Bonterra Pinot Noir – Regenerative Organic Certified Wine

It’s become almost ubiquitous for wine producers to talk about sustainability. I appreciate the fact that producers recognize the importance of it, but I often find myself skeptical. Anyone can claim to practice sustainability. There is no legally-binding definition for sustainability and it’s totally plausible that some producers could use the term as a part of their marketing & PR messaging but not really do much to actually deliver on the promise of sustainability. For that reason, I’m much more impressed with producers who get third-party certifications to verify their sustainability practices.

One of the emerging certifications in the industry, started just in 2017, is called Regenerative Organic Certified (ROC). The idea of “regenerative” is to not just minimize or eliminate the negative impacts of farming, but to improve the quality of our environment through farming practices. How is that possible? First and foremost, regenerative agriculture focuses on soil health and approaches farming from the perspective that creating the ideal, natural conditions for plants to thrive is the best way to produce a high quality crop. This seems like it should be intuitive, but much of modern agriculture has abandoned this philosophy in favor of using chemicals to sustain crops.

What will likely surprise many people is that regenerative agriculture is also our greatest opportunity to capture carbon (in the soil) and reverse global warming. And there are even more benefits beyond those. When you learn what’s possible through regenerative agriculture, if you’re like me, you’ll be filled with hope and become obsessed with wanting to spread the word and help make this the standard practice everywhere. And you’ll want to buy products produced through regenerative agriculture whenever possible!

A really good documentary came out a few years ago called Kiss the Ground, which explains regenerative agriculture and the possibilities it brings. This documentary is not focused on vineyards specifically, but all agriculture. It’s well made and eye opening. You can watch the full documentary on Netflix or rent it on Vimeo. Here’s the trailer from that movie, which will give you just a taste of what regenerative agriculture is about:

ROC is a certification for farmers practicing regenerative agriculture, as explained in Kiss the Ground, but ROC even goes beyond the soil to include three pillars: 1) Soil Health, 2) Animal Welfare, and 3) Social Fairness.

Regenerative Organic Certified Wine Production

At the time I’m writing this, only a handful of wine producers have earned the Regenerative Organic Certified designation and they all happen to be producers I already hold in high regard for their sustainability practices. Those include, Tablas Creek in Paso Robles, CA, Troon Vineyard in Applegate Valley, OR, Bonterra in Mendocino County, CA and Domaine Bousquet in Mendoza, Argentina.

I have visited Tablas Creek and Troon. And I’ve previously written about all of these producers, with the exception of Bonterra. So, it’s time to change that and take a look at Bonterra.

A few weeks ago I had a chance to connect with Joseph Brinkley, Director of Regenerative Farming at Bonterra. Brinkley has a Bachelor of Science in Horticulture and additional education in Biodynamics from Virginia’s Josephine Porter Institute. He leads the Regenerative and Biodynamic practices at Bonterra.

In addition to ROC, all of the producers I mentioned above are also Biodynamic certified or working towards that certification. There is certainly a lot of overlap between the practices involved in Biodynamic farming and regenerative agriculture. Both require organic farming methods and focus heavily on soil health.

I asked Brinkley what distinguishes ROC from Biodynamic and why Bonterra felt it was important to become Regenerative Organic Certified. He emphasized the pillars of ROC and particularly how the Social Fairness pillar distinguishes this certification — extending the requirements of their practices well beyond the vineyard. He also feels that the rigor required to earn ROC status makes it one of the most meaningful certifications producers can acquire.

Another difference he highlighted is that ROC doesn’t require the use of specific preparations as is required in Biodynamic operations.

Some of Bonterra’s ROC practices in the vineyard, Brinkley shared with me, include the integration of sheep with the vineyard to improve biodiversity, the use of cover crops and the use of compost to improve the biology within the soil. All of these practices help nurture soil health.

The biology of the soil is a significant part of regenerative agriculture. Soil is considered a living organism, and having the right microorganisms in the soil helps create healthy plants.

You are likely familiar with the idea of a microbiome in your body. It’s a community of microorganisms that aid your body with digestion, metabolism, immune response and other things. Ultimately, a healthy microbiome is essential for good health. Soil health works similarly. Microorganisms in the soil help plants intake nutrients and protect plants from other, detrimental organisms. The practices involved in regenerative agriculture enhance the biology of the soil by helping the right microorganisms thrive.

Producers who have earned the Regenerative Organic Certification have to prove they are employing these practices in support of soil health, animal welfare and social fairness. This is verified through a yearly inspection, which includes a visit to the vineyard and wine production facilities, interviews with staff and reviews of documentation.

As a new certification for Bonterra, the bottles on the shelf may not yet have the ROC designation printed on the labels. But you should start seeing it soon.

Bonterra Pinot Noir

You might be inclined to think that a wine produced with such rigorous practices could be cost prohibitive, but you would be mistaken. Bonterra Pinot Noir, made with organic grapes, retails for merely $18. That’s a good price for any well-made Pinot Noir and an outright bargain for one that also helps heal our planet!

Of course, you also want that wine to be delicious… and this one definitely is.

This wine is labeled as “made from organic grapes” versus being labeled as “organic wine.” This is a common labeling designation due to the use of sulfites to preserve wine and extend its shelf life. Organic labeling regulations in the US do not allow wine with sulfites added to be labeled as “organic wine.”

Tasting Notes

Spice aromas, like vanilla, cedar and sage, are the dominant feature on the nose of this Pinot Noir. It also offers some fruit aromas, such as strawberry, raspberry and cherry. On the palate the fruit dominates, offering cherry, raspberry and strawberry flavors along with vanilla and coffee spice notes. There’s enough acidity to add a brightness to the palate. Soft tannins give a nice mouth feel and a touch of bitterness on the finish.

Wine: Bonterra Pinot Noir
Varieties: 100% Pinot Noir
Vintage: 2021
Alcohol: 13.2%
Rating: 88
Average price: $18.00
Disclosure: This wine was received as a media sample.