Much of the beauty of Retzlaff Vineyards is due to our organic practices. Retzlaff is a pioneer in organic grape growing and remains the only California Certified Organic vineyard in the greater San Francisco Bay region.
We are convinced our organic practices with careful attention to canopy management and vineyard health result in superior quality. We believe we create more authentic, full-flavored wines with great complexity because our grapes do not have leftover chemical residues.
The clean, bright, evenly ripe fruit produces fresh, delightful wines true to the nature of each grape varietal. Our winemaker uses the analogy of an organic, sun-kissed, perfectly ripe peach eaten directly from the tree. We strive for each berry in our vineyard to be that perfect peach.
Our organic vineyard was planted on the site of a former sheep ranch and as a result, the soil had never been farmed. No pesticides or herbicides have ever been used on our land so the soil is healthy and alive. The vineyard is biodiverse and in balance. The property is above large alluvial deposits which are very rocky with exceptional drainage.
Our founder, Robert Taylor is a Ph.D. geochemist with an understanding of how harmful certain chemicals can be to our environment and our health. We are passionate and committed to organic practices not only for making superior wines but for the overall health of our community, our customers, and the environment in which we live.
