.

The Masut 2009 vintage won a Top 100 Wine from Wine Enthusiast while the 2010 has just won rave reviews from the Chicago Tribune.

The May event will feature live music, artisan pizza and wine! Admission is $35 per person or free with purchase of 6 or more bottles.

The winery has been certified organic since 1997.

Qupe/Verdad Spring Whites Wine Tasting and SALE!

"Verdad" and "Qupe"...with son- one of tbe great His and Her winery couples of California!

Saturday May 19, from 5:30 to 7:30 pm - join the Qupe/Verdad team for a white wine tasting! Limited to 30 people - and priced quite reasonably at $15 a head - join one of Santa Barbara County's most illustrious wine couples for a special tasting of their Chenin Blanc, Roussanne, and a new Albarino from Paragon Vineyard.

They're even throwing in light appetizers.

The event takes place at their Los Olivos tasting room.

If you're into whites, you should know they make both superstar Spanish whites - Verdad's Albarino is renowned (whether from the organic Ibarra Young vineyard or Verdad's own biodynamic Sawyer Lindquist estate vineyard) and Qupe is a Rhone master par excellence (so the Ibarra Young Viognier is outstanding).

And did I mention there will be special discounts on wine for attendees only?

That ought to clinch the deal.

Their organically grown wines come from Ibarra Young vineyard (organic) or their own Sawyer Lindquist estate (biodynamic).

Send me your photos if you're lucky enough to attend!

Info here www.qupe.com/purchase/products-page/merchandise/maywhites 

Last Call at the Oasis - 28 Gallons of Water to Make 1 Bottle of Wine

I spent a lot of time during the past two weeks seeing outrageously great films at the SF Film Festival. including this outstanding film on the coming (and current) water crisis.

The film - Last Call at the Oasis - is both upper and a downer.

While I had heard about the scary pesticide atrazine and its gender-bending qualities, I'd never seen the main research behind it (even though he teaches at U.C. Berkeley) and I hadn't known that Erin Brocovich was still on the job (as it were).

The film comes to theaters this month - don't miss it! Here's an insightful overview of the film from Reuters. And another good piece (an interview with Brocovich) in the Washington Post.

Obviously we totally need to change our approach to agriculture. The fact that Napa's running dry so that growers can raise overirrigated grapes which later have to be adjusted by winemakers is just nuts. But the worst is that most of our wine is grown in the Central Valley, a desert, with an insane amount of water - and all just to make jug wines that benefit mainly four old Italian families. Doesn't quite make sense, does it?

In Europe, it's not really kosher to pour on the irrigation...makes terroir an irrelevant notion, according to their way of thinking, when you put the grapes on irrigation. Their roots are shallow so there's no sucking up the minerals in the soil.

Thanks to those who dry farm and are organic...

There's a lot of great information in the film about pesticides as well.

Don't miss this - coming to theaters soon!

Napa Valley Historical Atlas Featured in NYTimes

This week the New York Times covered the release of the new historical atlas of Napa. (See here).  While I'm waiting for my copy to arrive, I thought I would let you know that a. this is a great project and b. if you want to see what a lot of Napa used to look like, visit the Hopland-Ukiah corridor. Many areas are filled with valley oaks, the likes of which Napa can only make historical books about.

I will probably be posting about it later.

The first weekend in May is also Hopland Passport - when all those made-with-organic-grapes wineries spring to life and offer amazing deals.

Of course if you really want to go back in time, this beautiful book is your best bet. And enjoy its companion video:

Wine Grape Insecticide Imidacloprid Linked to Bee Colony Collapse

If you have been following the news lately you might have heard about scientists' discovery linking bee colony collapse to an insecticide named imidacloprid. 

Good recent coverage of this linkage can be found in the current New Yorker article Silent Hives by Elizabeth Kolbert (read it here). You can also listen to the Living on Earth podcast coverage with Harvard professor Alex Lu who conducted one of the definitive experiments.

Further underscoring the cause and effect relationship, Lu and other researchers note that bee colony collapse coincides with the introduction of Imidacloprid in the 1990s.

Imidaclorprid is widely used, applied to more than 140 food crops.  According to statistics collected by California's Dept. of  Pesticide Regulation and published in their annual reports, California wine grape growers have been increasing their use of this neurotoxin dramatically. 

The 2010 report on pesticide use by commodity shows that this insecticide was the second most widely used pesticide on wine grapes. (First place went to oils, which are generally non toxic.)

In 2009, some 34,000 pounds of imidacloprid was applied to 182,000 acres of wine grapes - about 36% of vineyards.

Bayer, the maker of most Imidacloprid, is disputing the three studies (a British one and a French one in addition to the Harvard study).

UPDATE - MAY 3, 2013

The EPA and USDA's recent study concluded that this and other neonicotinoids are implicated as one of many factors contributing to bee colony collapse. However, among nations in Europe where these insecticides have been banned (Italy, Germany and Slovenia), Italy has reported that bee populations were restored to normal balances after banning the neonicotinoids.

Imildacloprid is a common insecticide in the U.S. and in California. It is used in California on a number of crops, including wine grapes.

