GROWING A VISION

to adapt and get through this period.” And that’s exactly what happened: The cover crops kept the soil cool and conserved existing moisture, and the vines adapted.

The well was back online by June, but in a year like this one, Jardine says he’s not using any vineyard water unless absolutely necessary. “I’m really grateful to be on a well, but we have to also be understanding that what we draw from the aquifer has an impact on our neighbors and the communities around us,” he says.

Jardine’s vision extends to the community in other ways as well. He is exploring more ways of increasing the land’s ability to produce food crops in conjunction with growing grapes. He believes he can extend the growing season, for example, so that he can get two rounds of food crops harvested in the time that it takes for the grapes to grow. The crops that currently grow in the vineyard and in the gardens feed everyone who works at Hanzell, from fieldworkers to sales managers.

And he is experimenting with growing grains like wheat and rye in between the vineyard rows. Imagine what’s possible, says Jardine, if you could double the production of the land by growing grains as well as grapes in the same space. “If we can find a way to feed the local community, all from our vineyard, that to me would be the ultimate. I would feel like I’d accomplished something in my life if I was able to pull that off. And we’re getting very close. We’re harvesting several thousand pounds of produce a year already.”

It’s the type of ambitious thinking that can change minds and change lives. “Stewardship is huge,” explains Brédo. “We’re upstream. Everybody’s upstream in a way, right? But we’re literally upstream. And our actions here, everything we do completely affects what happens downstream.”

Hanzell Farm & Vineyards. Tastings by appointment. 18596 Lomita Ave., Sonoma. 707-996-3860, hanzell.com Eight Steps to Green Farming practices at Hanzell go beyond the definition of organic. More importantly, says winemaker and president Jason Jardine, the holistic way they farm is not only better for the environment, but costs less, too. “Believe it or not, on a per-acre basis, I’m farming Hanzell for less than a lot of the conventional farms that I’m aware of,” he says. Some of the guiding principles that make the farm green include:

1. Extreme biodiversity Hanzell is the opposite of a monoculture. On the 200-acre estate, only 42 acres are vineyards. The rest is primarily forest, with vegetable gardens and fruit trees mixed in.

2. No-till agriculture Viticulturist José Ramos doesn’t use tractors to turn over the soil in between the rows of vines. The practice lowers water needs, maintains beneficial soil microbes, and locks carbon into the ground. Carbon released from tillage is a contributor to global warming.

3. Wildlife corridors You won’t find fences around the vineyards at Hanzell. Deer, turkey — even coyotes and mountain lions — move freely throughout the property, and each has a role to play within the broader ecosystem.

4. Natural soil boosters As cover crops break down in the vineyard, they add back nitrogen and other elements that were depleted by the previous year’s production. The livestock pastured in the vineyards also fertilize with their manure.

5. Fire-smart planning Rarely a day goes by without the team tackling chainsaw work somewhere around the property. The pigs that graze the forest also lower the fire risk, and in the future, Brédo would like to incorporate prescribed burns and pile burning. 6. Food crops in the vineyard Jardine integrates food crops like fava beans and yellow peas into the vineyard cover crop — he’s also tried squash and tomatoes. Earlier this summer, he completed a trial of a variety of rye that he hopes to grow as a grain crop in between the vineyard rows.

7. Few outside inputs Ramos doesn’t apply additional fertilizer in the vineyard, and the livestock mainly eat what’s grown on-site, including silage put up in spring. (This year, due to drought, they did need to bring in additional feed.) Many cover crops reseed on their own, and vegetable gardens are planted with seeds saved from the year before. Non-native trees that are removed to manage the forest are milled into lumber.

8. Using less water In the middle of a punishing drought, this may be the most important green principle of all. Since Hanzell switched to no-till agriculture in 2014, says Jardine, the farm has lowered its water use in the vineyards by 80%. “This is how we have to farm in the future,” he says. “There’s no other way.”

