Five gardens chosen by their supporters will receive awards to grow and improve their community gardens
Russian River Valley, CA – After a successful spring and summer campaign, DeLoach Vineyards is proud to announce the winners of its Community Garden Campaign in partnership with Organic Gardening Magazine. Over the past four months, 15 community gardens across the country from California to Florida participated in the online campaign to win a coveted total award of $20,000 ($4,000 per garden) to improve the communities they serve. Wine and garden enthusiasts in communities across the country showed their support with more than 70,000 site visits to www.deloachcommunitygardens.com, where they watched videos produced by the gardens and voted for the garden of their choice.
The following 2011 DeLoach Community Garden Award Winners will each be awarded $4,000 each and will be featured in the October/November 2011 issue of Organic Gardening:
Center for Growing People, Dallas
Long Beach Organic Community Garden, Long Beach
Magnuson Community Garden, Seattle
Ocean View Farms, Los Angeles
Three Brothers Garden, Chicago
As an additional retail component to support the campaign, bottles of DeLoach wine were adorned with neckers that included a QR code that allowed consumers to instantly link to the contest microsite through via smart phones.
DeLoach Vineyard’s estate vineyard in the beautiful Russian River Valley is a Demeter-certified Biodynamic® property. In harmony with organic and Bioydynamic principles the DeLoach estate includes an exquisite Biodynamic garden that not only nourishes the staff at the winery, but also provides the necessary natural remedies to optimize the health and fertility of its Biodynamic vineyards. The Community Garden Campaign is a part of DeLoach Vineyard’s commitment to a healthy, sustainable lifestyle from garden to table that includes the appreciation of wine, food and community and to support the role of community gardens in promoting good living. Equally as important, the campaign is part of an effort to help educate a new generation to better the communities in which they live—something DeLoach has been passionate about cultivating since the inception of the winery.
About DeLoach Vineyards
DeLoach Vineyards has been a pioneering producer of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Zinfandel in Sonoma’s Russian River Valley since 1975. DeLoach seeks to produce exceptional wines that spotlight the singular personality of the Russian River Valley, with its rare and bountiful convergence of the sea, the soil and the stars. The Boisset family of Burgundy purchased DeLoach in 2003, bringing the techniques and approaches of Burgundy to its winemaking in the Russian River Valley, which they believed to be California’s most expressive terroir for cultivating Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Under Boisset, DeLoach has grown its small-lot vineyard designate wine program, converted to organic and Biodynamic farming practices, and implemented traditional Burgundian winemaking techniques such as open-top wood fermentors, native yeast fermentations, and hand punch-downs. Wine & Spirits magazine named DeLoach Vineyards a Top 100 Winery for the tenth time in the winery’s history in 2009. Located at 1791 Olivet Road in Santa Rosa, the DeLoach Vineyards tasting room, picnic area and organic garden are open to the public daily from 10:00 am to 5:00 p.m.
For 70 years, Rodale’s Organic Gardening, the leading magazine resource for living a healthier, more environmentally conscious lifestyle, has been empowering its readers with the most trusted, eco-friendly news and information. With the mission to “live lightly from the ground up,” the brand’s editorial agenda sets an accessible and easy-to-embrace course toward the goal of living a healthier, more environmentally sustainable lifestyle, delivering the safest and most natural approach to health, home, food and garden. Organic Gardening’s Twitter handle is @OGMag and Organic Gardening can be found on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/OrganicGardening and it’s also available on the iPad. For more information, contact Erin Miller and Organic Gardening at 212.573.0378 or erin.miller@rodale.com.
Russian River, CA - DeLoach Vineyards, a pioneering producer of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Zinfandel in the Russian River Valley, has released its first vintage of wines from Marin County. The four Marin wines, all 2009 vintage, include: Stubbs Vineyard Pinot Noir ($40), Stubbs Vineyard Chardonnay ($35), Skyview Pinot Noir ($40), and the Marin County Pinot Noir ($35), a blend of the four vineyards that comprise DeLoach’s Marin commitment.
A few years ago, Proprietor Jean-Charles Boisset, who is known for blazing trails of innovation in the wine world, recognized the distinctive climate and growing conditions of Marin County’s varied and unique terroir. After tasting a Pinot Noir from the Devil’s Gulch Ranch made by long-time Marin pioneer Dan Goldfield, Boisset immediately appreciated the wine’s strong focus and bright acidity, qualities reminiscent of the Burgundy Pinot Noirs of his homeland. The next week, Boisset, Goldfield and DeLoach Winemaker Brian Maloney explored Marin’s diverse vineyards, tucked behind ridges and in valleys well-protected from the cold winds of the Pacific Ocean. Inspired by Goldfield’s passion, Boisset and Maloney were quickly convinced of the nascent region’s potential to become an appellation of distinction for passionate cool-climate Pinot Noir devotees seeking bright, structured wines with great acidity, finesse and elegance. They committed DeLoach’s distinguished winemaking regimen to achieving the great potential of Marin wines.
