Finding
Balance in the Vines: Richard Sanford & Alma Rosa Winery
Richard
Sanford returned from the war in Vietnam as a pacifist. He wanted
to do something more earthly, something that brought him closer
to nature. During his time in the service, Richard had been
exposed to some excellent French wine, and now, looking to bring
himself a sense of balance, peace, and connection to the earth,
he wondered about growing grapes in California. Thus, his journey
into wine began driving up and down the coast with a thermometer
in his car. The readings he took during those drives led him
to the Santa Rita Hills, a region that was yet to be born as
a prized wine producing area. After finding investors to back
his venture and waiting five years for the vines to produce
quality fruit, Richard had a first vintage of Pinot Noir to
offer in 1976 for Sanford Winery.
As
time went by, Richard found himself drawn more and more to ideas
of Taoism, particularity the notions of balance in nature. Rather
than trying to manipulate nature, Richard began to feel that
it was best to work in harmony with it. However, during this
period, the use of chemicals in the vineyards was common, and
the idea of forgoing them was an uncomfortable thought for many
in the wine business. Thus, for a long time, Richard farmed
in the same fashion as everyone else, using chemicals to control
weeds and to kill insect pests. As time passed, though, Richard
began to have doubts about the safety and environmental impact
of such methods. Organic farming techniques offered Richard
a path to achieve his ideals, but organic farming wasn't widely
practiced. Still, Richard was determined to change. His commitment
was such that, he even dissolved two partnerships because of
differing views on the matter. Despite being a pioneer in the
region back in the 70_s, Richard wasn't able to open up a winery
that followed all of his earth-friendly ideas until 2005. That's
when the Alma Rosa Winery came to be. Richard and his wife,
Thekla, have relied on only organic farming techniques in their
vineyards ever since. It's more widely practiced today as the
popularity of earth-friendly farming has grown a steadily in
the past few years.
Outside Alma Rosa Winery
Even
just six years ago, earth-friendly farming practices weren't
nearly as common throughout the wine industry. At the time,
most wines produced from organically grown grapes also followed
USDA standards for organic wine and contained no sulfides. (Sulfites
in wine suck up oxygen, which allows the wine to have a longer
shelf life. To reach a level that's high enough to effectively
preserve the wine, sulfites have to be added. Because the addition
of extra sulfites is artificial, it was decided these wines
would not qualify as organic.) Things have changed since then.
Now,
there are three other earth-friendly techniques which are fairly
common in the industry. In addition to sulfite-free organic
wine that carries the USDA organic seal, there are also wines
made from organically grown grapes. These wines have sulfites
added to them, so the USDA doesn't consider them organic, but
the vineyards used to produce the wine have been certified by
the CCOF (California Certified Organic Farmers). A second category
of wines are those produced using bio-dynamic farming methods,
which, in a nutshell, is a specific type of organic farming
using natural sprays made from the surrounding land and animals.
The final category is sustainably produced wine. These methods
are not as defined, but often involve earth, as well as people
friendly practices. Sustainably farmed vineyards aren't necessarily
organic. They'll use what have been deemed as "low risk"
man made sprays. There's a great deal of ambiguity about what
sustainably farming means. Thus, unless a vineyard is certified
by an outside authority with written standards of certification,
it's hard to know exactly what farming techniques are being
employed. Simply put, if you want to support wineries engaging
in earth-friendly practices, look for a third party certification
on their bottles or on their website. It's much easier than
trying to understand the various different farming methods.
The movement toward environmentally sound production in the
wine industry has been gaining popularity, but the changes haven't
been embraced by every grower. "Farming without chemicals
requires thinking outside the box and being creative with solutions
sometimes," Richard explains. There is a degree of uncertainty
when it comes to earth-friendly farming, and that scares some
growers away from seeking certification, whether it's sustainable,
organic, or bio-dynamic. But Richard feels strongly that the
industry has to continue moving in a more environmentally conscious
direction, and growers need to begin shifting away from dependency
on chemicals. For many producers, it's not a shift that can
be made unless the customers are willing to follow. It may mean
paying a bit more for a bottle of wine, but when weighed against
the greater cost of damaging the environment, a few extra dollars
doesn't seem so bad. For Richard, there's hope, though. "I
really see young people starting to care more. It matters to
them where things they put into their bodies come from and how
they are produced."
Read
reviews of Alma Rosa's Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir,
and Chardonnay.