UPDATE DEC. 2013

New research has now linked imidacloprid to negative effects on child development.

Followup on Does Argentina Have Better Pesticide Protection Than We Do?

Goldman Prize winner Sofia Gatico of Argentina

A few days ago I posted about Goldman Prize winner Sofia Gatica and her fight against Roundup spraying of soybean crops. I asked Paul Towers from Pesticide Action Network to weigh in on the question of whether or not Sofia's efforts meant that Argentina was now protecting its citizens against Roundup than in the U.S..

In an earlier interview with Paul, he said that the Wine Institute in California has been fighting against pesticide buffer zones and aerial spraying bans (successfully, alas, enough to kill legislation).

Here's his response (bolding mine) to the question of whether Argentina now does a better job at protecting against pesticides in light of Sofia's efforts:

"To be clear, Sofia and her mothers group helped pass a buffer (health protection) zone in only one municipality and are working to expand to other municipalities and the entire country. This buffer is larger (~8,200 ft total) than most buffer zones used in agriculture in the United States. Pesticides like Roundup must be applied according to their labels (the "label is the law" -- this is how EPA regulates pesticides), and a quick scan of a couple Roundup variations suggest that most national aerial application buffers are about 100 feet.

In addition, in states that can impose greater protections, there are additional buffers for specific regions or crops. Sutter County, e.g., has 4 mile buffers for prunes (from this short report I co-authored). However, since I don't believe Roundup is a "restricted use" pesticide, meaning that it is considered more hazardous by EPA, it is more difficult for state or local governments to impose any additional restrictions like buffers. 

In short, the comparison isn't exactly apples to apples, but it is fair to say that one Argentina municipality has instituted some of the strongest protections for residents from aerial applications of Roundup."

So, one wonders, why does the Wine Institute tell us they're green and sustainable and yet fight against protections against pesticides that even third world countries have?

Italy in Paso? A Mille Grazie for Giornata

Brian and Stephy Terrizzi

Italian wine in California for years has meant Zinfandel. But Zinfandel plays almost no part in wines in Italy.

There the big red grapes are Nebbiolo (which makes Barolo and Barberesco), Dolcetto, Aglianico, Sangiovese (which is the grape in Chianti), and international varieties (Cabernet, etc.) along with others.

Experimenters here in California have cultivated Cal-Italian varieties - see cal-ital.org for a list - but without hitting many home runs.

Among the organic producers, Randall Grahm of Bonny Doon did Malvasia, Dolcetto and Nebbiolo (which he is only offering library vintages of now) but seems to have backed out of all (except Muscat).

Pavi wines in Napa also offers a few great Italian varietals - organically grown Dolcetto (a medium-to-light bodied red wine) and Pinot Grigio. But for the most part, growing and making the big Italian reds have been abandonned.

Along comes Giornata, the brainchild of Brian and Stephy Terrizzi, in Paso Robles.

Paso Robles is a region famous for its Zins - and there are very few organic producers in the area (Castoro, Lone Madrone, Ambyth, and Rhone-growing Tablas Creek).

This makes the Terrizzis all that much more unique in the region, which they came to after visiting a nursery in Santa Rosa to find Nebbiolo vines (rarely grown in California), which lead them to a unique vineyard here in the Paso area.

They were astonished to visit the Luna Matta vineyard here, one of only three sites growing nebbiolo. The owners had no market for the grapes. They were happy to let the Terrizzis tend them and later buy the grapes.

The Terrizzis were excited - they'd found calcium in them thar limestone hills - which they say is a close match to the soils of Piedmont where Nebbiolo excels. Nebbiolo famously likes fog (the word Nebbiolo comes from the word "nebbia" which means fog in Italian.) The vineyard is located not far from the Templeton gap in the hills that passes cooling marine influences along.

The Terrizzi's are growing certified organic Nebbiolo ($40) in Luna Matta vineyard, which became certified organic last year. They also produce a Sangiovese ($30) and an Aglianico ($30).

The couple are a unique partnership - she's the vineyard manager and he's the winemaker - which seems like the perfect combination (and one I haven't come across before).

Stephy, a graduate of Santa Rosa Junior College with a degree in viticulture, worked in Napa previously. She grew up on an organic farm in Wisconsin and is a passionate local expert in Paso on organic viticulture, sharing her knowledge with locals. She is also a certified master sommelier and conducts wine tastings locally. She is committed to polycultural approaches and growing her own family's food on the property. The Luna Matta vineyard also has an extensive walnut grove.

Brian, a graduate of Fresno State, in enology, also studied winemaking in Tuscany, and toured Italian wineries - including on Sicily, where he has distant relatives. The two love Italian wine and decided to make them their professional passion.

Read more about them in this recent Wine & Spirits magazine article - or just check them out in person. Visitors (by appointment) are welcome.

Their wines are available from their web site at: http://www.giornatawines.com. You can also find some of them at Arlequin Wine Merchants in SF. The organic ones are those from the Luna Matta vineyard, pictured above.

I for one look forward to visiting their vineyard soon!

Does Argentina Have Better Pesticide Regulations Than We Do?

