During a visit to Joseph Phelps Vineyards in February, I couldn’t help but notice the large flock of sheep roaming through the dormant vines, grazing on cover crop. After asking our tasting guide about the sheep, I learned they were being used to naturally fertilize the vineyard soil. I also learned that the winery’s philosophy “is to maintain, preserve and (where possible and appropriate) ecologically enhance the natural vineyard environment.”
Joseph Phelps Vineyards (Phelps) was founded in 1972 and remains an independent estate-based winery producing a number of exceptional wines. The winery is in St. Helena, Calif., and is known for producing the first Bordeaux-style blend in Napa Valley, the 1974 Insignia, released under a proprietary label.
In 1999, Phelps began converting to the principles of biodynamic agriculture. Biodynamic agriculture dates back to 1924 when Rudolf Steiner gave a now famous agriculture course in Germany. According to Phelps, Steiner’s goal “was to help farmers restore the natural health and regenerative capacity of soils, plants and animals — and to help produce healthier, spirited foods for humanity.” One of Steiner’s major premises is that a farm, or in this case a winery, should be self-contained and as self-sufficient as possible. Biodynamics revolves around the concept that the soil is a living organism so maintaining and protecting that soil for future generations is a key component and improving the humus content of the soil leads to a higher quality level of crops.
When thinking of the soil, my thoughts turn to the French word — terroir — and how important terroir is to the wines that we drink. Technically speaking, terroir means soil, but in the wine world it means much more than just soil as it also encompasses climate. While there is not a universal definition of terroir, most would agree that a wine does have certain characteristics due to the soil and other geographic factors from where the grapes were grown. If you have ever taken a winery tour, you will most likely recall the guide describing the soil with terms such as chalky, claylike, gravelly or volcanic. Soil plays such an important role in the grape growing process and therefore many growers are believers in the concepts behind biodynamic agriculture.
Steiner’s approach is holistic and uses natural fertilizers, pesticides and nutrients. (i.e., going green). One method of natural fertilization in the vineyards is the introduction of sheep onto the property during times when the vines are dormant. The sheep eat the cover crop, negating the need to use machinery (and fossil fuel) to mow, and more importantly the grass is recycled into manure — a natural fertilizer.
In addition, honeybees have been introduced into the vineyard to pollinate insectary plantings that attract specific insects, which provide biological control against insect pests that can destroy a vineyard if not controlled. Such a system makes use of internal resources, thus reducing the need for outside inputs while enhancing the already present natural ecology.
Disclaimer: Story comments are intended to provide a place for constructive dialog about issues and events in our community. Your input is encouraged and can make a positive difference. To achieve this, no obscenity, personal attacks, or racial slurs are tolerated. Users brought to our attention for violating our terms of use will be blocked from commenting permanently and without notice. Please help keep the comments on topic by flagging objectionable material and remember that children and young adults may be reading your comments. With freedom of speech comes the responsibility to be respectful of others.
Email Story
Printer Friendly 
Quick Job Search
@Nyx.replyAnswerText@