DrinkTheEarth.com Blog

From time to time we’d like to share with you our thoughts on books that are relevant to the organic food and wine industry.  One recent such read was Paul Dolan’s True To Our Roots: Fermenting a Business Revolution, published by Bloomberg Press.  OK, so maybe this isn’t exactly a new book (it was released in 2003), but it is remarkably prescient given that it was written largely ahead of the current eco-trend of today.

The former CEO of Fetzer Vineyards, Paul Dolan is known as an American pioneer for making wine following organic and sustainable principles.  The book chronicles his tenure at Fetzer, first as a young head winemaker, then later as its CEO.  It would be easy to imagine a large, mega-winery like Fetzer to create wine using whatever chemicals or energy-intensive machinery it needed to keep prices under $10.  After all, many people perceive organic or biodynamic wines to be crafted only by boutique wineries who are small enough to do everything by hand.  Fetzer went down a very different path, and made a deliberate decision to make sustainability a part of every process at the company.  This included the creation of a new organic label, Bonterra, that eventually spun off as its own brand as detailed in the book.   They really challenged the old perception that profits and sustainability couldn’t coexist.

The book itself is more about socially responsible leadership than it is about organic wine, even though a fair amount of time is spent explaining the viticultural decisions Fetzer made, and how and why specific sustainable practices were implemented.  Some of our favorite parts of the book centered around how various departments at Fetzer surprised even Dolan with their interest in finding ways to be more environmentally friendly, down to procuring the corks, and preparing the wine barrels.  Definitely worth a read, and readily available at Amazon (or possibly your local library, where we were able to get a copy).

Through recent correspondence we’ve had with Demeter USA, there are currently more than 50 certified biodynamic wineries in the United States (more if you count individual vineyards that have been certified).  The existence of organic bars such as Terroir in San Francisco, and GustOrganics in NYC has shown us that some consumers have begun to make the distinction between organic/biodynamic and traditional wines in the marketplace.  Many wineries we’ve personally spoken to over the past year have said they are either pursuing or investigating sustainability efforts.  Will that translate into more wineries achieving biodynamic certification?  Requiring a significant long-term commitment, biodynamic farming is not for everyone.

For their part, Demeter USA expects to certify at least 20 additional wineries this year.  All but only a select few of the presently certified wineries hail from either California, Oregon, and Washington, undoubtedly the heart of the American wine industry.  We hope to see increases in the number of biodynamic producers from not only the organic hotbed regions of Mendocino and the Willamette Valley, but in areas further east such as New York state.  Only time will tell if 2009 is to be a significant year for growth in biodynamic winemaking.

Two new solar arrays were installed at Gundlach Bundschu in November, 2008

Situated in the southern corner of Sonoma County wine country, Gundlach Bundschu has a 150-year history of winemaking.  Varietals produced include Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Tempranillo Rose (not commonly made in California), Chardonnay, and Gewurztraminer (one of our absolute favorite Gewurzt’s of all time).  We recently corresponded with Susan Sueiro, Gundlach Bundschu’s Director of Marketing, on their current efforts to pursue organics as well as other sustainability methods at the winery.  While not certified organic at this time, Gundlach is implementing many organic conventions as well as other efforts aimed at eventually becoming carbon neutral.

Today, the winery utilizes many organic farming practices, including the use of registered organic compounds, cover crops, owl boxes, and beneficial predators like lady beetles and lacewings.  We were also told that a few of their 60 blocks are trial organic blocks.  While those efforts are certainly meaningful, Gundlach Bundschu’s non-farming sustainability practices might be even more impressive than how they are growing the grapes.  In addition to tractors fueled by bio-diesel, the winery also deploys a water reclamation system that ultimately results in 70% of the water being re-used.  This system is completely powered by solar, which today is the power source for 60% of all of Gundlach Bundschu’s needs through two solar arrays.  Eventually a third array will be installed to produce 100% of all power used.

The Bundschu family also manages a small boutique winery in Sonoma called Bartholomew Park.  Producing only 3,500 cases annually, the 37-acre site is farmed by famed organics aficionado Phil Coturri, featuring estate Sauvignon Blanc, Zinfandel, Syrah, and Cabernet Sauvignon.

I had been meaning to do an organic beer tasting ever since I brought home a selection of multiple eco-friendly brews from my local Whole Foods last month.  Last Sunday afforded such an opportunity for myself and my wife, the latter being a novice beer drinker who only recently has ventured outside of her comfort zone of wine.  Evaluating the collection of certified organic beers in my refrigerator for the tasting, I decided to focus on Ales, one of the most common types of beer you can find on the market.  Not wanting to isolate the delicious beverages from a good meal, I decided to sample them with one of their most frequent companions at the dinner table or any restaurant - the American style pizza.

The three selections came from different places on the Ale spectrum.  Beer #1 was a Lamar “L” Street Organic Pale Ale, made by Goose Island Beer Company of Chicago, Illinois.  Certified by the Oregon Tilth, this organic beer carries aromas of floral and citrus.  Our 2^nd selection was a USDA-certified Wolaver’s India Pale Ale, made by Middlebury, Vermont’s Otter Creek Brewing Company.  Very true to form for an IPA, this beer contained generous amounts of hops, with a real spiciness and malt balance.  Lastly, our third and final choice was the Cru d’Or, and USDA-certified organic Belgian Dubbel-style ale made by the North Coast Brewing Company of Ft. Bragg, California.   