Albeit a cottage industry compared to neighboring Sonoma and Napa counties, winemaking in Marin County dates back to the early 1800s, initially brought to the area by the San Rafael Mission. It is one of the coolest AVAs in California, surrounded by the Pacific Ocean to the West and San Pablo Bay to the East, though winter temperatures are typically warmer than Napa and Sonoma because of the moderating influence of these bodies of water and the area’s heavy seasonal precipitation. Cool springs and summers lead to long hang times; the longer growing season helps create wines with balance, natural acidity, and lower alcohol levels. These conditions portend Marin County’s potential to be one of the finest wine regions in California, particularly for cool-climate varietals like Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, specialties of DeLoach.
“Like other great appellations, there is wonderful detail within Marin that is represented in the vineyards that we have chosen to work with,” said Goldfield. DeLoach Vineyards has four different sites in Marin County from which they are now producing Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. The organically-farmed Stubbs Vineyard is located in a narrow valley that opens to the south and is the closest to Tomales Bay. It is divided by a seasonal creek that helps drain the area of cold air during the frost season and acts as a channel for cold air and fog through the vineyard, making it one of the coldest sites for non-sparkling Pinot Noir and Chardonnay in Marin. The wines from Stubbs Vineyards are more delicate than warmer climate sites and have a distinct elegance. The Chileno Valley Vineyard is located northeast of Stubbs, and varies dramatically from its neighbor. It is surrounded to the west and south by ridges that protect it from the coldest air of the Petaluma Gap and Tomales Bay. Oriented on a slope with undulations through the vineyard blocks, its climate is akin to the central Russian River Valley. Acid levels in fruit from this site are relatively low, a marked contrast to the rest of the fruit from the appellation. The next site, the Azaya Vineyard, is in Hicks Valley, south of Stubbs and on the opposite side of the dividing ridge. Cooler than Chileno Valley, this young site has unharnessed potential to grow grapes with pure flavors and textures. The last site, which becomes DeLoach’s Skyview Pinot Noir, is located on a southeast facing hilltop. It is the most isolated site from the Pacific Ocean and has varied, distinct vineyard blocks. Its higher elevation acts as a moderating influence, producing dark-colored fruit of intense concentration, while its location further inland gives it a warmer growing season than more coastal Marin vineyards. These four sites in Marin County’s different terrain exemplify the versatile conditions in which the DeLoach winemaking team thrives and explores the area’s remarkable potential.
“Marin will become prominent as a unique area among the cognoscenti, the sommeliers and true passionate Pinot devotees, much like Fort Ross or the true Sonoma Coast,” said Goldfield., “Boisset and DeLoach will have a lot to do with helping that happen and bringing the area to a wider audience of influencers.”
DeLoach Vineyards’ Marin County wines continue the winery’s focus on small-lot, site-specific wines that aim to beautifully capture distinct terroirs. “We are proud to be one of the pioneering producers in Marin County. The wines that we are making are exactly as we had hoped—wonderfully expressive of this exceptionally unique appellation,” said Maloney.
“DeLoach has always been a Pinot Noir pioneer in Northern California and our commitment to Marin energizes and highlights our passion for producing small-lot wines expressive of their inimitable terroir,” said Boisset. Case production for the DeLoach Vineyards Marin wines is limited, with Stubbs Vineyard Pinot Noir at 48 cases (consumer direct only), Stubbs Vineyard Chardonnay at 250 cases, Skyview Pinot Noir at 240 cases, and the Marin County Pinot Noir at 780 cases.
About DeLoach Vineyards
DeLoach Vineyards has been a pioneering producer of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Zinfandel in Sonoma’s Russian River Valley since 1975. DeLoach seeks to produce exceptional wines that spotlight the singular personality of the Russian River Valley, with its rare and bountiful convergence of the sea, the soil and the stars. The Boisset family of Burgundy purchased DeLoach in 2003, bringing the techniques and approaches of Burgundy to its winemaking in the Russian River Valley, which they believed to be California’s most expressive terroir for cultivating Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Under Boisset, DeLoach has grown its small-lot vineyard designate wine program, converted to organic and Biodynamic® farming practices, and implemented traditional Burgundian winemaking techniques such as open-top wood fermentors, native yeast fermentations, and hand punch-downs. Wine & Spirits magazine named DeLoach Vineyards a Top 100 Winery for the tenth time in the winery’s history in 2009. Located at 1791 Olivet Road in Santa Rosa, the DeLoach Vineyards tasting room, picnic area and organic garden are open to the public daily from 10:00 am to 5:00 p.m.
For more information, visit www.deloachvineyards.com or contact Emily Aschbrenner of Charles Communications Associates at 415.701.9463 or emily@charlescomm.com.
Russian River Valley, CA – DeLoach Vineyards, the pioneering Russian River Valley producer of award-winning Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Zinfandel, released today the first estate vintage after receiving both Biodynamic and organic certification for its estate. DeLoach has released a 2010 Estate Collection Pinot Noir Rose from its estate vineyards in the Russian River Valley.
This past September, DeLoach Vineyards celebrated the first harvest after earning organic certification from the California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF) in 2008 and receiving Biodynamic® certification from the prestigious Demeter USA, the only certification agent for Biodynamic farms in the United States, in February 2010. The release of this wine represents the culmination of a long and dedicated effort to become a more self-sustaining and environmentally friendly estate. In 2003 when the Boisset Family purchased the vineyards, they immediately began the conversion to organic and Biodynamic methods. This conversion necessitated a two-year series of crop rotations and the lands were left to lie fallow in order to restore a healthy balance to the soil. New vineyards were planted between 2006-2008, and have since been farmed according to Biodynamic principles.
