The Vinguard
virtual Forums
Biodynamic Farming and Winemaking
Wednesday, April 15, 12 pm PDT
With Deidre Heekin of La Garagista and Virginie Joly of Coulee de Serrant
Please join us for a discussion about biodynamic farming with two pioneers. Virginie Joly of Coulee de Serrant witnessed her father converting the family property to biodynamic farming in the early 80s, well before biodynamic was part of the wine lexicon. After studying music, foreign languages, and alternative medicine, she returned to the estate in 2002 and has been a huge proponent of biodynamic farming ever since.
Deirdre Heekin has been making wine and cider in the Châteauguay Forest mountains and the Champlain Valley with her husband, Caleb Barber, since 2007. When she was buying wine for their restaurant, she noticed that all the wines she loved were from biodynamic producers, so she went to France to study biodynamics and brought many of the practices back to Vermont, where she makes celestial wines from hybrid grapes.
It's an honor to have two of the most esteemed biodynamic producers join us for this discussion, demystifying the age-old practices of biodynamic farming, its potential to address climate change, and its influence on agriculture.
There is no charge to attend, but please register below.
Making Wine Under Authoritarian Rule
Wednesday, April 22, 12 pm PDT
With Keto Ninindze of Oda Wine and Keto Puturidze of Makaridze Wine from Georgia
The Republic of Georgia has had glimpses of democracy since the disintegration of the Soviet Union 35 years ago, enough to whet the thirst of many in the country. Unfortunately, many of the steps towards a freer country have been eroded, with press freedoms and free speech as primary targets. At the same time, many in the Georgian wine community have remained undeterred, showing up to protest even at risk to their safety.
Winemakers/activists Keto Ninindze and Keto Puturidze will shed light on the current situation in their country, the government's efforts to silence them and other winemakers who are speaking up, and how they persist.
There is no charge to attend, but please register below.