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Indeed, before Benziger embraced biodynamics, it was aiming more toward production, not quality—and its wines reflected that. Mike Benziger, another founder and winemaker, began studying biodynamic agriculture in 1994, hoping it might offer a better way of operating the vineyard. “We were putting scars in the land that we weren’t healing, and our wines were far from interesting. With biodynamics, we feed grapes from the soil, so the roots are forced to grow down deep. The deeper the roots go, the more minerals they pick up, giving the wine a certain authenticity and sense of place.”

Today 10,000 of the 150,000 cases of wine that Benziger produces annually are certified biodynamic, and they are working toward certification of other vineyards as well. They also provide ongoing natural farming seminars to all growers in their community. And “green” practices, such as water and energy conservation, also protect community resources. Though Benziger has been making wines on the Sonoma Mountain property for 27 years, Chris Benziger says, “It’s only in the last 7 or 8 years that we’ve been able to make wines with the taste of Sonoma Mountain—and it’s all because of biodynamics.”

—Amy Paturel, M.S., M.P.H., is a freelance writer in Seal Beach, California.

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