A Sonoma family retreat creates space for the parents’ long-held dream: a vineyard.

by KIER HOLMES photography by REBECCA GOSSELIN

IN THE TOWN OF SONOMA, down a long gravel driveway and past a young Grenache vineyard, is the serene home and garden where the fi ve members of the Potter family hunkered down as the world changed. Extra time at their Sonoma ranch was a silver lining to the upheaval of the pandemic say Scott, who works in private equity, and Dara, a consultant. The couple’s kids, Jordan (15), Miles (13), and Rhea (11), are an active bunch, logging hours in the pool and kicking around soccer balls with their Vizsla pup, Cali. “We also spend a lot of time playing golf at the Sonoma Golf Club and love riding our cruiser bikes to Sonoma Plaza,” says Dara.

The family bought the property in 2017, looking for a weekend retreat with a warm summery climate and good food and wine nearby — the fact that there was space for an on-site vineyard was a bonus for the couple. “Scott and I had dreamed of having a vineyard and making our own wine someday,” explains Dara.

Dara and Scott farm their 1,700 vines organically, with help from Mike Nuñez of Nuñez Vineyard Management. They’ve named it Figure 8 Vineyard, a nod to Dara’s former life as a competitive figure skater. Figures are an essential discipline that teach young skaters the foundations of edging, Dara explains. And since this is the family’s first foray into growing grapes, they say the name also represents newness, abundance, and love. They’re hoping for their first full crop next fall. “We can’t wait to get our allocation of wine made with Figure 8 Vineyard fruit,” says Dara.

Raised veggie beds, left, contain deep, rich soil for kale, salad greens, chives, and other crops. Below, the Potter family’s three active kids are back and forth all day from the patio to the pool.

The process of choosing which varietal to grow was as thoughtfully considered as the vineyard’s name. “Even though Sonoma is known for Pinot and Chardonnay, we wanted to do something different,” says Scott. Mike Nuñez introduced the couple to the folks at nearby Anaba Wines, who also weighed in on choosing the varietal and rootstock. So committed were Dara and Scott to their winegrape research that pre-pandemic, they traveled to France’s Rhône Valley and Spain’s Priorat region, both areas where Grenache Noir is widely grown. “Turns out, the grape fit very well with the soil composition at our property,” says Scott.

When they bought the home, the existing landscaping was minimal, with a lot of economical bark used as groundcover. Paul Rozanski of Rozanski Design helped the couple envision different outdoor spaces—a veritable Potter wish list that included a small soccer field, bocce area, outdoor kitchen, and space for veggies, olives, and fruit trees in addition to the vineyard. Part of the plan was to execute the design in stages, over time, so that the space could evolve as the family’s needs did.

Clockwise from above: Sonoma’s Rozanski Design planned the landscape, including classic pairings such as grasses and olive trees. Miles, 13, practices soccer on a small, water-wise lawn. The family’s fig trees produce their second crop in fall.

During the initial design, Rozanski took Dara and the kids to Sweet Lane Wholesale Nursery in Santa Rosa to help choose trees and grasses. “One of the most memorable moments was when Paul asked Rhea to pick out a plant of her own,” remembers Dara. “She chose a mulberry tree, and I smile every time I pass ‘Rhea’s tree.’ ” And Dara and Scott adore Japanese maples, so Rozanski made sure a handful of Acer palmatum ‘Emperor One’ made the final design.

Mulberries, lettuces, and especially figs all end up going from straight from the garden to the family’s dinner table, says Dara. “We put figs on everything, whether it’s a cheese platter, salad, fig jam, marmalade for pork…figs are a favorite in the Potter house.”

The Potters are looking forward to fall (“this time of year, the reds, oranges, and yellows around here are stunning,” says Dara), and, hopefully, being able to host gatherings again. They’d like to invite friends to join them for the fall olive harvest, helping to gather the fruit before it’s sent off to be pressed into oil. As the tail end of summer blends into cooler, more colorful days, the Potters say they enjoy seeing how the winemaking community works together to bring the joy of harvest in Sonoma Valley to everyone.

RESOURCES

Elena Calabrese Design & Décor elenacalabrese.com

Rozanski Design rozanskidesign.com

Nuñez Vineyard Management nunezvineyard.com