On Monday night environmentalists gathered from around the world to honor winners of the Goldman Awards, one of the world's highest environmental prizes. Among them was Argentinian Sofia Gatica who won the prize for the continent of South America for her work in documenting the devastating effects of Roundup (which contains glyphosate) in her local community.

This is, of course, the same toxic herbicide California wine grape growers spray 400-450,000 pounds of annually on state vineyards.

Gatica herself lost a daughter, who lived only 3 days, before asking other mothers in the area about health problems in their families. When the group of mothers found that their area had more than 41 times the number of birth defects as was normal in Argentina, 16 of the mothers formed the Mothers of Ituzaingó to organize against the indiscriminate use of the pesticide in Argentina where 50 million gallons are used annually, mostly in soybeans.


In the U.S., $5 billion is spent on the Monsanto-produced herbicide, more than a quarter of global sales by  price. In 2007, the EPA estimated that 180-185 million pounds of it were used in the U.S. It can be applied by hand-sprayer or in aerial spraying.





Argentinian scientist and researcher Carrasco (featured in the video above) has documented the harmful effects of glysophate in Argentina, including birth defects.

Gatica and allies worked to pass legislation outlawing the aerial fumigation of glyphosate and other dangerous agricultural pesticides and herbicides. Legislation also does not allow spraying within 2,500 meters of residents.


That would appear to be better than we have it in here in California. In a recent interview I conducted with Paul Towers of the Pesticide Action Network, Towers said the Wine Institute has opposed Californians' attempts to pass legislation creating buffer zones and to restrict aerial application of pesticides.


You can, of course, help grow California's organic viticulture movement (where no Roundup can be used) by buying wines made with organic grapes.

Watch Gatica's story here (below in the video) or read more on the Goldman Prize site here:

Gatica with mothers, studying chart of diseases and birth defects in their neighborhood

Photo of tumor caused by glysophate in Argentina, from Dr. Graciela Gomez

I've contacted a pesticide expert to find out more specific information on dosage comparisons and will followup with a post later.


The Ecology Center has a good, succinct fact sheet on Roundup.
• Factsheet

The GLS Bank of Germany has a good review of the scientific literature on Roundup.
• GLS Report

First Ever Release: Bonny Doon's Banana Slug Roussanne! Benefits UCSC Arts Students

Judging from the bottle labels/covers, you may have thought Bonny Doon's previous wines were art student oriented, what with their flashy graphics and all. Well now it's official - there's a Bonny Doon wine to benefit (in part) the arts students at UC Santa Cruz, named, appropriately enough, Banana Slug Roussanne.  Of course the designs also come from the students. (The banana slug is the official mascot of U.C. Santa Cruz.) The 2010 vintage, sourced exclusively from the winery's estate Beeswax vineyard (100% biodynamic), sells for $16. (Wine club member price is $13.60). Only 600 cases made - get some now! For more info about the project, see here.  Randall Grahm of Bonny Doon with UCSC Arts Dean David Yager UCSC student Louise Leong designed the winning label - runner up art work will be on display at the Bonny Doon tasting room

$18 Bottle Sale - Yorkville Cellars (Secret Website)

Yorkville Cellars is celebrating its 18th birthday on April 18. You can celebrate with $18 a bottle wine now through April 18.

Or get the assortment of 6 bottles for $108 - $67 off.

You'll save more than $10 a bottle, including on shipping.

Check out the secret url here.

Greenhorns Night in SF's Hipster Heartland (The Mission)

The Greenhorns presented two short films, a three person panel, community Q and A, and social time tonight. I learned about Napa bees from Rob Keller, Mendocino Organics from Paula Manalo, and Little City Gardens (for-profit urban farm) from Brooke Budner, all embodying novel and innovative approaches to agricultural issues.

From the wine/vinelands perspective, Napa Valley Bee Company works with wineries and local municipalities to reintroduce bee-friendly plants into the landscape, where monoculture has decreased their numbers. Rob Keller, proprietor and bee expert, talked about his mobile bee education lab (in a converted Airstream) which invites public participation - and fascination.

He is currently working on breeding bees particularly suited to the local conditions.

Stanford-educated Paula Manalo, one of the editors of the new Greenhorns Book, highlighted what she and her partner Adam Gaska, a Redwood Valley native and local farmer, are doing on vineyards in Redwood Valley and Potter Valley in Mendocino (both places near and dear to my heart). The two are Mendocino Organics, which is sort of "infill" agriculture (my made-up terminology), bringing livestock and poultry into symbiotic relationships in vineyard fields. They also grow vegetables, primarily at Heart Arrow Ranch, a biodynamic vineyard and farm. Mendocino Organics is the couple's CSA, providing locally raised meat and vegetables to 22-40+ members seasonally, as well as supplying Bar Agricole, a restaurant in SF, with produce, lamb and pork.

Brooke Budner of Little City Gardens talked about her 1 acre SF garden, which is a for profit company that grows vegetables for sale. She distinguished it from other urban farms, which are run by educational or nonprofit organizations. Brooke was instrumental in getting the city to overturn and rewrite ordinances that prevented people from growing food (as a business) in residential areas.

