FEATURES

Wine Country for the Eco-Conscious
By Amy Paturel

From cars (and drivers) to restaurants, spas and luxury resorts, everything is going green! And what better place for “greening” than one of the country’s best protected agricultural areas: wine country. Both Sonoma and Napa are brimming with hotels, vineyards, spas and restaurants that know more about sustainable living than Al Gore. And yet, the greening of wine country began long before An Inconvenient Truth.

Locals, especially in Sonoma, have long been part of the “granola” subset – mulching their compost, noshing on vegan cookies, swearing off ant spray and preserving the area’s majestic redwood forests and 76 miles of coast. Hiking, horseback riding, whale watching, fishing and kayaking take precedence over DS, Wii and surfing the World Wide Web. In Sonoma, the focus is on the land, not technology, so it’s no surprise that the county as a whole has been working toward greening for decades.

“Generations of Sonomans have recognized that taking care of the land means the land will take care of us,” says Tim Zahner, director of public relations and marketing at Sonoma County’s tourism bureau. “Though more and more land has been developed as vineyards, Sonoma County has been a farming and grape region for hundreds of years. Our wine-grape growers have long realized that what goes into the ground ends up in the bottle.”

Take Benziger Winery, for example. As a biodynamic vineyard, Benziger had to meet the requirements for certified organic farming (the farm had to be free of synthetic pesticides and fertilizers for at least three years) and generate at least 80 percent of their own biodynamic feed from the farm itself. So instead of bringing in “organic” feed, fertilizers and other materials (which may have to travel across continents and burn petrochemicals on the way), farm inputs arise from within the farm itself.

“This practice involves creating an ecosystem and it requires serious commitment on the part of the producer,” says Jim Fullmer, director of Demeter, the main certifying body for biodynamic growers. “It isn’t something that can happen overnight.”

That commitment also requires biodynamic farmers to plant, prune and harvest according to the phases of the moon, taking advantage of the gravitational pull to move minerals from the roots of the vine into the grape.

I traversed the winery’s 45-acres of vines on a tram, which runs on bio-diesel fuel, of course, taking in the beautiful gardens, insectaries, olive groves and wetlands. It’s a veritable all-you-can-eat buffet for birds, bees and insects, I thought. As it turns out, that buffet is required for a biodynamic farm to thrive.

“A tightly packed, balanced system of predatory and prey relationships in and around the vineyard helps eliminate pesticides and create even stronger, more diverse systems,” explains Chris Benziger, co-founder of the winery.

For example, Santa Barbara daisies, which are members of the sunflower family, attract wasps that eat the white flies that attack grapevines. “Plus, with biodynamics, we feed grapes from the soil so the roots are forced to grow deep. The deeper the roots go, the more minerals they pick up and that gives the wine a certain authenticity and sense of place,” he says.

It’s just that sense of place that lured El Dorado’s Kitchen to cultivate a unique relationship with the vineyard, growing biodynamic fruits and vegetables on the same properties with grapes cultivated for Benziger wines. Of course, the restaurant features several Benziger wines on its wine list. That’s taking food and wine pairing to a whole new level, I think. And it’s part of the farm-to-table philosophy that embodies the spirit of Sonoma.

Other vineyards committed to biodynamic farming practices include Porter Creek and Quivira (in Sonoma) and Grgich Hills, Robert Sinskey and Araujo (in Napa). Many of these selections appear on the list at a trendy, new biodynamic hotspot in Napa called Ubuntu. Owner Sandy Lawrence imports ingredients for her haute vegetarian cuisine from her own biodynamic and organic garden six miles up the road. And yet, one of Ubuntu’s signature dishes has very little to do with produce – cheesecake piped into French Mason jars and topped with crumbles ranging from almond and herbal coffee to blueberries cooked with chamomile. Think of it as a sweet reward after practicing yoga in Ubuntu’s upstairs studio. If you’re anything like me, you’ll be chanting “Ohm” all the way home.

When you’re done stretching your muscles, there are a slew of green spas to choose from to work out any knots. One of the most interesting is Osmosis in Sebastopol, which offers unique cedar enzyme baths (think gigantic tubs filled with hot wood chips — no water required). Apparently, these baths are very common in Japan, but only one spa in North America currently offers the full Japanese experience, complete with meditation gardens, cultural landscaping and pre-treatment digestive tea. But take note: It’s not for the claustrophobic or squeamish.

Unless you’re close – very close – to your spa mate, you may want to forgo a treatment for two. Enzyme baths are side-by-side, buck naked, and in a huge vat of hot, wet wood chips. It’s unlike anything I’ve ever experienced and I tried hard – very hard – not to think about the hygiene in the tubs. Then I figured the oppressive heat of the chips would kill any bacteria, germs or other impurities. I thought it might kill me, too! Sure, therapists cover your forehead with damp, cool washcloths (you can’t move because your entire body — including your hands — is buried in lava-hot chips), but ultimately you may have to un-bury yourself to take a deep breath. Though some swear by enzyme baths, for me the experience was a little too heated. In fact, I cut the bath short and headed straight for the meditation gardens to await my massage therapist.

On to greener pastures …
Nestled on 400 acres of wine country, Peter Lang’s Safari West is quite possibly the closest you can get to Africa without a passport. It’s not a zoo. It’s not a theme park. And it certainly isn’t a standard hotel. Think of it as a wildlife preserve that doubles as an African bed and breakfast – views of giraffes and lemurs included. In fact, the preserve is home to more than 400 exotic mammals and birds like cheetah, cape buffalo, springbok, eland and wildebeest.

