Organic Wine and Food Matching

Nicolas Joly. Decanter. Without a doubt, the most influential proponent of biodynamic grape growing in the world is Nicolas Joly, who became converted to the method in the late 1970s when he noticed the soil of his Coulée de Serrant estate in Savennières (in France’s Loire Valley) becoming lifeless, and beneficial insect like ladybugs and other wildlife such as partridges no longer thriving on his property. Seeking a sensible alternative to chemical herbicides and synthetic applications to save his vineyard, Joly soon discovered the “spiritual science” of the Austrian philosopher/scientist/farmer, Rudolph Steiner, encapsulated in a series of lectures delivered in 1924 called Spiritual Foundations for the Renewal of Agriculture . Completely embracing Steiner’s connecting of “dynamic” relationships between biological and spiritual forces towards the establishment of individual, self-sustaining agricultural systems, Joly has not only been farming biodynamically since the early 1980s...

Neal Family Vineyards in St. Helena, Napa Valley “When I told my dad we were going to take the company organic,” says Mark Neal, “he drove over to Sonoma and came back with a tray of rotten apples and peaches and said, ‘this is how our grap es will look when you grow organic.’” Not to be dissuaded, Mark initiated the transition of vineyards owned or managed by Jack Nea l & Son – established in 1968, and at nearly 1,900 acres, the largest single vineyard management company in Napa Valley – from conventional to organic grape growing in 1984.  Mark Neal. Jack Neal passed away in 1994, but not before seeing most of their vineyards accredited by California Certified Organic Farmers (i.e. CCOF ) by 1991. Today, with over 1,800 acres of vineyards fully certified, Jack Neal & Son is by far the largest grower of organic wine grapes in Napa Valley. About 1% of these grapes go into wines bottled under the family’s own label, Neal Family Vineyards (the winery established on Howel...

Frog's Leap founder/grower/winemaker John Williams “Times fun when you’re having flies,” was the motto at Frog’s Leap when they first burst upon the persnickety Napa Valley scene in 1981. They're going stronger than ever, even long after the departure (in 1992) of founding partner Larry Turley, who went on to further glory (only the most prestigious producer of Zinfandel and Petite Sirah in the country). Original winemaker/proprietor John Williams has remained. Mr. Williams has been growing his grapes organically long before it was hip to be green. You can say he was “green” before it was the new black. Yet even after all these years, the only hint of environmental consciousness on the label of any Frog's Leap bottle are the words, discreetly printed, “responsibly farmed.” The wines sell because of their quality; and, of course, sense of "fun." "Responsibly farmed" for Williams means it makes sense to provide organic matter to establish the healthiest po...