Here's the night in pix:


The Greenhorns also released their new book (a DVD was already available) - which you can find out more about here:

Bonny Doon in Photos

For those of you who drink Bonny Doon's wines, or enjoy Randall Grahm's perspectives and dazzling marketing, or may just be heading to Santa Cruz, here's a virtual tour of the Bonny Doon tasting room and restaurant, which occupy a large warehouse-y space in a little gourmet ghetto in Santa Cruz.

 

Santa Cruz Tasting Room Scene: The Organics Among Them

As I mentioned just a short bit earlier, I finally got to Bonny Doon's tasting room and restaurant in Santa Cruz last week - a hip, trendy spot with lots of fun wine graphics and ambience. I was there on a mission - to visit "mainstream bohemian" wine mecca Bonny Doon as well as to answer the question, hopefully once and for all, as to which Bonny Doon wines actually are organically grown (having failed to find answers via traditional channels - i.e. calling and emailing).

Part 2 of the quest answered (in this here post). And now onto the next frontier - visiting Bonny Doon and the Other Wineries with Organically Grown Wines in the vicinity. Turns out Bonny Doon's location is now a little Mecca village of its own - with several other winery tasting room adjacent in the same shopping/warehouse area.

The two of interest to The Organically Inclined are Silver Mountain with three organically grown wines (now) and Vine Hill, which will be offering its first certified organically grown wines in 2013.

Here are the winery tasting rooms in photos.

Silver Mountain

From the Pinot region of the Santa Cruz Mountains, Silver Mountain offers the following organically grown wines:

• 2007 Pinot Noir Miller Hill Vineyard ($38)
• 2007 Pinot Noir Estate ($38)
• Chardonnay Estate (not listed on website)

The winery/vineyard in the Santa Cruz mountains is open 12-5 on Saturdays (or other times by appointment). The Santa Cruz tasting room is open 12-5 Thursday through Sunday.

Vine Hill

Starting in 2013, Vine Hill will be releasing organically grown wines (now aging in the barrel). Stay tuned.

In the meantime, enjoy these photos of the Vine Hill tasting room, around the corner from Silver Mountain and Bonny Doon.

Tonight - Last Chance to Catch Our Land Wine Land Tour in Bay Area!

See here: http://thegreenhorns.wordpress.com/2012/03/17/our-land-wine-land-tour-starting-march-24/

Heller Organic Wine in Photos

I met friends from LA at Big Sur last week and traveled with them up the coast to Santa Cruz via Monterey. I stopped off in Carmel Valley to check out Heller Organic Wines. Here are some photos of the winery's tasting room (open to the public daily).

The vineyards themselves are not open to the public.

I'll add more notes about the visit later but am sharing these photos for now.



I've added five of their wines to my app!

Bonny Doon: The Definitive Organic Versus Not Organic List?

Last weekend marked my first trip to Bonny Doon, the mothership of Santa Cruz wineries. I wanted to get to the bottom of what has been a difficult quest - to understand exactly which wines were sourced from organic grapes (because, despite its green-friendly image, many of its wines are not).

I have repeatedly called and emailed the winery for answers, but haven't gotten any responses. Since I was traveling in the area with friends, I decided an in person trip to the tasting room might be the best approach to getting answers. At least the bottles might have certification seals.

After a long and complicated Q and A process with tasting room staff, the "final" tally of organically grown wines (100% certified grapes), as best as can be determined by tasting room staff, is as follows:

Biodynamic
Whites
• Albarino Ca del Solo (2009 only; 2010 vintage is not)
• Grenache Blanc (2009 only)
• Le Cigare Blanc (white Rhone blend of Grenache Blanc and Roussanne) (2009)
• Muscat Ca del Solo (2009)
• Paso Robles Viognier (sourced from Chequera)
• Vinho Grinho Ca del Solo

Reds
• Dolcetto Ca del Solo (current release - 2007)
• Nebbiolo Ca del Solo (current release - 2007)
• Syrah from Bien Nacido X Block (all)

Dessert
• Vinferno (dessert wine from Grenache Blanc and Roussanne) (2008)
• Le Vol des Anges (dessert wine from Roussanne) (2007)

In transition to Biodynamic:
• Imagine (a Freisa/Sangiovese cuvee)

In the future
Look for Alamo Creek sourced Syrah.

So less than half of Bonny Doon's output is organic/biodynamic - most is not.

What is not (100%) organically sourced: Cigare wines (including the Vin Gris rose), Grenache, Carignane, Vino Rosso, Contra, Rose, Moscato, Riesling, Mon Doux Mourvedre, Viognier Port, Cuvee ET and more.

This one is sourced from Biodynamic grapes and has a Demeter seal on the front label

This one still has the water crystal image but is not sourced from Biodynamic grapes and does not have the Demeter seal on the label

Of note: the Albarino that is NOT biodynamic still carries the crystal on the cover, which is a symbolic analysis typically associated with biodynamics. There is a danger in using this kind of imagery for this meaning, when, in fact, not all the grapes inside are biodynamic. It might be good for Bonny Doon to think this through. I, for one, am tired of seeing biodynamic imagery extended to non-biodynamic wines (Paul Dolan uses more overt biodynamic symbols as branding - three cowhorns - when in fact the wines they apply the symbols to are not biodynamic versus Cowhorn Winery - a brand where every wine is always biodynamic).

