Biodynamic Farming in the Southern Rogue Valley

Have you ever visited Southern Oregon?  I had my first opportunity recently as part of the 2021 Wine Media Conference.  As a bit of geographical backgrounding, the southwestern quadrant of the state is considered Southern Oregon and it encompasses five major regions.  Our travels were primarily in the Rogue Valley.  Water is abundant and hugely important in the area for both recreation and agriculture.  The Rogue, Umpqua, and Illinois Rivers flow through the region and it is home to the famous Crater Lake.

The second day of our pre-conference excursion began at Cowhorn Vineyard and Garden, a certified organic and Biodynamic farm located in the Applegate Valley.  I wrote a post about the differences between organic, Biodynamic, and sustainable viticulture in February of 2016.  The visit to Cowhorn updated and enhanced my understanding of Biodynamic techniques.

The Cowhorn property was acquired by its original owners in 2002 and planted with its first vines in 2005. The vineyards and farm were recently purchased by Mini Banks and Grant Gustafson.  Along with winemaker Sarah Thompson, this dynamic threesome is bringing loads of fresh new energy to the operation.  The 25 acres of vineyards are planted with Rhône grape varieties, 90% of which is syrah.  Other grapes include viognier, grenache, roussanne, and marsanne.  The Applegate appellation is well suited to Rhône varieties with hot summers, moderately low rainfall (20-25 inches annually), and rocky soils.

Thinking about Biodynamic farming, at its simplest it means that “biodiverse farming is good for all creatures, great and small.”  Cowhorn grows several other crops besides grapes including both green and red asparagus, cherries, artichokes, and hazelnuts.  Nothing synthetic or toxic is used anywhere on the property.  Micronutrients are used to build up the soil and specifically chosen cover crops grow between the rows of vines.  As we strolled through the vineyard, bees buzzed happily amidst the lavender.

Modern Biodynamic principles combine technology and art.  On the technology side, special fertilizers and “teas” are developed, fertilizers adding nutrients to the soil and the “teas” applied either as a spray or directly to the root systems. An example of using art in the vineyards is that the vine canopies are all managed by hand to optimize fruit ripening. It is important to note that Cowhorn’s entire operation is certified Biodynamic by Demeter USA.

After our highly educational vineyard tour, we returned to the winery for a barrel tasting of the 2019 Reserve Syrah that has been aging in French oak for 18 months and will soon be bottled.  Next door in the tasting room, a beautiful buffet lunch awaited us, generously provided by Jefferson Farm Kitchen. We had been introduced to Rogue Creamery cheeses the previous evening and more of their heavenly blue cheeses were on the lunch menu.  There are numerous relationships within the Rogue Valley community and one of note is that Rogue Creamery provides Cowhorn with manure from their organic dairy farm for use in the vineyards and gardens.

During lunch, we tasted 2020 Grenache Rosé, 2020 Spiral which is a Rhône style blend, 2014 Reserve Viognier, and 2014 Grenache.  I loved all of the wines, but was particularly taken by Spiral, a blend of viognier, roussanne, and marsanne.  It has a beautiful floral nose with rich body and mouthfeel.  The 2014 Reserve Viognier is a big wine made from grapes grown during a warmer year. It is highly aromatic and retains a bright acidity – a white wine that can stand up to a variety of foods.

The consensus within our group was that we could have stayed at Cowhorn for the rest of the day.  Our gracious hosts provided valuable education, delicious wines, and wonderful local food.  I encourage you to add Southern Oregon to your future travel list and be sure to visit Cowhorn Winery and Garden.

Cheers to Oregon wine!