Growing grapes in a sustainable way has always been a top priority at Grgich Hills. We believe that using sustainable, environmentally friendly methods is the only realistic long-term way to maintain healthy, productive vineyards without poisoning the soil. As of 2006, our vineyards are certified organic, and in 2007 they were certified Biodynamic®.
Organic farming uses no harmful herbicides, pesticides, systemic fungicides or synthetic fertilizers. We use compost to nurture the vines. And we use natural methods to curb pest infestation. Biodynamic farming goes even further: 1) It considers the Earth a living organism. 2) It uses biodynamic preparations as formative forces rather then quantitative substances. 3) It uses the astronomic calendar, detailing the alignment of the planets, to work in rhythm with Nature and larger cosmic forces. 4) It recognizes man’s integral role as part of the larger farm “organism”. Biodynamic farming represents a radical shift away from conventional thinking about agriculture. As I will explain in a moment, biodynamic farming is only now coming into prominence in the wine and grape-growing industries, but its roots trace back a full 80 years.
At Grgich Hills, we have found that biodynamic farming is perfectly suited to growing top-quality grapes. We see the results in the bouquet and taste of our wines, and we see it in the quality of the grapes that we grow biodynamically. A biodynamic wine is not necessarily better than a non-biodynamic wine, but it is always authentic and site specific. Through the techniques of biodynamic farming, grape-growing becomes an art. A biodynamic grape grower becomes attuned to Nature and develops a spiritual relationship with Mother Earth. What used to be just labor is now a labor of love!
Let us start with a painful truth: over the past fifty years many grape-growers in California and beyond did not take proper care of their soil and vines. In fact, some of the commonly accepted farming methods that we used wound up doing serious damage to the natural processes of Mother Earth. One set of problems began with the introduction of herbicides. This seemed like a good idea at the time, and after the first treatments the vines appeared to be doing well. But the benefits proved to be short-lived. As the herbicide was applied to the area, most of the living organisms in the soil were killed, providing an effective, but temporary compost. Over time, though, we found that those herbicides actually weakened the soil. The result was clearly visible: growers witnessed diminished growth and diminished yield. In response, the chemical industry gave us another short-term solution: synthetic fertilizers. For the chemical industry, the soil is of no importance, it is a lifeless support medium, nothing more. So why not add more chemicals? Alas, this “solution” only caused greater long-term damage to the soil and vines. In sum, this second round of chemicals added insult to injury, and the long-term health and well-being of Mother Earth suffered even further.
To understand the damage done, let’s look at how a plant feeds and grows. A plant with leaves must transpire water to function properly. It is as important as breathing is for a human being. To stay healthy, a plant must have continuous access to water, and it must take it in and transpire it. But a plant has no independent metabolism and does not function independently. A plant needs the warmth of the sun to rev up its metabolism and shut it off, as it keeps taking in water. Now, the processes of feeding and taking in water intake do not perfectly coincide. As a matter of fact, two totally different roots are engaged in these two processes. The feeder roots are the white hair roots, and the water intaking roots are much darker and bigger. So you can have a situation where the plant has to take in water all the time, but there is insufficient sun warmth to help nudge the process forward. In Nature’s biosystem, the plant can naturally adjust to its surrounding conditions of water and warmth. In the eco-system created by artificial fertilizers, though, the plant cannot naturally adjust. It is forced to take in water no matter what the sun says! Nature’s intended rhythms are disrupted.
What are the consequences of that disruption? Let us examine one element in the process: nitrogen. A plant that is growing requires nitrogen. When the nitrogen is acquired through nitrogen stored in humus, the plant will never take in too much, and it will never take it in too quickly. The assimilation process works as Nature intended. However, when the nitrogen comes from artificial fertilizer, the plant is forced to take it in along with water, and the plant literally becomes flushed with nitrogen. We can see the results with our own eyes: swollen plants full of water, with leaves of an unnatural bluish hue. In Nature, whatever is unnatural is subject to destruction, and so it was in this case. Over the years, we saw conventionally farmed vineyards attacked by many different pests. The only solution? Add more chemicals. Grape growers sprayed their vineyards with a variety of pesticides and that, in turn, did even more damage to the plants and to the health of the soil.
