Wine
Drinking Responsibly
Two U.S. winegrowers use the power of ecology and environmental awareness to produce grapes that benefit both people and nature.
BY
Marshall Rimann
PHOTOGRAPHY
courtesy of Rimann Liquors

The growing interest in organic foods over the past several years is particularly evident in the wine world. While consumers actively seek wines that have been produced in an environmentally responsible fashion, many winegrowers have been quietly practicing sustainable viticulture for decades. This holds true for both family-owned wineries and some of the giants of the industry who realize that such farming methods can produce healthier vineyards and wines that better reflect the characteristics of those vineyards. Kunde Estate Winery & Vineyards and Benziger Family Winery are two wineries that have been practicing these techniques for years and that are now actively promoting the importance of them to the public in California’s Sonoma Valley.

Kunde Estate has been family-owned and operated for five generations, with 700 of 1,850 contiguous acres planted with winegrapes that create ultra-premium, 100-percent estate-grown wines unique to the land. The best way for the family to do this and simultaneously maintain a stewardship of their venerable estate is to commit to ethical and sustainable farming. “Sustainable winegrowing is the balance of economic, environmental and social practices,” explains Jeff Kunde. “Unlike other farming practices, it is all encompassing in its approach, with concern for all surrounding environments and areas, not just the crop that is grown.”

At Kunde Estate, every department from vineyard management to winemaking to administrative and hospitality is responsible for maintaining and introducing new conservation programs. The end result of this ever-evolving commitment is that each element ultimately plays a vital role in the integrity and quality of Kunde Estate wines. 

Benziger is another family-owned grower and winery at the forefront of the environmentally conscious movement. Its wines are grown by one of three farming methods: organic, biodynamic or an advanced sustainable farming program referred to as Farming for Flavors. Organic grape growing avoids the use of synthetic chemicals and uses natural methods like crop rotation, tillage and natural composts  to maintain soil health as well as natural methods to control weeds, insects and other pests.

Biodynamic is the highest form of organic farming. It goes beyond the elimination of all chemical inputs and incorporates the environment in and around the vineyard, working with nature to apply the knowledge of life forces to bring about balance and healing in the soil. The practice requires close attention to the varied forces of nature that influence the vine and emphasizes a closed, self-sustaining ecosystem.

Sustainable growing programs promote sound agriculture practices such as biodiversity, soil revitalization and the protection of native yeasts. By following these methods, growers are better able to capture the individuality of the vineyard, vintage and varietal. In addition to nurturing grapes of heightened quality, Farming for Flavors and other similar programs promote a healthier environment. For more than 10 years, the Benzigers have worked closely with their Sonoma County grower families to develop vineyard-specific farming plans for flavorful grapes grown by sustainable farming methods.

Both Kunde and Benziger make ecology and environmental awareness an important part of their hospitality program. Benziger’s one-of-a-kind Biodynamic Tram Tour is a high point for visitors who are fortunate enough to experience it. At Kunde Estate, Jeff personally leads eco-tour hikes through the vineyards from the Sonoma Valley floor up to 1,400 feet into the Mayacamas mountains. Both of these tours reward visitors with beautiful scenery as well as a deeper understanding of the connection between nature and the bottle. This correlation is enhanced with a tasting that validates the belief by these two wineries that by benefiting nature, they are also creating better wines.