Bonterra: A Lesson in Biodynamics

Ukiah Daily Journal

There's an aura at Bonterra Vineyards in McNab Valley, which happens to be one of my favorite places in all of Mendocino County. The scale of the valley, west of Highway 101 just south of Ukiah, is harmonious and beautiful, and Bonterra's extraordinary commitment to being in tune with what nature intended is educational.

Bonterra is not open to the public and it is owned by Brown-Forman in Louisville, Kentucky. But those who care for the vines, the ranches -- both McNab and nearby Butler -- and the wine are so conscientious you can taste the sense of this place from the bottle of one of Bonterra's varietals. In lieu of a visit, their excellent website is the place to see short videos of the vineyards and farming practices. And to be introduced to vineyard director David Koball, vineyard manager Chad Boardman and winemaker Bob Blue.

Certified organically and officially Demeter certified biodynamically grown, the wines of Bonterra reflect their name which translates to good earth. First a bit about those who are responsible for the wine and the organic ranches and then a dip into what it means to be biodynamic.

David Koball grew up farming and received a degree at UC Davis in plant science and a Master of Science degree in plant pathology from Cornell University. He has been Bonterra's Director of Vineyards for seven years and oversees more than 1,200 acres of organic vines in Mendocino County, of which more than 250 acres are biodynamic. One of the vineyards with 90 acres of vine is at the top of the hills above McNab Valley. Brown-Forman purchased the 700-acre Butler Cherry Ranch in 2001. Today cherries still thrive among the small blocks of Rhone varietals such as syrah, zinfandel, malbec, grenache and mourvedre.

Chad Boardman is the onsite vineyard manager on the McNab Ranch where he lives with his family. Brown Forman purchased the 350-acre ranch from Jim Fetzer in 2001. Bordeaux varietals including cabernet sauvignon, merlot, petite sirah, malbec, cabernet franc, and chardonnay grow on 134 acres at the ranch.

Bob Blue grew up in Lake County and studied winemaking at UC Davis. He worked at the original McDowell Valley Vineyards in Hopland and then at San Martin winery in Morgan Hill. He went to work for Fetzer in 1988 and in 1990 made Bonterra's first wine.

When Jim Fetzer purchased McNab Ranch in 1993, he turned to the biodynamic way of farming. "Biodynamic used to be thought of as way out there," says Blue, referring to skeptics who point to such practices as farming by the phases of the moon and composting with cow horns. Blue attributes Fetzer's trailblazing as helping change that idea.

What is biodynamic? In this short column I will touch on the general biodynamic philosophy followed at Bonterra Vineyards and continue with more details as I write about other Mendocino County biodynamic wineries in future columns.

The principles of biodynamic farming are attributed to Rudolf Steiner, an Austrian philosopher and social thinker. In 1924, responding to farmers concerned about poor soil conditions related to the use of chemicals and fertilizers, Steiner prescribed eight preparations related to the field and to composting. He also prescribed holistic treatments for pests and weeds that call for habitat diversity, beneficial insects, and the use of a variety of farm friendly animals and plants to bring about balance.

Translating the principles into practice means living and working within the natural system you find at the ranch, says Blue. It means putting natural habitat breaks between the blocks of grapes so that beneficial insects move in and help keep away unwanted bugs. The more diversity you have the more stability.

At Bonterra, lavender borders, olive trees, a cooperative vegetable garden for the employees, cover crops, grazing sheep and chickens, and composted grape pomace add diversity to the vineyards, thus challenging the monoculture of conventional vineyards. The diversity replaces pesticides and chemical fertilizers.

What you get, says Boardman, is "balance and self-regulation." Working in concert with nature the soil is taken care of by adding compost. "We bring the hand of nature over the top of the vineyard instead of spraying it away," says Blue.

Driving through the vineyards I get the idea. Blue points to a vineyard that was hit by Pierce's disease. The rows are spotty where vines have died. In order to fix it they have to clear out the nearby invasive Himalayan blackberries, host of the glassy winged sharpshooter which carries the devastating disease. The grapevines will also be torn out and the area regenerated with native plants and trees. The new plantings will also stabilize the hillsides and the banks of the seasonal creek where the berries once grew. Our goal is to be "proactive, not reactive," says Blue.

Then come the wines which Blue makes from these biodynamically and thoughtfully grown grapes. Using awards and growth of sales as an indicator, the verdict on biodynamics is in the bottle. Bonterra's 2006 Chardonnay was chosen as the first recipient of the new Green Wine Sweepstakes at the recent Mendocino County Fair Wine Competition. Bonterra's sales are up 35 percent in the last year.

Bonterra wines also include sauvignon blanc, roussanne, viognier, muscat, merlot, cabernet sauvignon, syrah and zinfandel. The majority of the grapes for these wines come from estate vineyards farmed by Bonterra. The rest come from organic ranches in Mendocino and Lake County including those owned by Leroy and Mary Louise Chase in Redwood Valley, John Poor and his family in Hopland, Jack Cox in Ukiah Valley, Janet and Congressman Mike Thompson in Lake County, and several members of the Fetzer family.

Tasting Notes: Bonterra's 2007 Viognier is a delicious white summer wine. Its crisp refreshing and slightly acidic taste was a bright counterpart with a salad of sweet vine ripened tomatoes, cucumbers and onions.

For more information on Bonterra Vineyards, contact the Mendocino Winegrape and Wine Commission www.mendowine.com or www.bonterra.com