At this point the ‘X organic, artisan producer in Z region dominated by conventional farming and factory winemaking’ is so common it can be easy to take for granted.  What doesn’t always translate is what that really means to our intrepid organic farmers.  First there’s the fact that most of their local expertise isn’t relevant; a conventional spray solution to a regional pest doesn’t get an organic farmer very far.  Then you’re taking over anemic vineyards with weakened vines and a deadened ecosystem.  It requires TONS of extra work!  And THEN, there’s the hardest part of the equation: your neighbors and peers.  The old hands that grew up with roundup and all of the other exterminator sprays are likely to view you as a problem, even going as far as to rail against you for threatening their farms by opening the region up to rampant disease.  

 

It’s intense.

 

So when we talk about Juan Sojo and Ángel Luis González and their 38 hectares of biodynamically enriched, organic vineyards, take a second to think about how radical that is!  Their region of Extremadura is all about that soulless bulk stuff so their spontaneously fermented, artisan wines are a big deal and a great value.