We need that clear labeling of "Made from Organic (or Biodynamic) Grapes" on the front of every bottle to be mandatory so it's simple for everyone. For now, check the seals!

CPB Stands for Corporate Publicity Bonanza

It's a sad day when CPB funds a pro-Big Ag show without mentioning dead zones, pesticide issues, or other issues - AND then sells DOW Chemical ads on the show web site. 

Big Ag's Answer to Food, Inc.? America Revealed: About Food

Only collusion at CPB with some big bucks in agriculture could possibly have given us the new PBS series America Revealed's first episode on food. Perhaps they took a cue from the old series In Search of Excellence playbook (covering "brilliant" CEOs in the 1980s) that made American capitalists look like rock stars.

Today, Big Ag gets its closeup in this series. Here's the trailer:



We get glowing aerial video postcards of pesticides being sprayed over cornfields, an industrial-scale farmer from California's Central Valley talking about how high his water costs are, and a tour of a CAFO (concentrated animal feeding operation) in Colorado.

There are NO pesticide experts in the film, just an ag pilot who tells us how the chemical arsenal has grown from 1-2 chemicals in his predecessor's time to 50 products today. There are NO water experts in the film - just glossy aerials of the host flying over Shasta Dam (with no mention of how the combination of ag's profligate water consumption and agricultural pesticides have killed off the salmon).

There is one comment by a large-scale beekeeper on bee colony collapse being linked to pesticide use, but the narration tells us "the jury is still out." There is no mention made of groundwater depletion by big ag in the Central Valley (see NYTimes map and coverage here) and not one scientist or alternative point of view about the destruction of our soils, water and environment by industrial ag fertilizers or chemicals.

Though there are whizzy graphics showing how much transportation is built into the entire food system, there is no discussion about the carbon costs of such a system.

This show is a perversion about everything we know as responsible journalism. This is not a documentary - it is a love letter to Big Ag - with a few pretensions at covering the local and organic/urban ag/farmers market scene.

You can watch the full show on PBS.org. The sponsored ad on the PBS.org web site on the series home page is for DOW Chemical.

May the (Ladybug) Force Be With You: Join the Earth Day Celebration at Yorkville Cellars

Yorkville Cellars will celebrate Earth Day Sunday April 22 with a three-hour tour and tasting with owners Edward and Deborah Wallo.

The owners will be celebrating 26 years of certified organic growing (1986-2012). 

At noon participants can "be a farmer for the day" and join in releasing hundreds of ladybugs.

Vintage wines and organic food will also be served.

Get more info here.

And enjoy this recent interview with Edward Wallo on Organic Wine Review (part 1 of 2).

Gayot.com's Top 10 Organic Wines List: NOT

Gayot.com's list of top 10 organic wines sparked my interest a few weeks ago when I was researching a wine mentioned on it that's a wine in my iPhone app...but then I started to notice something fishy.

Some of the wines in the top 10 are not organically grown.

I emailed the editor and then we spoke on the phone. I told him which wines weren't organic.

It's two weeks later and I just casually circled back to see if the list had been updated. It hasn't.

So here, for your information, are the wines on the "Gayot.com Top 10 Organic Wine List" that aren't (according to the wineries themselves):

#3 Sokol Blosser Evolution (totally not organic)
#4 Frog's Leap Sauvignon Blanc* (they buy fruit from "practicing organic" vineyards)
#5 Benziger Chardonnay (not listed on their site as organic)

So...Gayot.com doesn't care?

It brings up a common problem - the three brands listed here have made being organic and/or biodynamic such a big part of their brand that they have skillfully branded nonorganic wines as organic.

There is however no certifier label on the bottle saying they're organically grown, however, which should at least have prompted a call to the winery to double check.

I look forward to the day when things are clearer and brands protect against that perception - hopefully by offering only organically grown wines.

Personally I try to support the ones who are ONLY organically grown. That way I don't have to keep up with so many niggly details.

Brands that make their entire line of wines from 100% organic or biodynamically certified grapes include:

Atrea
Barra of Mendocino
Beckmen
Bonterra
Ceago
Fitzpatrick
Grgich Hills
Horse and Plow
Madonna Estate
McFadden
Montemaggiore
Patianna
Paul Dolan
Porter Creek
Preston
Saracina
Spottswoode
Staglin Family
Terra Savia
Volker Eisele
Yorkville Cellars

Video of the Day: The Ultimate Corkscrew

Do you visit friends' houses and not quite "get" how to open a bottle of wine using the host's corkscrew? Then consider gifting them this Rube Goldberg gadget:


 

U.S. Lags in Organic Viticulture

Europeans are leading the way in organic viticulture, according to a statement released early this month at the Prowein conference in Dusseldorf.

In France, the report says, organic viticulture is 6% of the total acreage. The Alsace region in France is the leader at 9%.

Compare that to California, where only 2-3% of vineyards are certified organic.