Since the implementation of organic and Biodynamic farming methods, the estate at DeLoach has become a rich ecosystem, complete with sheep that graze the vegetation beneath the vines, kept bees that pollinate the half-acre CCOF and Demeter certified garden and cover crops. The resplendent and complex vitality that DeLoach has cultivated has allowed their eight clones of Pinot Noir to brilliantly express the unique combination of soil, climate, air, water, nutrients, and human attention that is specific to the estate.
While the 2010 vintage in the Russian River Valley presented many climatic challenges and yields were low, the quality of grapes harvested at DeLoach Vineyards remained impressive. The Estate Rose, which was harvested from the back Pinot Noir block of the estate, demonstrates the superior quality that DeLoach’s meticulous Biodynamic farming methods aim to achieve. Made in a deliberate rose style, the wine is light, fresh and fruity and is being sold at a suggested retail price of $20.
About DeLoach Vineyards
DeLoach Vineyards has been a pioneering producer of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Zinfandel in Sonoma’s Russian River Valley since 1975. DeLoach seeks to produce exceptional wines that spotlight the singular personality of the Russian River Valley, with its rare and bountiful convergence of the sea, the soil and the stars. The Boisset family of Burgundy purchased DeLoach in 2003, bringing the techniques and approaches of Burgundy to its winemaking in the Russian River Valley, which they believed to be California’s most expressive terroir for cultivating Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Under Boisset, DeLoach has grown its small-lot vineyard designate wine program, converted to organic and Biodynamic® farming practices, and implemented traditional Burgundian winemaking techniques such as open-top wood fermentors, native yeast fermentations, and hand punch-downs. Wine & Spirits magazine named DeLoach Vineyards a Top 100 Winery for the tenth time in the winery’s history in 2009. Located at 1791 Olivet Road in Santa Rosa, the DeLoach Vineyards tasting room, picnic area and organic garden are open to the public daily from 10:00 am to 5:00 p.m.
Pioneering Russian River Valley producer of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Zinfandel will offer awards to five community gardens as chosen by online votes.
Russian River Valley, CA – March 31, 2011: DeLoach Vineyards, a certified organic and Biodynamic® producer of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Zinfandel located in Sonoma’s Russian River Valley, announced today the launch of its Garden to Table campaign in partnership with Organic Gardening Magazine. The campaign will award a total of $20,000 to five community gardens across the country that are working to improve the communities they serve.
Fifteen different community gardens have been nominated to receive the award; wine and garden enthusiasts and supporters have been called to vote for their favorite five online at www.deloachcommunitygardens.com.
DeLoach Vineyards, a leader in sustainable practices and organic and Biodynamic farming, is launching this campaign as part of its ongoing commitment to a healthy, sustainable lifestyle from garden to table, and to support the role of community gardens in promoting good living. More than 15 years ago, DeLoach converted its winery horse pasture into a half-acre garden of seasonally fresh produce that DeLoach chefs use to prepare meals for winery visitors and employees year round. When the Boisset family purchased DeLoach Vineyards in 2003, it imbued the winery with a commitment to organic and Biodynamic farming, and the winery garden and estate vineyards received Biodynamic certification in 2009. In November 2010, DeLoach collaborated with the Kingsborough Community College in Brooklyn, New York to launch “Build a Garden in Brooklyn,” a project that supported the development of the Kingsborough Urban Farm that provides students the opportunity to grow and harvest healthy, organic produce. The new Garden to Table campaign with Organic Gardening Magazine is an extension of DeLoach’s effort to help educate a new generation about leading a healthy and sustainable lifestyle—something they have been passionate about cultivating since the inception of the winery.
The 2011 Garden to Table Award Nominees include the following community gardens:
· Ocean View Farms in Los Angeles, CA
· Solano Gardens in Los Angeles, CA
· Long Beach Community Gardens in Long Beach, CA
· Hayes Valley Farm in San Francisco, CA
· Alemany Farms in San Francisco, CA
· Three Brothers Garden in Chicago, IL
· The Peterson Garden Project in Chicago, IL
· Roots In The City in Miami, FL
· Boca Raton Community Garden in Boca Raton, FL
· The Magnuson Community Garden in Seattle, WA
· Marra Farm in Seattle, WA
· Lake Highlands Community Garden in Dallas, TX
· Center for Growing People in Dallas, TX
· The Last Organic Outpost in Houston, TX and
· Denver Urban Gardens in Denver, CO
The top five gardens that receive the most votes will be awarded the prize and will be announced in the October/November 2011 issue of Organic Gardening. Voters are encouraged to go to www.deloachcommunitygardens.comto help make a positive impact on communities in need. Here, they can view videos from each nominated garden and vote for the garden they feel will benefit most from winning a grant.
DeLoach has created a special retail element to accompany the contest. Bottles of DeLoach wine will be adorned with a necker that includes a QR code that will allow consumers to instantly link to the contest microsite through their smart phones, where they will be able to view the garden videos and vote for their favorite. The necker also offers a coupon for $2 off of fresh produce with the purchase of any DeLoach Vineyards wine.
