SIPPING THE
Taking drinking responsibly to a whole new level.
Whether
you prefer red, white or rosé, make sure you give green a try. Green wine is
the eco-friendly derivative of winemakers who champion efforts to be good to
the land while also delivering a palate-pleasing product to discerning wine
lovers. Whether employing biodynamic techniques, certified sustainable
practices or rigorous organic standards, green wines are steadily becoming de
rigueur here on the Central
Coast
Sustainable
Vine Wine Tours
A
year ago, Bryan Hope realized his dream of starting a business that would take
advantage of his background in the green building field while also giving
visitors to the Santa Barbara
“People
tend to talk more about green than they actually do, but that is starting to
change,” said Hope, a member of 1% For The Planet, who walks (rather, drives)
the talk. His biofueled nine-passenger van provides an environmentally
conscious alternative to other tour vehicles.
Among
the vineyards Hope tours are Alma Rosa, Ampelos, Beckmen, Demetria, Sunstone,
and Presidio. These vineyards are either biodynamic, organic or certified
sustainable.
Beckmen
Vineyards
One
of the vineyards Hope visits is Beckmen, where 100 percent biodynamic grapes
are farmed at their Purisima Mountain Vineyard. Biodynamic farming was first
pioneered in the 1920s by scientist Rudolf Steiner, who wanted to offer a
proactive and holistic approach to farming. Biodynamics respects the natural
cycles of the land and has been found to naturally build soil life and
vitality, while defending against pests and disease.
When
owner Steve Beckmen first started trying this approach to farming in 2001, he
was skeptical but soon noticed that the vines grew straighter and the leaves
were richer in color and health. In addition, the soil was healthier, retained
more moisture and showed an increase in sugar and tannin quality. Wine produced
from these grapes expressed what Beckmen felt Purisima was truly about—rich,
ripe wines that were balanced and elegant.
“Our
goal,” said Beckmen, “is to always get better and better. Biodynamics allows us
to achieve the purest possible expression of our Purisima Mountain Vineyard terroir, which is at the very heart of
our winegrowing philosophy. Since we’ve gone biodynamic, we have produced some
of our best wines ever.”
Herzog
Wine Cellars
Further
to the south, in what has been hailed as the gateway to the Central Coast
“Herzog
winery has made a commitment to be responsible stewards toward our environment
and our resources,” said winemaker Joe Hurliman.
Herzog
has made long-term contractual agreements with select growers to ensure
sustainability, including good neighbor practices (such as putting mitigations
in place for dust and noise) and how they deal with pests (like using falcons to
control rodents). They partnered with the Watts
family in Lodi Lodi
“Sustainability,
and working with these certified growers, is for us a rewarding and effective
balance between protecting finite resources and maintaining family farming,”
said Hurliman.
Casa
Barranca
Right
here in our own backyard is Casa Barranca, an elegant estate with a vineyard
and winery nestled against the foothills of Ojai. Owner Bill Moses touts his
proud distinction of being the only certified organic winery on the Central Coast
In
order to receive the designation, Moses says that certified organic grapes
must be used and the wine must be made in a certified organic facility
without the use of toxic chemicals.
“I
believe that grapes properly farmed and organically grown exhibit a truer
expression of the terroir, and
the organic fertilizers are better for our earth and body,” Moses said.
Moses
supplements the grapes produced by his small vineyard with grapes from other
vineyards, using Laetitia and Sanford for Pinot Noir, Wulf for Viognier,
Haulier and Sunstone for Syrah, Sunstone Merlot and French Camp for
Cabernet. As at his vineyard, all the
grapes are certified organic and Moses assists in the farming.
As
organic winemaking has become more advanced, so, too, has its reputation. “Historically
organic winemakers were unsophisticated players in viticulture and failed
to pair the right grape varietal with the terroir/soil, nor did they have the vineyard
management sophistication, resulting in marginal grapes with very high pH,”
said Moses, adding, “Today some of the most respected vineyards in the
world are certified organic.”
Moses’
wines have been awarded 90 points and higher from “Wine Enthusiast,” and
he has won gold medals in several wine competitions, going head-to-head against
“conventionally made” wines and some very big names, while, he says, “…busting
the paradigmatic belief that organic wines are inferior.”
Movino
Wine Bar [SIDEBAR]
Swirl
a glass of green wine with eco-enophile, Suzy Johlfs, owner of Movino Wine Bar
in downtown Ojai, whose newest menu item is all the rage.
“…I
always felt that organic wines were misunderstood and were not given the
respect from wine connoisseurs that they deserve. ‘Go Green’ is our
contribution to bringing awareness to the community about organic wines and
supporting these wineries’ planet conscious efforts,” said Johlfs.
Movino’s
“Go Green” wine flight trio consists of two-ounce pours of Bonterra
Chardonnay, Casa Barranca Syrah and Sunstone Merlot, and is priced at $13.00.
***
With
so many tasty wine choices available in our region, why not raise a glass and toast
the choices that reduce our carbon footprint?
[SIDEBAR]
[SIDEBAR]
Contact
Information:
Sustainable
Vine Wine Tours Santa Barbara
There
is a three-person minimum for all tours.
(805)
698-3911
Beckmen
Vineyards, Los Olivos
(805)
688-8664
Herzog
Wine Cellars, Oxnard
(805) 983-1560
(805) 983-1560
Casa
Barranca, Ojai
Tasting
at Local Hero Bookstore in the Arcade
(805)
640-9250
Movino
Wine Bar, Ojai
Also
in the Arcade
(805)
646-1555
Lisa Snider is an award-winning freelance writer living in Ojai with
her husband, Bill, and their Labrador retriever. Lisa’s documentary, The
Price of Paradise, was recently screened at the Santa Barbara and Ojai Film Festivals.
As originally published, with photos:
