Left: Benziger chickens and bees play their role in creating biodiversity in the vineyard. Right: Jeff McBride tests the grapes on the vines.
these concepts of biodiversity," McBride says.
"Biodynamics involves organic prin-
spersed with 1,200 olive trees whose fruit
ciples of farming but creating diversity,"
is used to produce olive oil. Seasonal veg-
says McBride. This includes the addition
etables are grown and used in the kitchen
Winery transitioned from conventional
of animals in the vineyards to achieve
at Glen Ellen Star, a restaurant operated
agriculture to sustainable to organic to
environmental harmony and balance.
by family members.
biodynamic, the highest form of organic
Sheep roam among the vines in winter
farming. In the process, they've been able
and spring, mowing cover crops, fertiliz-
says. "A plethora of animals are back –
to minimize the use of chemicals while
ing and tilling the soil with their hooves.
bobcats, raptors, coyotes."
maximizing conservation of natural re-
Two Scottish Highland cattle supply 150
sources – water and soil. Vines are treated
pounds of manure each day, effectively
with restorative biodynamic teas and
recycling grasses from the ranch back
sprays that are prepared in-house from
into the soil. Chickens eat bugs and lay
compost and other ingredients indige-
eggs, and the whites are used for fining
nous to the property. Biological composts
the wines. Bees pollinate flowers and
are created by combining byproducts of
vegetables in the winery gardens.
Over the years, Benziger Family
winemaking and farming with cow ma-
"This is not just a vineyard," says Mc-
nure, and close attention is paid to the
Bride, gesturing around the property. "It's
rhythms of nature and lunar cycles. In
a living garden. It's an insectary. Plants
2000, the winery achieved biodynamic
in the insectary attract good insects, and
certification through the Demeter As-
the good insects attack bad insects. We
sociation, becoming the first in Sonoma
haven't used one pesticide or herbicide
County and one of only a handful of
since 1997. We have no Pierce's disease
Demeter-certified biodynamic vineyards
"We're achieving balance," McBride
and no phylloxera."
in North America.
Thirty-five acres of vineyards are inter-
Benziger VP of Winemaking, Jeff McBride.
FALL 2013 • FLOURISH
31