Biodynamic farming relies on a radically different approach. When you farm in harmony with Nature, the aim is to keep everything in balance. You do not bring in synthetic chemicals to solve this or that problem; you work with the natural ingredients of the soil and its specific micro-life and ecosystems. We do not, for instance, eliminate all pests, but we do lower their numbers. In the great realm of Nature, we believe there is a place for vineyard pests, but they have to be in manageable numbers. With this approach to farming, we can maintain healthy and productive vineyards that are as much as 80 to 100 years old. This is immensely important because for a wine to be a true expression of its soil and region, what the French call “terroir,” the vineyard needs to be at least 20 years old. So we are convinced that biodynamic farming will have a positive, long-term impact on the quality of Grgich Hills grapes and wines.
Now, let’s go a step deeper in our understanding of biodynamic farming. In order to achieve the natural balance we want in our vineyards, we use biodynamic preparations made from naturally occurring plant and animal materials. Rudolf Steiner, the Austrian scientist, philosopher and education pioneer, has been our greatest source of knowledge and inspiration. Through an Agriculture Course that he established in 1924, Steiner launched the biodynamic movement and also set forth the essential formulas for biodynamic preparations. There are nine such preparations. Number 500, or horn manure, promotes root activity and stimulates micro life in soil. Number 501, or horn silica, enhances light metabolism of the individual plant. The next six preparations are used in compost preparation: 502, or yarrow; 503 or chamomile; 504, or nettle; 505, or oak bark; 506 or dandelion; and 507, or valerian. The last one, Number 508, or horsetail, deters the growth of fungus.
Biodynamic farming recognizes that the soil itself must be kept alive and healthy, and the soil’s vitality then supports the quality and health of the plants that grow in it. Therefore, one main principle of biodynamic farming is using natural compost to build up and maintain stable humus in the soil. In keeping with that principle, each year we make roughly 1500 tons of biodynamic compost that we will incorporate into the vineyards in the fall.
There is far more to biodynamic farming than soil management and Steiner’s biodynamic preparations. In fact, we have to radically change our conventional way of looking at agriculture. In present day agriculture, we think in terms of substances and quantifiable yields; in biodynamics we think in terms of life forces. These forces may not be visible, yet they are all around us and their manifestations are revealed to people who know how and where to look. Our job is to use those life forces to maximize the quality of our grapes and our wines.
There are four major forms of matter at work in Nature: earth, water, light and heat. They are linked to four basic plant organs: roots, leaves, flowers and fruit. Scientific findings and centuries of farming experience indicate that each of the four organs can be affected by astronomical alignments and influences. The task of a biodynamic grape grower is to balance these formative forces throughout the year and take appropriate action on specific days which are favorable for that particular work. To do that, we rely, in part, on the astronomic calendar, which tells us about the alignment of various planets throughout the year and the growing season. If such cosmic influence sounds far-fetched, you need only consider the awesome power of the moon on our oceans. Human life, as well as animal and plant life, is strongly dependent on the rhythms of the Earth and other planets. Biodynamic farming can be practiced without strictly following cosmic rhythms, but experience has shown that the effects are somewhat reduced.
We began farming biodynamically in 2003 at our Yountville Vineyard. After only two vintages, we saw beautiful changes in our vineyards. The first thing we noticed was the enhanced glow of our leaves. Also, their color is a lovely pale green, without any of that bluish-green tint that indicates the presence of synthetic fertilizers. Also, the shoots tend to be proud and upright and the leaves are turned directly toward the sun. We have also witnessed improved quality in our grapes. The cabernet grapes from our biodynamic block exhibited great delicacy, despite being fully ripe and powerful. The wine we made from those grapes exhibits the same qualities: lots of exuberant fruit and a powerful structure, along with both elegance and harmony. This is precisely what we want to have in our wine: harmony and uniqueness with a distinct sense of the soil, landscape and climate from which they were born. Based on those results, we have converted all 366 acres to biodynamically grown.
For those of us working at Grgich Hills, moving into biodynamic farming has been an exciting and illuminating experience. It has elevated our awareness and appreciation of Nature and its intrinsic beauty and harmony. A divine order is visible all around us, if only we have the eyes and understanding to see it. This new way of farming has brought us deep satisfaction and a wonderful spiritual awakening. Every day simply feels good. For all these reasons, we are deeply committed to this ancient way of farming, and we have high hopes that our wines will eloquently express the divine harmony and balance we see in our vineyards.
Farming at Grgich Hills
