CleverRoot

f a l l 2 0 1 8 | 7 by Jeff Cox / photos by Craig Sherod With roughly 100 acres planted to vegetables weeded by hungry sheep, the sustainable Green String Farm is overseen by Fred Cline of Cline Cellars and Bob Cannard, whose shared respect for nature elevates their farming methods to a level they call "beyond organic." Cannard (seated second from left) and Cline are pictured below with Cline's daughters, Megan and Hilary. Right on schedule in the late afternoon, natural air conditioning from the nearby Pacific Ocean came rushing through the Petaluma Gap to blow the hot day away. Those of us gathered at the 170-acre Green String Farm in Petaluma for the debut of Farmhouse White and Red wines were happy for the cool air, even having expected it: Wind and fog are the area's trademarks, with the eponymous "gap" referencing a coastal mountain opening that stretches east from the Pacific before roaring south to San Pablo Bay . The fruity blends are named in honor of the farm's schoolhouse, which attendees toured as they explored the property in advance of a family-style dinner. Crafted by Green String Farm and Cline Cellars owners Fred and Nancy Cline and bearing 2017 vintages at $10, both wines are closed with screwcaps and have sulfur dioxide levels below 70 parts per million. Their sumptuous fruit, cultivated using Green String's sustainable farming methods, make quite a memorable impression. The Farmhouse White sources a mixture of Palomino, Pinot Gris, and other white grapes from 700 acres of vineyards across the Petaluma Gap and Contra Costa wine appella- tions, while the Farmhouse Red is a Zinfandel-dominant blend with Syrah, Mourvèdre, and Carignane.

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