“Terroir” is a French word which captures the special character that a geology, climate, geography, and soil of a particular location expresses in the wine that is made there. More simply, it may be described as a “sense of place.”  We feel that the Los Olivos area is among the very best wine-growing regions in the world for the production of Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Sauvignon, and we want to preserve as much of this specific terroir as we can, so that it may shine through in our wines. The Brander Vineyard strives for our methods to be environmentally sound, economically feasible, and socially equitable while growing grapes that reflect the unique terroir in Los Olivos. In terms of our everyday practices, this means that we employ zero artificial or petroleum-based additives, utilize the biodynamic calendar (which recommends performing planting, canopy management, harvesting, and other vineyard tasks according to “leaf days”, “fruit days”, “root days” and “flower days”, which are based on the position of the moon and the planets) as often as is practicable.

The Brander Vineyard has been employing many biodynamic protocols for several years. We are firm in our belief that gently working with the delicate ecosystems already present here on our vineyard, rather than against them, allows us to create greater natural balance and health in the vineyard, and, by extension, in our wines. In the long tradition of many classic European vineyards, we encourage biodiversity. Our estate has a wide range of fruit trees, olive trees, and California native shrubs and trees.  We sow nitrogen-fixing “cover crop” (the grains and legumes which sprout between the rows of grapevines in the spring, enriching the soil and allowing us to use less fertilizer), and return the pressed grape skins and seeds to the vineyard. This returns many of the nutrients back to the land, completing the cycle and enriching the earth in which we grow our grapes- the grapes which go into every bottle of our estate Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Sauvignon. We believe that the extra effort that we put into operating sustainably is reflected in our finished wines, and we imagine that you will notice and appreciate the difference in quality, in our wines, as well as in the character and ambiance of our estate.