Cru Vin Bugs

I’m a huge fan of bugs. I find them extremely cool in both appearance and behavior. They live pretty much everywhere and outnumber us humans by some astronomical factor. And, most important to me, they’re environmental indicators – they tell us about the health and balance of the world we live in. But what do bugs have to do with making great wine?

A lot.
(Honey bee foraging on a mustard flower. This picture involved a little camera and a lot of luck.)


(Right:Chardonnay shoot among flowering cover crop.)

Insects have co-evolved with plants for millions of years. It’s simple -- without bugs there can be no grapevines. And the vineyard manager can choose to either fight insects, ignore them, or work with them. Sadly, most vineyards are not bug friendly. And ironically, it’s when we try to “clean the slate” and eliminate bugs from the system that problems quickly arise.



Conventionally farmed vineyards are continually tilled, compacting and destroying soil life and exacerbating erosion. Furthermore, the application of caustic chemical pesticides and herbicides kills all bugs, good and bad (you won’t find many bugs of any kind in a conventional vineyard). And since the very first invaders to a sterile system are always weeds and pests then it’s pretty easy to see the folly in this hyper-management approach to farming. Obviously, I’m a huge fan of organic and sustainable farming.

The amazing west Dry Creek Valley vineyard where I source much of the fruit for Cru Vin Dogs wine is farmed organically. In place of tractors and salty fertilizers is a herd of English babydoll sheep, which convert the weeds and grasses to fertilizer, naturally. Instead of spraying Roundup herbicide we encourage and foster a healthy ground cover to provide food and habitat to the ladybugs, soldier beetles, lacewings and syrphid flies that naturally feed on any grapevine pests before they can get established. This vineyard is never sprayed with pesticides or herbicides. There’s simply no need. This is not only a very good thing for the environment but also a very good thing for wine lovers – happy vines produce great grapes which make outstanding wines.


So I encourage everyone to give bugs a little respect. After all, we cannot exist without them. But just to prove I’m not completely bug-obsessed I’d like to close this blog with a couple of pictures I took recently of warm and furry mammals. Keep drinking great wine!

---Tony

(Left:Betty and Mowgli -- very happy vineyard dogs.)



















(Right:This lamb was born just hours
before I took it's picture. Seriously cute.)




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"Jasmine, the Mother Theresa Greyhound"

Hello Readers,
One of the benefits that have come from hosting this blog is that I get to hear so many great stories about animals. I'm a total sucker for them and I've loved every one. I also enjoy getting to share them with all of you. Who couldn't use beautiful stories like these?

I received one recently that is particularly moving. It's about a Greyhound named Jasmine, who was found in 2003, in Warwickshire, England, in need of help and shelter. She then took to mothering all the animals in the shelter, giving them comfort and love, regardless of their species. If you love animals, you simply HAVE to read it.

Check it out at:
http://www.greatpetnet.com/630/jasmine-the-mother-theresa-greyhound/#more-630

She and other animals from the shelter, such as a parrot named Barney with a foul vocabulary, have attracted some great press for the shelter. Animal shelters can never have enough support and recognition.












I'll also take this opportunity to recommend a book I just finished, (no doubt, most of you have already heard of it), "Marley & Me", by John Grogan. I've heard the movie is cute, but varies, and you can't beat the full experience of reading the novel films are based off of.

It's a beautiful book about life and love as a pet owner and it takes you through the life of Marley and all the changes the family goes through in his lifetime. From Marley's puppy-hood to life as an elderly dog, John keeps you laughing, and certainly crying. I don't recommend finishing the book on a plane, (especially in the window seat without Kleenex like I did. I was a blubbering mess with Southwest cocktail napkins in a pile on my tray table). But the tears are worth it and it's proved to be a great catharsis for many others who have read it and have also lost their beloved furry family members. See the website for the online community of fans who have found comfort in the book and each other at http://www.johngroganbooks.com/marley/share/index.cgi

All the best to all of you out there, bipedal and quadrupedal alike, and keep the stories coming!
Kristin

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