Please click here to hear about the DeLoach community garden campaign from Jean-Charles Boisset, President of Boisset Family Estates.
Consumers can now enjoy an eco-friendly, cellar-to-glass tasting experience in the comfort of their own homes.
Russian River, CA, November 22, 2010– DeLoach Vineyards, part of the family-owned Boisset Family Estates and pioneer of the widely successful on-premise Barrel-to-Barrel wine program, is now extending this offering to include 3-liter and 10-liter barrels available for purchase by the general public. A long time leader in sustainable winery practices, including organic and Biodynamic® farming, DeLoach further evolves its commitment to sustainability by allowing consumers to now enjoy DeLoach wines through this ecologically and economically conscientious packaging. In addition, consumers can enjoy a taste experience evocative of an actual barrel tasting in a cellar in their own homes.
The Barrel-to-Barrel program is an innovative alternative packaging option in which wine is kept within a 3 or 10-liter oak barrel and easily accessed for by-the-glass pouring through an elegant spout at the front of the barrel. The wine within these barrels is kept in eco-bags, within a sturdy recyclable cardboard box which protects the wine from oxidation for up to six weeks. A barrel can be refilled by simply inserting another eco-bag. This system uses less energy to transport and eliminates waste from bottle breakage, significantly reducing the carbon footprint of both the consumer and DeLoach Vineyards. As an example, a 10L eco-bag contains the equivalent of 13.33 glass bottles. 12 empty glass bottles weigh 242.54 ounces, while one empty 10L DeLoach Vineyards eco-bag weighs just 2.42 ounces – a dramatic reduction.
“We’re delighted to be taking the next step with this revolutionary program by offering it to the public. Now our customers can enjoy our wines in a sophisticated, stylish, and convenient way that is marked with the DeLoach distinction of quality and sustainability,” says Jean-Charles Boisset, President of Boisset Family Estates and DeLoach Vineyards.
The components of the Barrel to Barrel program are available for purchase at DeLoach Vineyards and at Boisset’s new tasting salon in Healdsburg, CA – the Taste of Terroir. The 3-liter barrel sells for $220 and the 10-liter barrel sells for $250. DeLoach, with its tradition of award-winning Pinot Noir (the 2007 DeLoach Russian River Valley Pinot Noir was recognized by Wine & Spirits Magazine as one of the top “100 Best Buys of the Year” in 2009), is currently offering two wines through this program: the Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir (only available at Taste of Terroir), available in 3-liter eco-bags for $60/bag and 10-liter eco-bags for $180/bag and the California Heritage Reserve Pinot Noir (available at both Taste of Terroir and DeLoach Vineyards), available in 3-liter eco-bags for $52/bag and 10-liter eco-bags for $156/bag.
As a special holiday offering locally in Northern California, DeLoach Vineyards has implemented a rental system for the 10-liter Barrel-to-Barrel offering. Consumers can rent a 10-liter barrel for a fee of $50 (with a deposit fee of $125 charged if not returned within 7 days) and purchase eco-bags of the Sonoma Coast at $180/10L bag or California Heritage Reserve Pinot Noir at $156/10L bag as a unique, cost-efficient, and eco-conscious way to enjoy DeLoach wines during their holiday celebrations.
DeLoach Vineyards is a member of the family-owned Boisset Estates, which has been recognized internationally for its green innovations in the wine world, its leadership in Burgundy and Pinot Noir, and its commitment to Biodynamic® farming at its historical winery estates. The consumer offering of the Barrel-to-Barrel program is an extension of a long line of alternative packaging options offered by Boisset Family Estates, including the French Rabbit wines in Tetra Pak cartons. Jean-Charles Boisset was awarded Innovator of the Year in 2009 by the Wine Enthusiast for his company’s efforts to reduce the carbon footprint of wine packaging.
Russian River Valley, CA – November 2010: DeLoach Vineyards announced today its collaboration with Kingsborough Community College in Brooklyn, New York to help launch the Kingsborough Urban Farm, the college’s first project of this kind. The project, Build a Garden in Brooklyn, will be integrated into the school’s academic program and will provide students with the opportunity to grow and harvest healthy, organic produce. The new culinary arts program, student-catering firm, and college cafeteria will use the food produced from the Urban Farm to feed and educate students. DeLoach, with its commitment to organic farming and education, was thrilled to contribute to a program that helps create environmental awareness.
DeLoach Vineyards has long been a leader in sustainable practices, innovative “green” technology, beginning its conversion to organic and Biodynamic® farming practices in 2004. It achieved organic certification from CCOF in 2008 and earned Demeter certification for its Biodynamic vineyard practices in 2009. The 2010 harvest is the first as a Biodynamic-certified estate and the first since the award-winning 2004 vintage (Wine of the Year, Wine Enthusiast). Many years ago, DeLoach converted its winery horse pasture into a half-acre organic and Biodynamic® garden of seasonally fresh produce that DeLoach chefs use to prepare meals for winery visitors and employees year round. In addition, DeLoach emphasizes sustainable farming and the conversion to organic and Biodynamic farming with its grower partners, helping, for example, the Maboroshi Vineyard convert from conventional to Biodynamic practices. Furthermore, DeLoach uses renewable energy, and reduces its water usage through implementation of an innovative membrane bio-reactor that relies on micro-organisms to purify water used in the winemaking process so it can then be used for landscaping and vineyard irrigation, saving up to two million gallons of water per year.
