Mendocino Wineries: Frey Vineyards
First Organic and Biodynamic Winery, Near Ukiah in Mendocino County
May 28, 2007
Frey Vineyards, near the Russian River north of Ukiah, was the first organic winery in Mendocino County when it opened in 1980. There are now 15 organic wineries here, more than in any other county in the USA.
Frey Vineyards itself later introduced the biodynamic method of viniculture, deriving from the biodynamic agricultural techniques of the Austrian philosopher Rudolph Steiner. In addition to growing crops without the addition of chemicals, which Steiner believed would reduce the flavor and be damaging for many other reasons, biodynamic techniques involve taking account of the nature of the soil, the moving of the seasons and the phases of the moon, and the spiritual nature of the whole enterprise.
Whether you believe in these techniques or not, the results for Frey Vineyards have included dozens of awards every year for the quality of their wines, and the production of wines which are free of sulphites and suitable for both vegetarian and vegan diets.
When Frey Vineyards was established in 1980, they had already been growing grapes on their ranch for some time. The founders, Paul and Beba Frey, both grew up in Brooklyn but escaped to their rural retreat in the thick woodland of the Redwood Valley in the early 1960s. By the end of the '60s they had planted some cabernet sauvignon and some grey riesling vines, and were selling the grapes from these to some of the local wineries.
In 1979 one of those wineries won a Gold Medal in competition for a cabernet sauvignon wine that had been made exclusively from the Frey grapes. The Freys thought it was high time they started making and bottling their own label wine, and so in 1980 Frey Vineyards was born. The grapes were already being grown organically, so it was inevitable for the Freys that this would carry over into the making of the wine too.
The Freys learned their wine-making techniques from Italian farmers who were already growing grapes in the Redwood Valley area, and doing it organically although they didn't know it. Paul and Beba Frey figured that as wine had been made organically for 8000 years or more, there couldn't be much wrong with it. And after more than 25 years in the business themselves, they're showing that there's not much wrong with Frey's own organic wine either.
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Getting There
Heading north on Route 101, pass through Ukiah and after 6-7 miles turn off onto West Road, heading northeast. West Road becomes Tomki Road, and Frey Vineyards is at number 14000 on your left. Note that visits are by appointment only.
To email Frey Vineyards click here.
For the Frey Vineyards website, click here.
Or telephone: (707) 485 5177; toll-free: 800 760 3739
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To read about the Roederer Estate vineyard in Mendocino County, making sparkling wines, click here.
To read about the Goldeneye pinot noir winery, click here.
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