Organic farming isn’t easy or cheap.  It’s difficult in humid regions because of the risk of mildew and rot and it’s easier in regions with dry growing seasons like Alsace and the south of France.  In Chile, farming comes about as pure as the snow melt from the Andes which is used for irrigation and the natural rootstock of its vitis vines.  And with the influence of the cold Humbolt Current moving northerly along the coast, rainfall is relatively low.
Some of the largest individual organic vineyards in the world are …

 
As one drives up Howell Mountain from the foggy Napa Valley floor, one quickly appreciates the attributes of cultivating vines on the mountain – it’s sunny.  And if you continue up – all the way up – you will reach an idyllic clearing with luminous sun, towering redwoods, and silence.  This is Black Sears.
When owners Joyce Black and Jerre Sears acquired the property in 1979, it was planted with cabernet sauvignon and zinfandel vines.  For years, they farmed the vineyards and sold the fruit to some of Napa Valley’s most …

It wasn’t too long ago that Biodynamic® was considered fringe but according to the turnout at a recent joint Demeter® USA and University of California Cooperative Extension Short Course in Biodynamic Winegrowing in Rutherford, it is becoming mainstream.  Demeter USA is the US arm of the international Demeter organization which sets standards for – and certifies - Biodynamic producers and products.  According to Demeter USA Marketing Director Elizabeth Candelario, a few years ago, 20 farmers might show up to a seminar like the one held last week but on that day, there were …

What distinguishes the great estates of the world is not just terroir but a long-term history of quality winemaking backed by considerable investment on the part of determined owners.  In naming his first wine in 1978 Rubicon, Francis Ford Coppola laid down his commitment to quality begun by his predecessors on this historic site in Rutherford.
Sea Captain Gustave Niebaum began the legacy in 1880 when he acquired Inglenook Vineyard on the Rutherford bench, a well-draining, alluvial fan at the foothills of the Mayacamas Mountains on the western side of the …

King Estate, known nationally for its signature white pinot gris wines, is located in Eugene Oregon, a region known for its environmentally green culture, outdoor lifestyle and world-class food and wine, making the area a great weekend destination. 
According the latest National Geographic ”Green Guide“ and Entrepreneur magazine, Eugene is the greenest city in the U.S. based on factors such as environmental policy, energy use, air and water quality, green design and recycling.  By comparison, The Green Guide ranked Santa Rosa #5, Oakland #6, Berkeley #7 and San Francisco #18.  Eugene is a sophisticated university town with …

Knowing where your food comes from has become a familiar directive to anyone paying even the slightest attention to health and lifestyle news.  At the Culinary Round Table dinners at Robert Sinskey Vineyards in the Napa Valley, knowing from whom your food comes allows consumers to explore more intimately why organically grown and locally sourced foods makes sense.  At the latest Culinary Round Table dinner, Deborah and Jim Durst shared their passion for organic produce, opening up a dialogue among the small group of diverse guests and providing inspiration to all.  The relaxing ambiance in the trellised courtyard of Robert Sinskey Vineyards overlooking Stags’ Leap, over …

The Mendocino Winegrape & Wine Commission calls itself “America’s greenest wine region” with good reason.  28% of its 20,000 acres of vineyard are certified organic or biodynamic, 400% more than any other US wine region.  Mendocino’s green culture did not emerge in response to recent consumer demand, it began that way organically and when you visit Mendocino you will understand why.  
One of the many reasons why I love Mendocino is that it seems to be locked in time in the 1960′s and 70′s, where guys still wear long hair and beards and the radio always plays …

Spottswoode Estate Vineyard & Winery is located on the original homestead of German immigrant George Schonewald who settled there in 1882 and built the Victorian home that Mary Novak, current owner of the estate winery, calls home today. When she and her physician husband Jack Novak arrived in 1972 to start a new life in the Napa Valley with their five young children, daughter and current President Beth Novak Milliken recalls that her dad just wanted to drive a tractor and mom wanted to be a gardener. They acquired the …

One of the luxuries of living in the Bay Area is that within a couple hour’s drive, one can be transported to a completely different world, and some of the best destinations are on the Pacific coastline.  A favorite destination is Nick’s Cove in the small town of Marshall on the eastern shore of Tomales Bay, about an hour north of San Francisco on Highway 1 and one and a half hours from the Napa Valley.  Marshall is in the Point Reyes National Seashore/Golden Gate Recreation Area which is highly protected from development and is therefore one …

Long before pinot noir was popular, long before organic and green was ‘hot’, and way before pairing food and wine became a good way to sell wine, Robert Sinskey was doing all of these things. The wines that they produce and the way they make them, are based first on deeply held beliefs rather than on trends and, as a result, they have created a strong and steady customer following.
The pinot noir vines that Robert Sinskey’s father planted in Carneros in the 1980’s was inspired by his love for red …