Lang raised a lion cub at age 14 and founded Safari West as a way to be close to the animals that were part of his childhood. His father was television and film director Otto Lang, whose credits include Daktari, Flipper and Sea Hunt, among others. Animals are in his blood. They’re his passion. He has to be near them. And I can see why.
One night, around 11 p.m., I joined a special “tour” to see the giraffes up close. They weren’t the least bit shy, brushing their gigantic tongues right over my hand to get to the smorgasbord of grass and hay. They just nuzzled in close and somehow charmed me into giving them more and more food.

Not interested in snoozing among the lions and zebra? Consider reserving a green “studio” at Solage in Calistoga. There you’ll find hemp curtains, wool throws, stone countertops and pebbled showers – all without giving up WiFi, iPod hookups or high definition cable TV.

“Our goal was to appeal to the growing demographic of Gen Xers who are looking for affordable luxury,” says Mark Harmon, CEO of Auberge Resorts and mastermind behind the Solage concept. And environmental sustainability is an integral part of that culture.

Solage pushes the envelope with natural heating and cooling systems, tapping the geothermal springs deep beneath the property for radiant energy to heat the treatment rooms and soaking pools and using passive cooling to cool the buildings. The resort boasts recycled materials, low-VOC paint and energy efficient rooms that use natural light, energy-efficient fixtures and strategic lighting.

“Average energy use in a typical guestroom is 1000 to 1500 watts. Solage rooms use an average of 400 watts,” says Harmon. “Our bellmen use bicycles and we provide cruiser bikes for every cottage, so guests can ride around the city of Calistoga without using their car.”

Actually, the highlight of my stay was riding my complimentary cruiser to nearby Calistoga for a breakfast of organic vanilla yogurt and homemade granola. This charming town boasts artisan shops, hot springs and California’s Old Faithful geyser, which erupts every 30 minutes, shooting steam and scalding water 60 to 100 feet in the air. The area is also known for hiking and biking trails through some of the world’s most beautiful landscapes, including routes along the Napa River, Robert Louis Stevenson State Park and Bothe-Napa State Park, just minutes from downtown.

History and architecture buffs will find treasures in Calistoga ranging from the 1874 Victorian known as the Elms to the original Brannan Resort cottages built in 1862 that are sprinkled around town. At the Sharpsteen Museum, you’ll find artifacts from Calistoga’s early days, including baskets made by the Wappo Indians. And then there’s Pioneer Cemetery on Highway 29, the historic and peaceful resting place of many Calistogan war veterans.

After touring downtown, hit the 20,000-square-foot Spa Solage for a lineup of treatments using all-natural products, including the Mud Bar, where therapists paint your skin with nutrient rich volcanic mud. The popular Mudslide treatment is an updated twist on Calistoga’s historic mud bath traditions and it takes place in a unique social environment where people can mingle, relax and have fun while partaking in an authentic mud and bath experience.

Not interested in getting dirty? Take a dip in the resort’s 130-foot pool (which, of course, uses an ozone-based system instead of chlorine to keep water clean). And don’t miss the opportunity to eat at Solage’s Solbar, which offers a dichotomous menu of healthful “sol food” (think lettuce wraps, carrot ginger soup and pan-roasted, line-caught black grouper) alongside more tempestuous comfort food (sliders, pork buns and mesquite smoked baby back ribs). Both sinful and slimming options are made with ingredients from the property’s vegetable and herb garden.

The options for green dining and lodging are growing exponentially. As you travel from Sonoma to Calistoga – and Napa in between – you’ll get a fascinating look at the best in sustainable living. And you will, of course, be driving a hybrid.

How to Bring Home Wine
Tips provided by Amy Graff, Best Western’s leisure travel expert and blogger at youmustbetrippin.com and onthegowithAmy.com.

You spent the afternoon wine-tasting and discovered an amazing zin. You want to bring a case home--but how do you do it? The rules and regulations for transporting a case from one state to another are far more complex than the wine itself, but these tips should give you better odds of getting that bottle home.

Check the state laws. State wine shipping regulations vary so check a reliable source on the legality of direct shipping to your state before buying wine from another state. You can get up-to-date information on reciprocal and non-reciprocal states from Free the Grapes, a coalition of wine lovers, wineries and retailers with a mission to help wine consumers get the wines of their choice, freethegrapes.org.

Talk to the winery. The winery might be able to ship the wine for you—especially if you’re looking to mail it to a reciprocal state. Don’t trust a winery that says they can send your bottles to a non-reciprocal state. If they run into trouble, you lose your wine.

Find a local shipping company. If you have to find a shipping company, you need to know that it’s illegal to box your own bottles and send it to a non-reciprocal state. If you’re mailing to a reciprocal state, make sure the packaging is adequate. For example FedEx requires that you package your bottles in molded polystyrene or die-cut corrugated units; bubble wrap, peanuts, and wadded paper are unacceptable.

Don’t carry it on the plane. Because of the federal government’s restrictions for carrying liquids onto planes, don’t even think of stuffing a bottle into your carry-on. But you can consider purchasing an FAA-approved travel wine safe that will allow you to check your bottles along with your luggage. These run $250 to $400; available at portlandwinegear.com, skymall.com, and wineenthusiast.com. Just be sure to contact your airline carrier and check on state laws before showing up at the airport with a safe full of wine.

Ask if the wine is sold near your home. Skip the hassle and find out if you can pick up a bottle at a store in your state.

If you go
Benziger
1883 London Ranch Rd.
Glen Ellen, CA 95442
707-935-3000
benziger.com

Osmosis
209 Bohemian Hwy.
Freestone, CA 95472
707-823-8231
osmosis.com

Austin Creek State Recreation Area
170000 Armstrong Woods Rd.
Guerneville, CA 95446
707-869-2015.

Safari West
3115 Porter Creek Rd.
Santa Rosa, CA 95404
707-579-2551

Solage
755 Silverado Trail
Calistoga, CA 94515
866-942-7442
solagecalistoga.com