I write a column entitled "Leaning Green" for the Virginia Vineyard Association Quarterly Newsletter. In my writings I try to encourage my fellow winegrape growers to investigate and implement a greener approach to viticulture in Virginia. Below is my most recent column, yet to be published, that I thought might be of interest to my non-industry blog readers.
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Earlier this week, I had the good fortune of spending a generous chunk of time with a pioneer in the California wine industry, Richard Sanford of Alma Rosa Winery in the Santa Ynez AVA
(one of Wine Enthusiast’s 2012 Top Ten Wine Regions, along with our own Virginia, of course!). Richard was the first to plant Pinot Noir grapes in California and the first to plant any winegrapes in the Central Coast of CA back in 1972. At the time, the local farmers told him grapes could not be grown in that region. Having studied geography at UC Berkeley, he felt otherwise. He compared the climates, topography, and soils of this region with Burgundy and determined that Pinot could indeed grow in that region of California, where the cool westerly winds off the Pacific, blowing through an atypical east-west range of mountains, would maintain a more temperate, cooler climate than surrounding areas. He planted the vines.
His wines were celebrated.
The region is now ranked as one of the top wine regions in the world.
Later this month, Richard will be inducted into the Vintner's Hall of Fame.
And a little side-note, their Alma Rosa Winery & Vineyards was the setting for the famed Pinot Noir vs Merlot debate shared between Miles and Jack in the movie, “Sideways.”
I was interested in talking with Richard about his years of experience farming organic grapes. This area in the coastal region of central CA does not have to deal with summer rains, but they do have to deal with often foggy conditions that impose fungal pressures.
Richard offered to drive us around his vineyards while we talked viticulture and philosophies. We spent the next hour or so maneuvering over the hilly slopes in his rugged Jeep, crossing between vineyard blocks, interpersed with natural habitats left intentionally to create biodiveristy, which helps maintain a natural balance of nature. That hadn’t been a concern of his during the first decade or so of winegrowing when he farmed conventionally.
But about twelve years later (nearly 30 years ago) his wife, Thekla, asked him why they are not growing their grapes organically if they grow all their food that way.
At the time organic viticulture was on the fringe, and it would take a leap of faith to switch.
But over a two to three year period, they converted fully to certified organic vineyards.
I asked him what changes he noticed upon switching to organic.
He said one of the biggest changes was in the health of the soil. He feels that the organic vineyards are more in tune with the natural rhythms of nature and they provide superior fruit quality.
He compares the conventional vineyards at harvest with the organic vineyards and he notices the chemically treated vines are green and still growing at harvest, while the organic vineyards are beginning to harden off as the fruit is ripening. His vines move in tune with the natural cycles.
As we were talking about these changes, I noticed a small animal on the edge of the dusty road ahead of us. Getting closer, I could see it was a bobcat.
It stood up, looked at us, then darted into the wooded gulley, its bobbed tail and spotted coat vanishing in a flash. An unexpected treat and an example of the natural world Richard intentionally nurtures in the acres where he grows his vines.
They work hard to maintain a natural habitat in an effort to keep nature in balance.
They have put up owl boxes and bluebird houses and all are occupied, its inhabitants playing a supporting role in the vineyard’s health by eating insects and rodent pests. Several areas between vineyard blocks are planted with wildflowers, grasses and other plantings that provide a natural habitat for beneficial insects.
Richard Sanford’s vineyards remind me of Benziger Vineyards in Sonoma, a Demeter certified biodynamic vineyard, which we toured many years ago.
The vineyards were more like expansive gardens, teeming with life, color, fragrances… a beautiful place to work and to grow grapes that will one day become wine to share with family and friends.
Both places have certainly inspired me.
It is with the greatest appreciation and gratitude to Richard for sharing his beautiful vineyards and his precious time with us.
On the honeybee front, our single hive has multiplied to three, with an additional two swarms (at least) that got away to start new colonies somewhere in the wild. I am grateful they appear healthy, given the current issue of Colony Collapse Disorder. My "bee mentor", Bill, came by and we intentionally divided the single hive into two. In doing so, we ran the risk of losing all, but they did what we had hoped; the second colony created a new queen and started a new colony of their own. And then a few days later, a swarm came out of one of the hives. We didn't want to lose it. Our bees are very docile. I called Bill. He couldn't come to the rescue. I had to capture it myself, with Arnold's help. I had never done this before, nor seen it done! Help! We only had one suit, which I donned. Nathan came down from working on the winery to assist as well. It turned into a five hour ordeal. The bees swarmed and settled high up in a tree near the hives. We had to wait for a friend to deliver a ladder tall enough to reach the limb. We quickly put together a new hive, all the while hoping the swarm would not take off. We were finally all set. Arnold, then Nathan, climbed the ladder and sawed off the high limb, only to have the limb get caught in a nearby tree. The bees swarmed into that tree. We then sawed off that limb and the limb hung in the air just out of reach. I desperately needed another set of hands to snip off that limb while I grabbed it to shake the bees (and hopefully the queen within the cluster) into the new hive. So Arnold went to the cabin and returned about ten mintues later wearing the outfit you see in the image below.
I was struck by how soft the bees were covering the limb. I have never experienced anything like it. I shook and shook and quickly set the frames back in the hive and hoped the queen was somewhere within the hundreds of bees now inside the hive. After a few hours, we could tell she was in there because of the quick adaptaion to this new home by all the bees flying in and out of the hive. Success! And what an experience!
