Golden Vineyards and Redwood Valley AVA

Get an inside scoop on the sustainable practices and farming in Mendocino County with Julie Golden.

Today, in the never-ending mission to further explore the region, we took an alternate route back to Napa—101 South. While I hated leaving the coast, cutting over on Highway 20 from Fort Bragg (just North of Mendo) to Willits was equally as beautiful as that drive on 128 through the Anderson Valley.  Hwy 20 winds through more massive and densely spaced redwoods and gorgeous rolling hillsides spilling out into the vast Redwood Valley, another AVA in Mendocino. This region, bordered on the east by Porter Valley and South by Ukiah, is lesser known outside the area but certainly has a draw. I have the great fortune today sharing coffee with Julie Golden, the regions champion of quality standards on sustainable farming practices. (see maps and info on the region at: http://gomendo.com/category.asp?category=Regions) A few years ago, I met Julie when we were filming a segment on Mendocino for “Taste” on NBC and I told he I’d be back.
We pull up the winding mile-long driveway to her “ranch”, which is nestled high above their rolling vineyards. The house is awe-inspiring in its tasteful simplicity and walls of clear glass windows. Picture that seven-figure tree house that Architectural Digest might feature on the cover and you ‘ll get it (see pics, too.)
Julie is passionate and articulate. She’s a part winemaker and part sustainability crusader, fighting a seemingly uphill battle to put the wines of her region on the map. She talks about the term “organic” and how the government standards don’t make sense since the term mandates zero use of sulfites. Sulfites in extremely small quantities are critical to the wine’s stability, critically important when shipping for nationwide distribution.  (“Without sulfites, the wine is bad”.) She then explains labeling wine, “made with organic grapes” is the better alternative, still using grapes that are farmed organically but with the leeway to use the necessary sulfites in winemaking to help stabilize the juice. She waxes about the mis-perception of sulfite levels and  how there are more sulfites in one dried apricot than in a bottle of wine.
Moving along, we learn that Julie’s also a big supporter of bio-diversity in the vineyards to enhance the viability of the land for future generations. She’s also actively involved in DEMETER, the biodynamic certifying body (read more at http://www.demeter-usa.org/).

Currently, about 20% of the 73 wineries in the greater Mendocino region are certified organic or biodynamic, which is 5 times more proportionally than any other region in California. Many of the others also farm sustainably by choice, without certification.
Part of her mission stems from the fact that she grew up in the area and her Dad still farms grapes, not to mention that she and her husband are raising four children here, as well. With a region the size of Switzerland, the largest in California, she marvels at the stat: there are ONLY 73 wineries, compared to say 400 in the small region of Lodi. It’s a day in her life , with the farm dogs milling about, kids playing on the deck, homemade cookies set out for us and a great take away about the region, her philosophy and the sustainable focus. We share coffee then learn more about a fascinating project she spearheads called Coro Mendocino—and a taste of the wine. More later….


 

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