The partnership between DeLoach Vineyards and Kingsborough Community College complements DeLoach’s efforts in farming and gardening, allowing it to help educate a new generation about leading a healthy and sustainable lifestyle. Jean-Charles Boisset, proprietor of Boisset Family Estates, explains the enthusiasm with which DeLoach Vineyards joins this project: “As stewards of the land, our responsibility lies not only in fostering best practices within our own methods, but also in sharing the breadth of our knowledge with our communities. We’re happy to participate in the Kingsborough Urban Farm as it helps educate young people about what we have so passionately believed in for years at DeLoach Vineyards.”
To spotlight this new partnership in the public domain, bottle neckers, made of seed paper with annual and perennial wildflower seeds, will be placed on DeLoach bottles in stores throughout New York City. Beginning in November, $0.50 from every bottle of DeLoach wine sold in the City, up to $5,000, will be donated to help jumpstart the Kingsborough Community College Organic Urban Farm. The sales-focused program will continue to run through January 2011. Stuart Schulman, Executive Director, Center for Workforce Development and Economic Development confirms the benefit of this partnership: “We are very excited about our partnership with DeLoach, a leader in sustainable agriculture. Their support will help us to provide our students with the tools to learn to eat healthier food, live in a more sustainable way, and find new career pathways. Our students in nursing, childhood education, biology, and our new culinary arts program will benefit from having the Urban Farm on campus, and they will take this experience with them as they go out into the workplace.”
About DeLoach Vineyards
DeLoach Vineyards has been a pioneering producer of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Zinfandel in Sonoma’s Russian River Valley since 1975. DeLoach seeks to produce exceptional wines that spotlight the singular personality of the Russian River Valley, with its rare and bountiful convergence of the sea, the soil and the stars. The Boisset family of Burgundy purchased DeLoach in 2003, bringing the techniques and approaches of Burgundy to its winemaking in the Russian River Valley, which they believed to be California’s most expressive terroir for cultivating Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Under Boisset, DeLoach has grown its small-lot vineyard designate wine program, converted to organic and Biodynamic® farming practices, and implemented traditional Burgundian winemaking techniques such as open-top wood fermentors, native yeast fermentations, and hand punch-downs. Wine & Spirits magazine named DeLoach Vineyards a Top 100 Winery for the tenth time in the winery’s history in 2009. Located at 1791 Olivet Road in Santa Rosa, the DeLoach Vineyards tasting room, picnic area and organic garden are open to the public daily from 10:00 am to 5:00 p.m. For more information, visit www.deloachvineyards.com.
About Kingsborough Community College
Kingsborough Community College is located on a 71-acre campus in Manhattan Beach, on the southern tip of Brooklyn, New York. Founded in 1963, the College serves approximately thirty thousand students per year, offering a wide range of credit and non-credit courses in the liberal arts and career education, as well as a number of specialized programs. The breathtaking Kingsborough Community College campus overlooks three bodies of water: Sheepshead Bay, Jamaica Bay and the Atlantic Ocean. Kingsborough serves a widely diverse student population and ranks among the top community colleges in the country in associate’s degrees awarded to minority students.
For media inquiries, please contact Samantha Kane at Charles Communications Associates: samantha@charlescomm.com, tel: 415|701-9463
For more information about Biodynamic® agriculture or products, please visit www.demeter-usa.org.
At the site of the future Kingsborough Urban Farm at
Kingsborough Community College, from left to right:
Stuart Schulman, Executive Director, Center for
Workforce Development and Economic Development
Sara Matthews, Project Manager for the Urban Farm
Jonathan Deutsch, Associate Professor and Director, Culinary Arts Program
Zenia George, student, major in Community Health/Gerontology
Elizabeth Basile, Associate Dean, Office of College Advancement
September 22, 2010—DeLoach Vineyards announced today that the harvest of its Estate Vineyard has officially begun. This vintage marks the inaugural harvest since the winery received Biodynamic® and organic certification for its estate. DeLoach earned its organic certification from California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF) in 2008 and its Biodynamic® certification from Demeter in 2009. The 2010 vintage celebrates DeLoach’s first harvest from the property’s six-year conversion to a more self-sustaining and environmentally friendly estate.
The 2010 harvest is a milestone in DeLoach’s long-term commitment to sustainable farming. When the Boisset family from Burgundy purchased the 17-acre estate in 2003, it immediately began the conversion to organic and Biodynamic® methods. A year after purchase, the existing vineyards were torn out to begin a two-year series of cover crop rotations and the land was allowed to lie fallow to restore a healthy balance to the soil. The new vineyards, planted in several blocks between 2006-2008, have been farmed according to Biodynamic® principles: following the Biodynamic® calendar (which relies on celestial and terrestrial movements), applying field and compost preparations to help the plants grow, cultivating biodiversity, and minimizing dependence on external outputs.