There are more than 2,800 wineries in France that have organic viticulture. The number I have found so far in the U.S. is a roughly 200. (See the map for the list).

All countries have many vineyards which practice organic viticulture but are not certified.

This was the first year Prowein had a separate exhibition area for organically grown wines. Can we hope that the U.S. will follow suit?

Video of the Day: Mike Grgich - "Developing Feelings for Wine"

Grgich Hills is still one of the best - and greenest - wineries in Napa Valley.

 Last year, I attended the 35th anniversary of the Paris Tasting celebration dinner at the winery. (Although I know there are more glamorous events, for me it was like being at a Napa ball).

 Someday I hope to use this material as the opening to a book. But, I digress.

Here's the lovely video I just discovered in the proces of researching my app. Grgich Hills has three wines in the app.

If you have not read George Taber's classic book about this 1976 tasting that put Napa on the map, it's high time to consider it.

UPDATE: George Taber himself will be at Chateau Montelena March 19 from 1 to 4 signing copies of the book.

 

Video of the Day: Tres Sabores, Rutherford's Secret, Rustic Winery

Julie Johnston runs one of Napa's secret hideaway wineries - Tres Sabores, a personal favorite of mine for its rusticity and authenticity.

No anonymous tasting room here - no, you get that farm/vineyard feel complete with barnyard where you'll find guinea fowl and polyculture - with olives trees and pomegranates growing abundantly.

You can even sit outside and eat your own sandwich.

And the wines are fabulous - the estate-grown Zinfandel recently took a Top 100 Wine of 2011 from the prestigious San Francisco Chronicle's annual list.

The name is Spanish (although the grapes are not) and comes from a song about the three things it takes to make good wine - the terroir, the vine and the artisan.

Supporting Johnston's work these days can help the winery stay afloat - it was severely impacted by the Vacaville warehouse fire, when it lost an entire uninsured vintage.

Tres Sabores was featured today in a brief Oregon Live writeup from Oregon wine writer Katherine Cole.


The Zinfandel is one of the wines featured in my new app (still "coming soon")!

Reading the reviews on Yelp will have you getting in your car this weekend and heading north (after the rains have passed).

Side by Side Riesling Tasting: Four Vintners, One Vineyard

Four vintners are making wine from Potter Valley Riesling grown by Guinness McFadden - up in a sleepy (and they like it that way) corner of Mendocino (near the western border of Lake County).

McFadden has been selling his certified organic grapes to the creme de la creme of Napa wineries (Chateau Montelena's just one of them) for four decades.



If you want to do an interesting side by side tasting, consider this line-up:

1. McFadden's own Riesling ($18), 2009
89 pts., Wine Enthusiast
Off dry

2. Dashe Cellars McFadden Riesling (2009/2010)

3. Napa's 2010 Elizabeth Spencer Vineyards' Potter Valley Riesling ($30) (there's only one Riesling grower in Potter Valley and that's McFadden)
Bone Dry

4. Chateau Montelena's Potter Valley Riesling ($25)

And if you want to add one more - include not one but several vintages of McFadden's own. The 2006 was showing petrol last year - quite a bit - while the latest vintages are hugely different in character and style.

A great experience in seeing what different vinification does to the same grapes... (if you keep your vintages the same)...

March 31-April 1: Oregon's Cooper Mountain to Host Biodynamic Group

The North Willamette Wine Trail weekend takes place at the end of the month (in Oregon). 

Biodynamic poster child Cooper Mountain Vineyards will be hosting the Biodynamic Farming and Gardening Association at the winery. Contact Cooper Mountain Vineyards for more info.

Charcuterie from Feastworks will also be on hand.

And if you are not yet hip to Cooper Mountain's incredible Pinot Noir (the reserve is priced at about half of what wines of similar quality go for), get some to put to your taste test.

The event takes place 11-4 Saturday and Sunday.  Event details here.

Doubleheader: Two Good Green Hits - March 7, Friday

This blog is about preventing us from degrading our environment and endangering the health and beauty of this earth and our bodies. So I'm happy to share with you a wonderful film I went to see last night, by an old documentary-days pal - Mark Kitchell.

It's a called A Fierce Green Fire and it's a 110 min. history of the environmental movement, featuring a huge list of participants and an overarching story of what's happened in this movement over the last 150 years, with a focus mostly on the last 30-40 years. (It's great to see the contrast between our heroes when they were young and how they look today - as well as see the impact of their work).

Paul Hawken and Stewart Brand share some very wonderful insights and Carl Pope is spectacular in describing how environmentalists were conned by "industrial America" into abdicating a huge opportunity. It's a heartfelt look inside a movement (that can't possibly be contained within one film - but it's fun to try).

Also speaking at the event was Polly Higgins, a London-based (formerly) corporate attorney who's had the brilliant idea to incorporate a new legal concept - Ecocide - into the UN legal system, making it a crime for company executives to harm the earth.

Earth Island Journal is covering the idea extensively in its current issue and on its blog (see here).

Just like genocide, ecocide recognizes environmental degradation of the commons as a crime against life.

The group's gotten coverage in the Guardian.

Polly Higgins and Paul Hawken will be appearing with the film Friday night at the Cowell Theater in SF from 7-10 pm. Details here.

