CapitalPress.com
September 9, 2016
Margarett Waterbury/For the Capital Press
Dan Rinke does three sets of yield estimates each year — at fruit set, leg phase and ripening. “Accu-
rate yield estimates are deinitely an art,” he says. “If you’re within ive percent every year, I’d like to
hire you.”
Biodynamic vineyard a step beyond
By MARGARETT WATERBURY
For the Capital Press
V16-4/#7
8
Transitioning from con-
ventional to organic methods
can be daunting — but with
patience, the payoff can be
signiicant.
Johan Vineyards in Rick-
reall, Ore., is an example
of how it’s never too late to
make a change.
Dan Rinke came to Johan
Vineyards in 2007, when he
was hired as a wine grape
grower.
The owners wanted to
transition the vineyard from
conventional to organic meth-
ods, but Rinke took it one step
further, converting the entire
operation to biodynamic.
Rinke holds a degree in vi-
ticulture from the University
of California-Fresno, where
he developed a strong interest
in biodynamic, organic and
sustainable winemaking.
“The wine basically makes
itself,” he says. “But the
grapes don’t grow themselves.
They need more attention.”
Sited on 175 acres of oak
savannah and ields in the
Van Duzer corridor, Johan
Vineyards currently grows 63
acres of vines: 40 acres plant-
ed in 2002 with an addition-
al 23 acres planted in 2009.
Most are Pinot, but there are
also plantings of Chardon-
nay, Pinot gris, Gruner Velt-
iner, Blaufrankisch, Cabernet
Franc, Melon de Bourgogne,
Gamay and Chenin blanc.
“My methods lean towards
a cross-section of perma-
culture and biodynamic
principles,” Rinke explains.
“Grapes are a permanent
crop, like an orchard, ex-
cept they’re vines, which
tend to be edge-of-forest
plants. I want to start ap-
plying that kind of thinking.
With the right companion
plantings, we might be able
to decrease pesticides. Per-
manent cover crops with
different species of grasses,
legumes and cereals could
bring beneficials and work
in a symbiotic way. We need
to start thinking in terms of
ecology rather than one spe-
cific crop.”
The transition wasn’t easy.
Rinke saw a decline in grape
quality for ive years as the
vines adapted to lower fertil-
izer inputs and increased pres-
sure from weeds and pests.
Initially, he’d also planned
to stop irrigating at the same
time, but he decided that
would put too much stress on
the grapes during a dificult
time.
Instead, Rinke started do-
ing everything he could to
build new microbial life in
the soil, including fertigating
with hydrolyzed, cold-pro-
cessed ish.
After ive years, the vines
rebounded with renewed vig-
or, and today the vineyard is
lush and productive. With the
exception of new plantings,
Rinke hasn’t irrigated or fer-
tilized since 2010.
The majority of Johan’s
grapes are sold to other wine-
makers.
“I have 17 or 18 different
wineries I sell to. That’s a
full-time job, dealing with 18
winemakers, all very opinion-
ated people,” he says with a
smile.
On top of that, Rinke makes
Johan’s line of all-estate, na-
tive yeast wines. Grapes from
the site have a slightly thicker
skin due to the marine winds
from the Van Duzer corridor,
and Rinke describes the site
style as nuanced, light, and
“pretty,” with higher acidity
and lower alcohol.
“At the end of the day, for
me, it’s all about soil ecolo-
gy,” explains Rinke. “Biody-
namic takes a step into spiri-
tual beliefs, a way of creating
spiritual food for people.
“That side? I’m agnostic.
I don’t know anything about
the second spiritual realm.
Maybe when I’m dead I’ll
igure it out. But I do know
it’s a great way to build life
in your soil.”