The beers were all relatively close in color, in particular the two pale ales (not surprising) which both carried a light golden brown coloring.  The “L” Street Pale Ale was definitely a bit cloudier than the Wolaver’s IPA, which was the only discernible difference between the two.  The Cru d’Or was noticeably cloudier still, with an amber color and a more pronounced foamy head than either of its counterparts.

With the beauty pageant portion of our tasting now out of the way (really, does the color matter that much if a beer tastes good?), we zeroed in further on the smell and taste.  We found the aromas of citrus in the “L” Street definitely carried all the way through to the finish, in particular a strong hint of apples.  With a 4.5% ABV, it carries about as strong of a kick as you might expect from a Pale Ale, with a yeasty finish.  The Wolaver’s IPA carried the usual bitterness of the style brew it is, despite having a more subtle aroma than we were expecting.  It definitely had a more relaxed malt balance as well, but there was still no mistaking that this was a full-flavored beer.  Recommended for spicier foods than what we were eating on this day, the Wolaver’s IPA is 6.5% ABV.  Last but not least, the only Belgian-style ale in our tasting did not disappoint.  With a large floral head and caramel aroma that also carried through to the taste, the Cru d’Or featured a very fruity flavor.  At an 8% ABV, this is also no drink for a lightweight, either. 

Overall, we were collectively impressed by what we sampled.  My personal favorite of the three ended up being the Cru d’Or, although it should be pointed out that I have a weakness for most types of Belgian beers.  My wife gravitated to the “L” Street Pale Ale, primarily due to its tastes of citrus and hints of bread and yeast.  Overall, there certainly could be worse ways to enhance a Sunday evening while eating a delicious pizza.

Organic farming sign outside the entrance to Michel-Schlumberger Wine Estate

The past few trips we’ve made to Sonoma have been filled out with, for the most part, drop-in tastings or spur-of-the-moment visits on the way to specific destinations.  This year we decided to focus almost exclusively on appointments to get a slightly different perspective of the wineries we wanted to visit, especially since many of them were on the small side, offering a more personal experience than your average tasting room visit might.  That’s exactly what we got at Michel-Schlumberger Wine Estate, located on the western hills of the Dry Creek Valley in Healdsburg.

Michel-Schlumberger is certified organic, and uses many of the principals of biodynamic farming.  The grounds include many interesting sights, such as a vineyard tractor that runs on bio-diesel, birdhouses and perches that attract raptors to help control vineyards pests, and a special breed of miniature sheep that help to “mow” the cover crop around the vines.

The hospitality center is located in a beautiful Spanish-influenced building, situated around a courtyard full of lush plants and a reflecting pool, and seems much more like a private residence than public attraction.    If I remember correctly, at one time, the tasting center actually was home to a former owner, and it hasn’t lost its warm appeal.  On this occasion, we opted for the wine and cheese pairing at $25 per person (of which half of the proceeds go to the Healdsburg Education Foundation).  However, many different options are available for a visit to the winery, including a green tour & hillside tasting, a vertical tasting of reserve cabernets, or even the chance to create your own custom tour with advance notice.  In all cases, reservations are required.

Our tasting of four wines and four cheeses (ordered especially for the pairing from the world-famous Cheese Shop in downtown Healdsburg) was especially fun because of the presence of another couple who had also reserved a tasting at that time.  In our company was Erin McGrath, herself a wine blogger  for Vintwined, along with her fiancé Russ.  In addition to a shared interest in writing about wine, we also shared many of the same tastes in style and varietals as well.

First on the menu was the 2006 La Brume Chardonnay, paired with a Carmody cheese from Bellwether Farms in Petaluma.  More classically Burgundian in style, there was just enough oak to give it structure without overwhelming the fruit.  The Carmody, a fresh-tasting cheese made from cow’s milk and aged only about six weeks, was a lovely companion to the Chard.

Our second pairing featured the 2005 Pinot Noir, which is the only estate-grown and bottled Pinot in the Dry Creek Valley.  A very food-friendly wine, it was a lovely match to Bellwether Farms’ San Andreas, a delicious sheep’s milk cheese that has some similarities to Manchego. 

The third offering was the 2005 Syrah.  The winemaker choose to blend a very small amount of Viognier into this wine, resulting in a less dense outcome.  This is not a fruit bomb Syrah, nor is the alcohol content so high as to leave you wondering if you’re really drinking a Zin.  This is a pretty wine that would pair well with grilled meat dishes.  In our case, however, we were able to try it with St. George cheese, from Matos Dairy in Santa Rosa.   A full-flavored, rich cheese, we enjoyed the pairing immensely.

To wrap up our visit, our final tasting combined the 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon, a varietal that Michel-Schlumberger is well-known for, with Cowgirl Creamery Mt. Tam, a personal favorite of everyone at the table.  The triple-cream cow’s milk cheese created a rich background for the structure of this cab, which should drink beautifully over the next four to five years.

Needless to say, we couldn’t leave without purchasing a bottle (in this case, the Pinot Noir), and taking a walk around the courtyard.  With great wine, lush grounds, and lovely company, our visit to Michel-Schlumberger will always be remembered as one of our favorite Sonoma County experiences.