Here's more about the movement:

March: It's Time to Tend to Your Rose (Wine) Garden

My rose gardening needs pruning and fertilizing right now but right now I am focusing on another kind of rose - rose wines.

It's March and many boutique organic or biodynamic producers have just released their 2011 roses. Many  sell out early. (Horse and Plow - among my favorites - just did. Last year the Chronicle chose it as a Top 100 Wine of the Year - they only make about 75 cases of it.)

Biodynamic Oregon wineries Cowhorn and Maysara regularly sell out on their roses early. So does biodynamic Saracina. Roses are so popular - they're often the lowest priced wine a winery offers, and they're so versatile. There's not much it doesn't go with. It's perfect for picnics, brunches, sipping on its own and the season ahead.

So - a word to the wise: get online and order up a few cases now, before your favorite producers are sold out.

Some organic producers are:

• Beckmen (Santa Barbara County)
• Bonterra (Mendocino, Lake Counties)
• Coturri (Natural, Sonoma)
• Cowhorn (Near Jacksonville, Oregon)

• Heller Organic (Monterey County)
• Horse and Plow (Sonoma/Testa/Mendo) (2011 already sold out)
• Lucas (Lodi)

• Maysara (McMinnville, Oregon)

• Medlock Ames (Near Geyserville)
• Naughty Boy (Potter Valley, Mendocino)
• Pheasant Valley (Oregon)

• Saracina (Hopland, Mendocino)

• Testa (Calpella, Mendocino)
• Verdad (San Luis Obispo County)

Believe it or not, there are even more in my iPhone app (coming soon).

Generally roses are priced from $14 - $20.

"Newly Discovered" Organic Wines: Carol Shelton, Tyler

I am always scouting for new organically grown wines and am happy that I found two new-to-me wines/wineries last week to add to my Google map of organically grown wines/wineries.

Carol Shelton, renowned for her Zins, has a rose that in some years is all organic (ask her which years), and a couple of Zins (Wild Things 2000-2007 and then 2009, and Monga - all vintages) that are sourced from certified organic fruit (solely)

Tyler Wine, at higher end price points at the western edge of the Santa Rita Hills AVA in Lompoc is also sourcing a few wines organically (from La Encantada and Presidio vineyards).

Synchronistically, Tyler got a big writeup in the Sunday Chronicle. It's here for those of you who want to read more. I like the quote from Dick Sanford (the godfather of this AVA) in it myself.

Italy in California

I've had the pleasure of taking the North American Sommelier Association's Italian Wine Specialist class (no, I am not becoming a sommelier - just expanding my wine education) this weekend and it got me thinking about the Italians who came here and the wine regions they represent.

All the producers here are organic and/or biodynamic certified only. (For a full list, consult Cal-Italia.org, the Consorzio of Cal-Italia site at http://www.cal-italia.org/wine.html)


1. ITALIAN IMMIGRANTS

There's the heritage Italians, whose ancestors were immigrants:

• Asti's Italian Swiss Colony Wines
Piemontese must roll over in their graves, but this place supported thousands of poor immigrants from this northern Italian province.

If you haven't been to visit, go. It's not about the wine that's currently produced - it's about the incredible history that's still quite alive here in the old structures.

(The wine is not organic.)

2. DESCENDANTS

--HOPLAND AREA

• John Chiarito/Chiarito Vineyards

Chiarito's family is from the south of Italy.

His own small lot winery and vineyards are as authentic old World as you can get - dry farmed, all by hand. Nero d'Avola and Negroamaro are stars. Also does Zin and Petite Syrah as well. (Not certified, but practicing organic.)

• Maria Testa/Testa Vineyards

There is no better way to return to the days of yesteryear (alive and kicking) than to visit Testa, where during the Taste of Redwood Valley event (Father's Day - in June) the Italian grandmothers and great aunts come out to cook polenta and watch their grandson's make BBQ (not too tough or dry).  Testa is dry farmed - as well as certified organic.

Their grapes go into their own wines and those of Horse and Plow (Old Vine Carignan and Old Vine Grenache).

Varietals: Grenache (in Italy this is called Cannonau), Carignane.

• Barra of Mendocino

Charlie Barra's family came from Cuneo, in Piemonte, just over the border from France. He loves to drink (and grows/makes) Sangiovese.

• Jim Milone/Terra Savia

Jim Milone's family came to Hopland and operated the first winery there before Prohibition. He is a fourth generation vigneron. With Greg Graziano, he started Milano Winery in 1975, the first winery in Hopland after Prohibition. (There were 9 wineries in Mendocino County then - now there are 70+).

--DRY CREEK AREA

• DaVero

Located in Dry Creek, this brave biodynamic Italian wine producer is making Sagrantino, a noble effort.

The wines are too young to know yet.

--SONOMA

Bucklin Zinfandel is the most famous and apparently oldest heritage field blend vineyard in the state. It has more than 15 old varietals. Talk about biodiversity - it was even in the wine, in the old days. See www.buckzin.com for more info - and sample a bottle of the field blend wine.

