Winegrowing
What does it mean to grow wine?
Most vineyards are grown conventionally and that means the wines they produce become conventional. Winegrowing is an intentional way of farming a vineyard to produce the full quality and expression of a terroir and place. I aim to source only organic fruit and grow grapes in fully biodiverse vineyards incorporating various methods of biodynamics and Integrated Pest Management.
The Vineyards
Volta partners with like-minded grape growers in the San Francisco Bay Area that have dedicated the energy to farming the right way. From Dry Creek Valley to Lodi, Bay Area Vineyards are diverse in climate and soil types and we ultimately are guided by the expertise of Farmers in those terroirs. Varieties sourced are Alicante Bouschet, Albariño, Godello, Palomino, Mission, Mataro, Mencia, Chardonnay, and Pinot Noir.
The winemaker is also farming a handful of small Sonoma and Napa Vineyards covering roughly ~2.5 acres. These vineyards see absolutely minimal pesticide use and 0 insecticide use. Sulfur is used to mitigate mildew pressure, and beneficial insects are released to reduce vineyard pests. Varieties farmed by Ben are Baga, Grenache, Mencia, Pinot Noir, and Syrah.
The Greater Goal
Why does organic matter? What is biodynamics? These are the same questions I would ask friends, coworkers, and mentors because they could just be buzzwords for marketing. In truth, organic farming is difficult and the agriculture industry may have pushed science too far in an attempt to battle various pests. Chemical sprays and soil cultivation have completely decimated our native benificial insects and eradicated soil microbe colonies. By implementing biodynamic practices and Integrated Pest Management I can confidently ensure that no residual chemicals make their way from a cluster of grapes into your glass of wine.
The Winegrower
My name is Ben Diaz
Since 2019, I created Volta Wines with intention to showcase the quality of Spanish variety wines in the California terroir. Training at wineries like Kosta Browne and Moss Wood, and starting up brands like Haynes Vineyard and Trailside Vineyard, I've dedicated myself to produce wines of character and intent.
Among other things, non-wine related, I coach and play water polo, surf all along the California coast, and enjoy diving into a new cookbook for a year and letting that become my whole personality. Message me on instagram or email ben@voltawines.com if you have any questions.
Cheers!