The Boisset family’s rich tradition of Biodynamic® and organic farming began in 1994 with the conversion of its French home vineyard, Domaine de La Vougeraie, to organic and Biodynamic® practices. Today, all properties owned by Boisset globally are either certified organic, Biodynamic®, or in conversion, like the recently-purchased Raymond Vineyards in California’s Napa Valley. “This vintage will be a testament to the extraordinary Russian River Valley,” says Jean-Charles Boisset, proprietor of DeLoach Vineyards and President of Boisset Family Estates. “We endeavor to create the best wine possible, which we believe is achieved through cultivating a deep and nurturing relationship with the Earth. We think this estate vineyard will express the authenticity and integrity with which we’ve labored within Nature.” This commitment is evidenced when visiting the property, whereupon arriving, one is met by a stunning sculpture entitled Earth & Sky. Created by sculptor Peter Schifrin, the figure symbolizes the outstretched arms of Mother Earth reaching to the sky, connecting the power of the heavens back to the land.
The DeLoach Vineyards estate today boasts a diverse ecosystem that supports the cultivation of its eight Pinot Noir and three Chardonnay clones. The grapes benefit from the presence of bees that pollinate the cover crops, sheep that graze and trim the vegetation and chickens that contribute to the property’s composting. DeLoach’s commitment to sustainability extends beyond its vines. A half-acre certified organic and Biodynamic® garden provides fresh produce for winery guests, employees, local charities, and further supports the vineyard’s biodiversity. DeLoach has installed a membrane bioreactor that purifies all water from the winemaking process for reuse in the vineyards, saving up to two million gallons of water per year.
“This harvest represents the apogee of a cycle initiated by the desire to produce wine of the highest possible quality while perpetuating our core responsibility as stewards of the land,” explains Winegrower Eric Pooler. Following this inaugural vintage, DeLoach Vineyards seeks to continue its green practices far into the future. Pooler continues, “Through these practices, we gain assurance that the essence of the site will be reflected in each bottle of wine produced, and that the indentation of our footprint won’t be visible to future generations.”
All proceeds will benefit Redwood Empire Food Bank in Sonoma County, CA
Santa Rosa, CA – DeLoach Vineyards today announced the release of its 2009 ‘Vinthropic’ Sonoma County Chardonnay. This philanthropic endeavor continues the Fight Against Hunger campaign launched by parent company Boisset Family Estates last summer. All proceeds from sales of the wine will be donated to the Redwood Empire Food Bank, Sonoma County’s largest hunger-relief organization, with the goal of contributing at least 60,000 meals this year to help fight hunger in the community. Petaluma-based Paragon Label joined the effort by generously donating all wine labels for the program, helping to make each bottle more beneficial for those in need.
“It is sometimes hardest to care for those closest to us – to recognize and confront the need immediately in our own neighborhoods,” says Jean-Charles Boisset, President of Boisset Family States. “Our communities represent the fabric of who we are, where we stem from and the future of our united nations. DeLoach Vineyards has long been an integral part of Sonoma’s fabric, and supporting our neighbors is a vital endeavor. Our partners in ‘Vinthropic’ – the Redwood Empire Food Bank – are among the most dedicated, passionate and efficient organizations providing hunger relief that I have encountered in the many years that my family has been working to fight hunger. We are proud to support their efforts.”
David Goodman, Executive Director of the Redwood Empire Food Bank, commented: “The willingness of DeLoach to put hunger front and center is remarkable; pairing an issue as ‘rough’ as hunger alongside a beverage as ‘delicate’ as wine is admirable. We appreciate DeLoach’s leadership in understanding that it can play a role in not only pleasing the consumer with its wines, but also educating and inspiring the very same consumer on social issues. DeLoach recognizes that it can make a positive difference in the lives of people in need by doing what it does best – making world-class wine.”
‘Vinthropic’ Chardonnay is available for $15 per bottle at the DeLoach Vineyards tasting room, the new Boisset Taste of Terroir tasting salon in Healdsburg, CA, and nationwide through the DeLoach Vineyards website. The wine is also available for retailers and restaurateurs wishing to support the cause.
Upon its release, reaction to the ‘Vinthropic’ Chardonnay has already been very positive. Sonoma Restaurateur Duskie Estes recently began serving the wine at her Zazu Restaurant + Farm: “Thank you DeLoach for making this generous wine. You are caring for the folks in our own backyard and I am grateful. AND I want to pour the wine at Zazu! The wine is rich and complex with an incredible balance between fruit and wood. Nice work!”
DeLoach Vineyards’ Winemaker Brian Maloney, himself a native of the area, said: “This lush and refreshing wine brings out the warmth of Sonoma County and we are truly proud for the opportunity to support the Redwood Empire Food Bank.”
DeLoach Vineyards’ contribution to the Fight Against Hunger campaign through its ‘Vinthropic’ Chardonnay reinforces the Boisset Family Estates national campaign to combat hunger in local communities. In addition to the ‘Vinthropic’ effort, Boisset Family Estates surpassed its goal of donating 1.2 million meals to local food banks in Dallas, Indianapolis, Denver, Missouri, Boston, Peoria, IL, Atlanta, the San Francisco Bay Area and more in 2009 and 2010. For more information, visit www.boissetfamilyestates.com/fightagainsthunger.
