Friday, August 11, 2006

Frong page news!

On the FRONT PAGE of the Monterey Herald on Tuesday, August 8, 2006 our Winemaker and Viticuturist, Marta Kraftzeck, is seen kneeling next to one of our vines in our estate vineyard.

The article headlines, Proposed Pesticide Ban Worries Farmers, in which they talk about Château Julien:

"Some wineries, like Chateau Julien Wine Estate, never used carbofuran. Winemaker Marta Kraftzeck said the winery relied on resistant and grafted rootstock and sandy soils in its largely organically grown Carmel Valley vineyard.

"I think most people are trying to stay with the grafted rootstocks because it's sustainable agriculture," Kraftzeck said.

Their South County vineyard grapes grow on their own rootstocks, and they've never had phylloxera problems -- though she admitted it's "throwing the dice."

"Some people just think that as long as they keep their equipment on their property and they are isolated, they'll be OK," she said. "If you did get it in your vineyard, I think most everybody can afford to plant on rootstock."

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