--NAPA

• Casa Nuestra

The current owners, the Kirkhams, purchased this estate in 1956. It's notable because it has one of the original field blends in it - at least four major varietals are included. It's bottled as Casa Nuestra's Tinto Classico.

• DelBondio 

This family grows grapes and sells some of their own wines (alas - all French varietals) from the land the family has owned since the 1800s in Oakville.

3. MODERN LOVERS

Then there are those who just love Italian wines and want to grow them here:

• Paul Beveridge/Wilridge Winery

Near Yakima, Washington, this Seattle attorney's vineyard grows many Italian varietals (small scale) including Nebbiolo.

• Pavi Wines

The Lawsons (he grew up in Napa Wine Co.) in Napa are in love with Italian varietals and doing Pinot Grigio and Dolcetto, the everyday wines of the North, and a Vin Santo. I had the Pinot Grigio last week at the Calistoga Inn on one of those hot, sunny days, sitting out on the terrace, and it was lovely.

If you get a chance in the future to take this class, which is held at Perbacco in SF, I highly recommend it. You will discover, as I did, a lot of great, very affordable wines from Italy that you might want to try - just for the sake of comparison, of course!

ITALIAN WINE BARS IN SF BAY AREA

SAN FRANCISCO

Perbacco (restaurant) and Barbacco (enoteca/trattoria)
• Perbacco Wine List (oriented toward northern Italian cuisine; no less than 5 Nebbiolos by the glass)
• Barbacco Wine List (don't miss the dessert wine made from Nebbiolo and herbs: Chinato - sold by the taste - $15)

Downtown Financial district. Owner is from the Veneto.
Good selection from across Italy.
Tastes (3 oz) available in either Perbacco or Barbacco (as well as glasses, half bottles, etc.)

Ottimista
• Ottimista Wine List

Union Street enoteca and restaurant. Pizzas and more. More casual than Barbacco.

SPQR
• SPQR Wine List

Trattoria (usually quite a wait unless you have a reservation).

Flour + Water
• Wine List

Rising star, Beard award nominee. Ceci from Biondivino wine shop does the wine list.

EAST BAY

Oakland
Oliveto
• Wine List


I can definitely recommend the Moscato d'Albi and the outstanding Chianti Classico (available by the glass) from the Panzano area (the best subzone in the region) in the Golden Bowl of Chianti Classico from Il Modilino di Grace.

Rockridge cafe (informal) with restaurant upstairs (formal). Northern Italian emphasis.

Of course there are a number of wine stores (Biondivino, Italian Wine Merchant, KLWines) and  restaurants with good Italian wine lists.


Albany/Berkeley
• Rivoli Wine List
• Trattoria Corso Wine List (Florentine)

Organics Personified: Napa's Andrew Hoxsey Stars In Mechanics Bank Video

Rutherford Love: The Video

Rutherford is the one subregion in Napa that has truly achieved an appellation identity that is well known - as the Cab heartland. "Cab Is King" they say here - and it's true.

Now the group has put together a dynamic video showing off the region. Featured are organic growers and winemakers from Staglin Family Winery, Beckstoffer, and Frog's Leap. Enjoy.



Note: Unfortunately, nonorganic viticulture is not the predominant form here - see this map, showing the application of Roundup in Napa in 2009:

Organic Guide to Enjoying the Rhone Rangers Tasting (3/23-3/24)

March 24-25 is the annual Rhone Rangers weekend in San Francisco. Tickets for the grand tasting on Sunday are $45 and you can buy them here.

Organic Rhone Rangers include (take this list with you):

• Ambyth (all wines)

• Beckmen (all wines)

• Big Basin Vineyards (a few wines)

• Bonny Doon (some wines)

• Cabot Vineyards (all)

• Landmark Vineyards (some)

• Lone Madrone (a few)

• Morgan (a few)

• Montemaggiore (all)

• Quivira (one)

• Qupe (some wines)

• Tablas Creek (all except Patelin)

I went last year - these wineries are absolutely awesome. In particular, I was bowled over by Qupe's legendary Syrahs from their own estate vineyard (Sawyer Lundquist), Tablas Creek's entire line, and biodynamic all star Montemaggiore (queen of the Syrahs). 

Biodynamic wineries Ambyth and Beckmen are also star producers (and priced accordingly).

Bonny Doon - responsible for starting the Rhone Ranger movement in California - fills out the more affordable end of the spectrum and on up.

French Decry Weird American Wine Laws

Very good article in Palate Press today about French organic vintners' reactions to the ridiculouness of America's USDA regulations (recently reaffirmed) on labeling organically grown wines.

See here.

My favorite quote in it is this from Jacques Frelin, a French wine exporter and leader of the Languedoc organic viticulture movement:

“Organic wine is wine without chemical products, it’s not wine without sulfites. People who don’t want sulfites in organic wines are against the organic wine movement."




I would like to hear a response from Frey, the biggest beneficiary of America's strange laws, sometime on why they don't see the logic of this argument. 


Frey has done more to promote pesticide use in 500,000 acres of American vineyards, however inadvertently, than anyone else in the world. If they would use their contacts on the National Organic Standards Board for the ultimate good, the world would be a better place.