About DeLoach Vineyards
DeLoach Vineyards has been a pioneering producer of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Zinfandel in Sonoma’s Russian River Valley since 1975. DeLoach seeks to produce exceptional wines that spotlight the singular personality of the Russian River Valley. The Boisset family of Burgundy purchased DeLoach in 2003, bringing the techniques and approaches of Burgundy to the Russian River Valley, which they believed to be California’s most expressive terroir for cultivating Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Under Boisset, DeLoach has grown its small-lot vineyard designate wine program, converted to organic and Biodynamic® farming practices, and implemented traditional Burgundian winemaking techniques such as open-top wood fermentors, native yeast fermentations, and hand punch-downs. Wine & Spirits magazine named DeLoach Vineyards a Top 100 Winery for the tenth time in the winery’s history in 2009. Located at 1791 Olivet Road in Santa Rosa, the DeLoach Vineyards tasting room, picnic area and organic garden are open to the public daily from 10:00 am to 5:00 p.m. For more information, visit www.deloachvineyards.com.
About the Redwood Empire Food Bank
The REFB is the largest food bank serving the North Coast of California from Marin County to Oregon. The REFB provides food assistance to 70,000 children, families and seniors every month. The REFB also is the primary resource for hunger relief agencies in Lake, Mendocino, Humboldt and Del Norte counties. Learn more at www.refb.org.
DeLoach Vineyards Estate and Garden Certified Biodynamic® by Demeter USA First estate harvest from the biodynamically farmed vineyards will be this fall
Russian River Valley, California, February 3, 2010—Demeter USA, the only certification agent for Biodynamic® farms in the United States, has certified the 17-acre estate vineyard and garden at DeLoach Vineyards fully compliant with their standards for Demeter Biodynamic® status. As one of only 64 wineries or vineyards in the world with Demeter certified Biodynamic® estate vineyards, DeLoach is among an elite group of sustainable winegrape growers committed to farming in parallel with the Earth’s natural cycles and from within the context of the principles of a unique living organism.
After the Boisset family purchased DeLoach Vineyards in 2003, one of their first initiatives was to give new life to the 17-acre estate vineyard surrounding the winery. “My sister and I were taught by our grandparents at a very young age to be stewards of the land in Burgundy where we were fortunate to be raised. In honor of our parents and grandparents, in 1994 we converted the family’s premier cru and grand cru vineyards at Domaine de la Vougeraie to organic and biodynamic farming. While rare in Burgundy, we considered it essential to restoring the health of our land, enhancing the quality of our wines, and ensuring a vital ecology on our estates for many more centuries to come,” explains Jean-Charles Boisset, President of Boisset Family Estates.
“When I first visited Sonoma County, I was inspired by the incredible potential of Russian River Valley terroir to grow great Pinot Noir. But I knew that in order to make wine that fully expressed the great Russian River Valley terroir, we would first need to restore the health of the land,” explains Jean-Charles Boisset, President of Boisset Family Estates. “Deciding to let the estate vineyards go fallow just after purchasing the winery was my family’s way of showing that we want to grow and produce wine worthy of this extraordinary region not only today, but for many generations to come.”
The process of converting a farm from conventional to Biodynamic® agriculture requires a three-year transition process to become organically certified, followed by an additional year of biodynamic-specific practices. All work is done according to the Biodynamic® calendar, which is based on celestial and terrestrial movements. Biodynamic farming has minimal dependence on external inputs; its holistic approach instead relies upon creating natural biodiversity within the farm through cover crops and annual preparations such as the iconic #500 Horn Manure. As a result, biodynamic farming leaves one of the smallest carbon footprints of any agricultural method. Biodynamic farming was established by Rudolf Steiner through his series of lectures titled “Agriculture” in 1924.
The vineyard and gardens at DeLoach Vineyards have been farmed in line with biodynamic principles for the past several years; certification was delayed to coincide with the inaugural winegrape crop in 2010. “We view certification not as the destination of our voyage, but as an affirmation along this voyage that we are moving in the right direction. With eagerness we anticipate the coming growing season and our first vintage of estate wines from certified organic and certified biodynamic vineyards,” said Eric Pooler, DeLoach Winegrower.
Today, the estate at DeLoach is a rich ecosystem in which eight clones of Pinot Noir and two clones of Chardonnay are able to express the unique combination of soil, climate, air, water, nutrients and human attention that turn the concept of terroir into a tangible reality. Sheep graze and trim the vegetation beneath the vines; bees pollinate the half-acre CCOF and Demeter-certified garden and the cover crops planted between rows of vines. Fruits and vegetables from the garden are served to winery guests and donated to local food banks including Food for Thought and Redwood Empire Food Bank; herbs from the garden are used as the basis for certain Biodynamic® preparations.
DeLoach’s commitment to environmentally-friendly practices extends to the winery: an innovative membrane bio-reactor purifies all water from the winemaking process for reuse in the vineyards and 100% of its energy is purchased from renewable sources, eliminating 314 metric tons of CO2 – the equivalent of 57 passenger vehicles for 1 year.