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Alma
Rosa 2009 Pinot Blanc
Grape(s):
Pinot Blanc
Winery: Alma Rosa
Region: Santa Barbara
Year: 2009
Special Designation: (none)
Price: 15-20 Review:
Swirling a glass releases aromas of honey, citrus fruit,
floral notes, and a bit of nuttiness. On the palate, flavors
of peach, floral suggestions, citrus hints, and a few
nutty notes emerge. A nicely balanced wine, try a bottle
if you like floral, fairly dry wines.
Rating: 88
Character: bright mouthfeel,
crisp acidity, light fruit,
Farming Certification: CCOF Organically
Grown Grapes |
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Alma
Rosa 2009 Pinot Gris
Grape(s):
Pinot Gris
Winery: Alma Rosa
Region: Santa Barbara
Year: 2009
Special Designation: (none)
Price: 15-20
Review:
On the nose, aromas of melon, peach, and citrusy notes
are accented by floral hints. A sip reveals flavors of
grapefruit, peach, and melon, complicated by mineral and
floral suggestions. A lovely, bright, crisp wine, try
it if you like lively, dry whites.
Rating: 88
Character: bright, crisp
acidity , light fruit
Farming Certification: CCOF Organically
Grown Grapes |
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Alma
Rosa 2008 Pinot Noir
Grape(s):
Pinot Noir
Winery: Alma Rosa
Region: Santa Barbara
Year: 2008
Special Designation: (none)
Price: 30-35
Review:
Lots of red berries show up on the nose, complicated by
notes of smoked meat, spice, and earthy suggestions. On
the palate flavors of cherries, raspberries, and cranberries
move into hints of smoked meat and spice. A nice, approachable
wine with balanced acid, try it if you like fairly dry,
friendly Pinot.
Rating: 87
Character: red fruit,
light tannins, light mouthfeel
Farming Certification: CCOF Organically
Grown Grapes |
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Alma
Rosa 2008 Chardonnay
Grape(s):
Chardonnay
Winery: Alma Rosa
Region: Santa Barbara
Year: 2008
Special Designation: (none)
Price: 15-20
Review:
On the nose, citrus notes, pineapple, and hint of oak
can be discovered. A sip reveals flavors of lemon, grapefruit,
tart pineapple, and a hint of minerals. If you're not
a fan of oak, but like clean, crisp and citrusy, try this
chardonnay.
Rating: 89
Character: bright fruit,
fresh acidity, crisp mouthfeel
Farming Certification: CCOF Organically
Grown Grapes |
With
Alma Rosa Winery, Richard will continue to
help lead the way towards better farming practices for the planet,
and its tough to bet against his cause. Back in the 70_s he
saw the opportunity to grow Pinot Noir where almost no one else
had, and it's become one of the most revered varietals in the
market today. Given that record, along with his faith and commitment
to earth-friendly farming, it would be no surprise if wine produced
from organically and sustainably farmed grapes become the next
revered items in the world of wine. It's a long way to have
come for a guy who was simply looking for some balance in his
life. Thankfully, for himself, and for us, Richard found it.
Read
reviews of Alma Rosa's single vineyard Pinot Noir and
Chardonnay
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Alma
Rosa 2008 La Encantada Pinot Noir
Grape(s):
Pinot Noir
Winery: Alma Rosa
Region: Santa Barbara
Year: 2008
Special Designation: La Encantada Vineyard
Price: 40-45
Review:
Lovely aromas of plum and cherry are accented by suggestions
of pepper and anise on the nose. Flavors of plum, black
cherry, and raspberry, dominate the palate, with notes
of pepper and a bit of earth of earth rounding out the
profile. A layered, lush wine with a nice acidity, try
if you like lively Pinots with darker fruit flavors.
Rating: 90
Character: red fruit,
light tannins, supple mouthfeel
Farming Certification: CCOF Organically
Grown Grapes |
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Alma
Rosa 2007 El Jabali Vineyard Chardonnay
Grape(s):
Chardonnay
Winery: Alma Rosa
Region: Santa Barbara
Year: 2007
Special Designation: El Jabali Vineyard
Price: 15-20
Review:
SAromas of pineapple, vanilla, and a bit of lemon bring
life to a glass. A sip offers flavors of lemon zest, vanilla,
and pineapple. A fairly creamy, lush Chardonnay with nice
amount of oak influence, it still retains a lovely bit
of acidity. Try a bottle if you enjoy a harmonious balance
of vanilla and brightness.
Rating: 90
Character: lush fruit,
round mouthfeel, balanced acidity
Farming Certification: CCOF Organically
Grown Grapes |
96
— 100 |
Spectacular |
92
— 95 |
Outstanding |
89
— 91 |
Great |
85
— 88 |
Good |
81
— 84 |
Solid |
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By
Jason Barlow
ww.almarosawinery.com/
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