This is part two in a 3 part ‘blog series’ about the rise of organic and biodynamic practices in the world of wine in honor of Earth Day! Check in later in the week for more about this growing trend. Want to check out some of these wineries for yourself? Join me for my upcoming Yoga & Wine retreats to Napa & Italy which feature visits to some of the wineries that I discuss here in person.
Daydream Believer
Farming organically was not a marketing decision for self-described “daydream believer” Robert Sinskey, owner of Robert Sinskey Vineyards in the Napa Valley. More natural techniques just seemed to fit with his dream of making beautiful wines in a place where his children could play in the vineyards without exposure to pesticides. “We began farming organically as a reaction to the phylloxera blight of the 1980s.” says Sinskey. “We looked at our naked, compacted soils and decided conventional farming was flawed on many levels. We felt it was just plain irresponsible to work with toxic materials when homes are so close to vineyards. I live in the vineyards with my family and I did not want to fear for the health of my children.” (more…)
This is part one in a 3 part ‘blog series’ about the rise of organic and biodynamic practices in the world of wine in honor of Earth Day! Check in next week for more about this growing trend. Want to check out some of these wineries for yourself? Join me for my upcoming Yoga & Wine retreats to Napa & Italy which feature visits to some of the wineries that I discuss here in person.
Bottled Poetry
It’s a crisp morning in early spring at the northern end of the Napa Valley. The vineyard floors form a steep amphitheater, blanketed with yellow mustard, and the air is cold enough that I can see my breath. Jerry Seps, the down to earth proprietor of Storybook Mountain Vineyard, is dressed in jeans and a cowboy hat and standing in front of me at the edge of a row of still dormant vines. As he talks about the vines the pride in his land is evident on his face. (more…)
Sally Johnson, winemaker for Pride Mountain Vineyards, fits anyone’s description of a modern day Renaissance woman. In addition to spending the last year as a winemaker for a renowned Napa Valley estate, she is a yogini, an avid gourmand and a veteran world traveler; having lived in Paris, trekked in Peru and spent time working as a winemaker in Australia. I spoke with her to learn more about her winemaking philosophy, her passion for travel and how her yoga practice helps her to balance it all. (more…)
As I prepare for my upcoming Yoga & Wine retreat to Sicily in August, I am excited to introduce the pleasures of ‘la dolce vita’, or ‘the sweet life’, to my students! In Sicily, and in Italy in general, taking time to enjoy the little pleasures of life is something that happens on a daily basis. From the long, leisurely lunch with family on a Sunday afternoon to the evening walk through the piazza, eating a pistachio gelato with someone special…it is all about the simple pleasures.
One of the pleasures that we will be experiencing is a visit to renowned winery, Donnafugata in Marsala. Donnafugata is one of Sicily’s top wineries, known for creating wines that express the emotion of Sicily as well as for the iconic image of the ‘fleeing woman’ on their labels. I spoke with Stefano Valla, winemaker at Donnafugata winery in Sicily to learn more about the winery, ‘la dolce vita’ and his passion for winemaking. (more…)
