Animals and beneficial gardens play an important part in our Biodynamic® farming techniques. Learn more about how both contribute to healthy vines.
Our sheep are incredibly cute, but they play a vital role in Biodynamic farming, replacing the need for mowing, disking, and spraying herbicides. The herd happily nibbles their way through our estate vineyards, removing overgrown cover crops and aerating the soil – all while continuously depositing nutrient-rich fertilizer throughout the vineyard.
A small herd of Scottish Highlander cattle provides more than just organic manure, they bring a certain sense of peace and serenity to the vineyard.
If you’ve ever taken our Biodynamic Tram Tour, then you have probably seen our insectary. This colorful and vibrant garden is home to over 250 unique flowers and plants that attract beneficial predatory insects and animals to our estate, helping us to maintain healthy, thriving vineyards through natural pest control. We grow a variety of fruits, vegetables, and plants throughout the year, as well as the plants and herbs used in our Biodynamic preparations including valerian, chamomile, yarrow, and stinging nettle.
You’ll find dozens of owl boxes and bluebird nests throughout our vineyards. Birds are vital to a Biodynamic vineyard, as they naturally prey on smaller animals that can be detrimental to the vines. They help carry seeds and pollinate the hundreds of plants growing throughout the estate, contributing to the biodiversity of the estate.
Olive trees are one of the many crops (other than wine grapes) thriving at the estate. Olives tend to grow well in the same climates and soils as wine grapes, and our home ranch is no exception — we have over 900 olive trees. Naturally, we produce an exceptional Estate Biodynamic Olive Oil from the annual harvest, which is only available in our tasting room.