Issue link: http://winesandvines.uberflip.com/i/66128
MANA GEMENT Tablas Creek recently purchased an adjacent 154-acre property and is currently converting its organic estate vineyards to Biodynamic farming methods. Solar panels (right) provide 35% of the winery's energy. A planned solar installation will bring the winery to 100% solar. chance for mitigating (frost) was huge," Haas says. The 120-acre Tablas Creek vineyard, which has been certified organic since 2003, is not irrigated in most years; much of it, Haas says, isn't even plumbed for irrigation. The vineyard is currently be- ing converted to Biodynamic practices. "We're curious about what the effect will be," Haas says. In keeping with Biody- namic principles, the property is now home to sheep, donkeys, chickens and alpacas. The constructed wetlands that are used to recycle the winery's wastewa- ter will be used for pastureland. The next project that's being planned will add more solar panels. Tablas Creek currently has enough solar panels from REC Solar in San Luis Obispo to supply about one-third of its electricity needs. In the next couple of years, Haas says, the winery plans to install enough panels to supply 100% of the winery's needs. The existing panels are next to the parking area; a site for the additional panels has been identified in the vineyard, in a spot where no vines will have to be relocated. ScottLabs_May08 4/2/08 9:53 PM Page 1 A resident of the Santa Cruz Mountains, Laurie Daniel has been a journalist for more than 25 years. She has been writing about wine for publications for nearly 15 years and has been a Wines & Vines contributor since 2006. Wines & Vines JUne 2012 37