Huffington Post Article On Hopland Wineries

The Huffington Post recently did an article on the wineries in the Hopland / Sanel Valley region which we were fortunate enough to be part of. Here are a couple excerpts...

"Less than two hours north of San Francisco is a tiny town called Hopland. As its name suggests, decades ago it was a bustling community of beer makers, but those glory days have passed and Hopland disappeared into oblivion. But with the rise of organic wines and biodynamic farming, Hopland once again is on the radar for foodies and wine connoisseurs.
The area surrounding Hopland is known as Sanel Valley (pending AVA designation) and is ready for its début on the international winemaking scene. The region is a mere speck compared to other wine regions -- about six miles long and two miles wide -- but when it comes to biodynamic and organic winemaking, this valley is a giant. Within this relatively small plot of land, there are 11 organic and biodynamic wineries."


"Terra Sávia organic wines are made exclusively from their estate, Sanel Valley Vineyards, and they produce only 4,000 cases seasonally. Jim Milone shares his views on organic winemaking, "Producing organic wines is better for the small piece of the planet that we get to take care of. Well-made wine in general is a pretty natural and healthy beverage. I have been making wine commercially for 34 years now. I have always tried to do as little as possible to the wine, making it as natural as possible. This is why attention to the vineyard is so critical. Great grapes make great wines with very little intervention from the winemaker. As I learned years ago in the study of ecosystems: All things are connected." Jim's focus has been on Bordeaux Varietals but he is creating some delicious Sparkling Wine and Chardonnay as well."

Looking down on the Terra Savia Vineyard and Hopland in the Sanel Valley, Mendocino Co, Calif. 

Read the whole article