I’ve been getting a lot of questions about the effects of last week’s devastating frost at Dodon, when no vine was left untouched, despite improved cold-air drainage in the low spots and the fans running in a futile attempt to bring warm air into the vineyard.
I usually prepare an annual vintage summary in December, but life and competing demands got in the way. After an extended holiday filled with family visits, we watched the U.S. government invade Venezuela and Minneapolis and threaten Greenland. Suddenly, the operations of a small farm in Davidsonville seem insignificant.
But times like these also remind us of the importance of strong, resilient communities, whether they are based in nature, semi-natural like our vineyard, or centered on human connections.
Harvest is approaching quickly. Veraison started on July 15, which is typical for recent vintages. What’s unusual is how fast it’s progressing. The Merlot is nearly finished, and even the Cabernet Franc has begun.
We’ve received many questions about how we are managing the rise in Spotted Lanternfly, or SLF, the effects of this summer’s heavy rains, and how tariffs are affecting the business.
Just as we aim to farm in the service of nature, we seek to farm in the service of our community. In the spirit of reporting to our community “shareholders,” I offer this 2024 review. It’s lengthy, but there is much to report: a fantastic harvest, widespread recognition of our environmental approach, and the slow emergence of plans for our next chapter.
Living, vibrant ecosystems are crucial to achieving our environmental, community, and winemaking goals. Over the past decade, we have implemented farming practices that encourage diverse native and naturalized plants in and around the vineyard while discouraging invasive plants that can easily dominate the landscape and provide habitat for detrimental insects.
We were recently asked for simple definitions of common wine chemistry terms, like brix, acidity and pH. Dodon’s assistant winemaker, Kurtis, took some time to respond. We thought our community might enjoy his answers!
Polly and I were recently invited to attend the World Living Soils Forum in Arles. Hosted by Moët Hennessy, the wine and spirits division of LVMH, the forum celebrated the progress in advancing regenerative agriculture and rebuilding healthy soils. It gathered a remarkable community—growers, scientists, business people, and advocates—around the shared conviction that farming and living systems must be tended together. While regenerative agriculture as a means of improving soil health remained the focus, panels also covered biodiversity, agroforestry, water quality, and financing, with many highlighting the work of our colleagues from the Porto Protocol.