About DeLoach Vineyards
As a pioneering producer and winegrower of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Zinfandel in Sonoma’s Russian River Valley, DeLoach Vineyards has been experimenting with and perfecting the best combinations of soil, rootstock and clones for over three decades. In 2003, the Boisset family brought two generations of sustainable winemaking experience from Burgundy, France, to California’s Russian River Valley and pulled up the estate vineyards that had just produced Wine Enthusiast magazine’s 2004 wine of the year: DeLoach Vineyards’ 30th Anniversary Cuvée Pinot Noir. The award-winning vineyards were replanted with cover crops in order to revitalize the soil and in the meantime, DeLoach partnered with winegrowers equally dedicated to and passionate about eco-friendly farming practices and the production of high-quality wines. Wine & Spirits magazine named DeLoach Vineyards a Top 100 Winery for the tenth time in the winery’s history in 2009.
Located at 1791 Olivet Road in Santa Rosa, the DeLoach Vineyards tasting room and organic garden are open to the public daily from 10:00 am to 5:00 p.m. For more information, visit http://www.deloachvineyards.com.
About Boisset Family Estates
Boisset Family Estates is a family-owned producer and importer of fine wines based in Sausalito, California with roots in Burgundy, France, Sonoma’s Russian River Valley and the Napa Valley. One of the world’s leading producers of Pinot Noir, Boisset crafts fine wines with a strict terroir approach: each house in its family of wineries has a unique history, identity, and style, yet all are united in the pursuit of superior quality. Boisset is an innovative leader in the wine world that seeks to reduce the environmental impact of wine packaging and production and protect the long-term sustainability of winegrowing from farming methods to winery practices and packaging. To learn more about Boisset, please visit its website at www.boissetfamilyestates.com.
Boisset Family Estates Donates More Than 6,500 Pounds of Food to The Greater Boston Food Bank through its “Fight Against Hunger” Campaign
Sausalito, CA, January 21, 2010 – Boisset Family Estates, a family-owned producer and importer of fine wines with offices in Sausalito, CA, wineries in Sonoma’s Russian River Valley and the Napa Valley, and roots in Burgundy, France, will make a donation of 6,700 pounds of food, equivalent to 5,175 meals, to families in the Boston area this month through its Fight Against Hunger campaign via The Greater Boston Food Bank. The donation of meals is made in partnership with Boisset’s partners in Boston, including Legal Sea Foods.
Boisset’s Fight Against Hunger is a national campaign to combat hunger in local communities through the sale of its wines. Through its wineries DeLoach Vineyards, Lyeth Estate, Oceana Estates Riesling, and French rabbit, Boisset has donated more than 1 million meals to communities in Dallas, Indianapolis, the San Francisco Bay Area and Denver in 2009-2010. Fight Against Hunger is on track to reach its goal of donating 1.2 million meals to local food banks; from July through December 2009, every bottle of wine purchased from Boisset’s four wineries listed above helped supplement three meals for an American family in need when purchased through a participating retailer, restaurateur, or hotelier such as Legal Sea Foods.
Given the current global economic situation, the issue of hunger is more keenly felt than ever and Jean-Charles Boisset, President of Boisset Family Estates, believes strongly that with the integral connection between wine and food, it is essential for his family’s company to contribute to a solution.
“The wine world is deeply connected to the harvest, agriculture and food – great wines are complemented by great meals, and thus, as part of the world of food and wine, we find it troubling to tolerate the existence of hunger among our friends and neighbors,” says Boisset. “We know that now, more than ever, even families that have never thought to seek help before need assistance. That’s why Boisset Family Estates has committed to providing a minimum of 1.2 million meals to U.S. families in need through our Fight Against Hunger campaign.”
Boisset’s donation will be announced January 24th at the Boston Wine Expo, inspiring the wine world to take part in its critical mission to alleviate hunger for American families in need in these challenging times.
“We are grateful to Boisset Family Estates for developing this campaign that will help food banks across the country provide more meals to more families,” said Catherine D’Amato, president and CEO of The Greater Boston Food Bank. “We urge the community to take action and help us in the fight against hunger so that every person receives the nutritious meal they deserve.”
The Greater Boston Food Bank distributes more than 30 million pounds of food and grocery products annually to nearly 600 member hunger-relief agencies in a dedicated partnership to end hunger in eastern Massachusetts. The Food Bank serves 83,000 people each week and is part of Feeding America, the nation’s food bank network. For more information about The Greater Boston Food Bank, visit www.gbfb.org or call (617) 427-5200.
About Boisset Family Estates
Boisset Family Estates is a family-owned producer and importer of fine wines based in Sausalito, California with roots in Burgundy, France, Sonoma’s Russian River Valley and the Napa Valley. One of the world’s leading producers of Pinot Noir, Boisset crafts fine wines with a strict terroir approach: each house in its family of wineries has a unique history, identity, and style, yet all are united in the pursuit of superior quality. Boisset is an innovative leader in the wine world that seeks to reduce the environmental impact of wine packaging and production and protect the long-term sustainability of winegrowing from farming methods to winery practices and packaging. To learn more about Boisset, please visit www.boissetfamilyestates.com.
