People:
Ivo Jeramaz

So you want your wine to be All Natural?  OK, so do you know what your options entail?

“Another method of growing grapes and making wine…biodynamic.”

The interesting thing about this “People” profile is that Ivo is bringing a relatively new approach to vineyard management and wine making, it is called Biodynamic’s®.  This is a holistic approach to giving wine aficianado’s the most natural of wines.

Ivo was born in Croatia to a family of grape growers.  However, he didn’t plan on becoming a winemaker. Ivo has a master’s of science degree in engineering from the University of Zagreb and dreamed of coming to California to work as an engineer.

In 1986, with the help of his uncle, Miljenko “Mike” Grgich (the famous Grgich Hills Estate, Grgich), Ivo came to Napa Valley. He quickly fell in love with the scenic beauty of the area and became fascinated with wine making. Ivo decided on a career change and went to work washing barrels for his uncle. During his two decades at Grgich Hills, Ivo has worked his way through the winemaking process, learning how to make wine using art and ancient wisdom, supported by the tools of science and technology. “There’s nothing in the winery or vineyard that I haven’t done, not just for one day, but really worked at it,” he explains.

“I’ve learned more working in the vineyards and in the winery with Mike, than during the course work at UC Davis,” says Ivo.  Under the guidance of his uncle, Ivo is now responsible for the day-to-day operations in the cellar and the vineyard, including organically and biodynamically farming Grgich Hill’s 366 acres.

“Biodynamics is like going back to what our grandfather did, farming without chemicals and pesticides,” Ivo says. “Mike taught me early in my career that you need great grapes to make great wine. Over the years, I’ve focused on working with the land. Since we’ve converted to using biodynamics, it’s been very rewarding to seeing the soil alive with healthier plants than under conventional farming. It allows the wines to be more authentic—more distinctive.”

But there is still the question about what exactly is the improvement in the finished product for employing a Demeter Biodynamic® certified approach to managing the vineyards and winery.  OK, here is Ivo’s take on this value proposition relative to the consumer.  Biodynamic® benefits in winemaking 101: “Improved nutrients to the grapes which allow us to pick ripe but not over-ripe grapes which cause high alcohol content wines;  we get much improved aromatics for both the reds and whites which adds greatly to the enjoyment of our wines;  and finally, our reds have a very distinctive finish with the tannins.  These are all highly desired characteristics of finely crafted wines,” according to Ivo.

But Ivo is very protective of all Grgich certifications and what they mean to the wine consumer.  What follows is his brief primer to help clear up any confusion.  When it comes to “green”, “organic” and “Biodynamic®” in Wine Country you’d better be prepared to appreciate the nuances and some not so subtle twists and turns.  In the wine business, being “green” really refers to being environmentally conscience of conserving resources in the production of wine: water and energy tracking, recycling, use of energy efficient light bulbs, etc.  There are about 13 such wineries in Napa County who have received this certification from Napa County’s Department of Environmental Management.   This is a county designation that is reviewed every 3 years.

Now for “organic” certification.  Here comes the twist and turn and a common misconception: organically grown grapes do not necessarily make organic wine, but it is a basic start.   The USDA has defined organic wines to be wines made with organically grown grapes, and without any added sulfites. Even more confusing is that a wine labeled as “made with organic grapes” can also contain non –organic grapes.   Organic certification of wineries and vineyards are awarded per the dictates of the USDA and is independently awarded every year.  What this certification means to the wine drinker is that the grapes were grown without pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, and chemicals that do other things such as preventing mildew.  However, organic and Demeter Certified Biodynamicâ farming does allow much defined use of materials to be introduced (sprayed or otherwise applied) in the vineyard.

Now, would it not seem that organic farming is the end-all?  In fact more and more do not think so.  Biodynamic® farming of vineyards is a growing (no pun intended) worldwide movement since it started in 1924 in Germany.  In addition to the requirements of organic certification, Biodynamic® standards include a biodiversity set aside of 10% of total land, rigorous processing standards that emphasize minimal product manipulation, and perhaps most importantly, Biodynamic® certification is for the whole farm versus a particular crop or area certification as applies to organic farming. It is the highest paradigm of sustainable farming, offering one of the smallest carbon footprints of any agricultural method.  Simply, what distinguishes a Demeter Certified Biodynamic® farm from a certified organic farm is that, in its entirety, a Demeter Biodynamic® farm vineyard is managed as a living organism.  Certification is yearly and applies to the winery and vineyard separately.