If you were a bee, where would you want to land?
Winemaker Paul Dolan figured: on a California poppy.
So he planted 'em on his vineyards. And he figured too—heck, in addition to deterring the decline of the bees—he might as well take on the challenge of, well, the entire ecosystem.
Yep, that's Paul.
Paul Dolan Winery
and its sister, Parducci, are the nation's first carbon neutral wineries. They run via green power: the wind, the sun, the stuff (French fries, anyone?) that goes into making the biodiesel that powers the winery equipment and vehicles. They reclaim 100 percent of the water used in winery operations and compost about 2 million pounds of pomace a year. Their wine labels are made from recycled paper and use soy inks; their bottles are placed in recycled cardboard boxes for shipping.
And there's so much more still, to say. His tanks are cleaned with water and steam instead of chemicals. His vineyards are certified organic or biodynamic (yes, and when was the last time you filled a cow horn with manure, then planted it to revitalize the soil?). When you visit, you'll see goats, instead of lawn mowers. You'll see chickens pecking at insects instead of sprayers spritzing insecticide.
And then you'll taste the wine. And—especially if you're tasting the biodynamic Paul Dolan Vineyards 2006 Deep Red or 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon, as we did—you'll never again have to wonder whether all of the above matters.
Because you'll already know.