Oded Shakked of Longboard Vineyards
Tell us about the sustainable and eco-friendly practices at the vineyard: Longboard has been farming our Estate Vineyards since 2000, and we source fruit from neighbors on Westside Road and elsewhere in the county. Being small farmers who live on our ranch, we are very much aware that we are responsible for the health of the ecosystem that supports us; we drink the water from the well in the vineyard, we walk the rows with our kids and grandkids. There isn’t a day we do not smell and feel the soil that sustains us.
We grow our crops with the best methods available for low-input farming but we shy away from “green-washing” our practices or claiming that what we do is “good” for the environment. Farming, after all, is not natural but it is necessary in order to sustain the human race, we cannot feed the world’s population on food gathered from the forest. As much as we can, we use hand labor and organic inputs to grow grapes that are healthy and produce yummy, elegant wines. We let the weeds grow between the vine rows and rotate cover crops to balance the soil. We do not spray anything unless it is absolutely necessary to ensure a healthy crop. We keep ourselves informed of new alternatives as they develop and share our experiences with our fellow growers. At the winery, we process our wines minimally, most of our wines are bottled unfined and unfiltered.
Tell us about the varietals you make: Longboard is the brainchild and playground of a foodie and a tinkerer whose surf travel brought into farming and winemaking. We started our path as Syrah specialists back in 2008 but added Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir, Merlot, Malbec and others to our small portfolio as we felt they deserve a place on our table.
What are a few wines that readers should try right now?
2021 Albariño – Elieo Vineyard