“Sauvignon Blanc is a favorite varietal at Benziger both for its versatility in food pairings and its refreshing nature in warm summer months.” —Jessica LaBounty
The Benziger family has grown grapes on Sonoma Mountain for nearly 30 years, establishing a culture of great wines and healthy vineyards that’s made it a leader in sustainable farming methods. Falling somewhere between the larger commercial wineries and smaller, independent boutique operations, Benziger has risen to the top of our readers poll this year with its award-winning Sauvignon Blanc.
“We’re thrilled to be voted best Sauvignon Blanc by NorthBay biz readers,” says Jessica LaBounty, director of marketing. “Sauvignon Blanc is a favorite varietal at Benziger, both for its versatility in food pairings and its refreshing nature in warm summer months. It’s exciting to learn other wine enthusiasts feel the same way.”
Based in Glen Ellen, Benziger Family Winery follows agricultural, winemaking and business practices that are good for the earth and the vine, for the farm worker and the farmer, and for its colleagues and customers. Winemaker Mike Benziger and his wife, Mary, discovered the vineyard in the late 1970s and purchased the property with the help of Mike’s parents, Bruno and Helen. It became a real family affair when brothers Joe, Bob and Jerry and sister Patsy and her husband, Tim, joined the business in the mid 1980s.
Initially, they made wine the same way everyone else did, using conventional methods and treating their vineyards with pesticides. But in the mid-1990s, they made dramatic changes to the way they tended the land. Starting over, they ripped out acres of grapes and gave land back to the birds and the bees. Today, the winery has 82 acres but only 35 of them are used to grow grapes; the remaining acres are home to three insectories, animals and a variety of gardens and vegetation.
From Mike Benziger’s perspective, the key to the winery’s success for Sauvignon Blanc is its partnership with growers in different appellations. “Different vineyard sites bring different components to the final blend so we can craft a crisp, bright wine with a good backbone while not missing out on floral aromas and tropical flavors,” he points out.
Benziger has always been at the forefront of sustainable viticulture, reasoning that great wine has green values. “All of our vineyards carry a third-party green certification: certified sustainable, organic or biodynamic,” Benziger says. “Our family believes that healthy, vibrant vineyards create delicious wines with a sense of place.”
Because of their commitment to sustainable viticulture, Benziger and his colleagues have a special place in their hearts for Earth Day. On April 20, the winery hosted a seminar featuring its biodynamic estate wines led by Mike Benziger and Jeff McBride. A portion of the weekend’s wine sales were donated to nearby Jack London State Park.
But you don’t need a special occasion to visit Benziger. “We’ve just launched two more reasons to come and see us: An artisan cheese pairing and a special tasting menu that features our single-vineyard and estate Pinot Noirs,” LaBounty says. “Our Sonoma Coast and Russian River Pinot Noirs have very small productions and sell out quickly, so a Pinot-only menu offers guests an opportunity to taste through our entire portfolio.”
