Feathered Rhone Rangers

At Wawawai Canyon, we're proud of the sustainable practices we incorporate into doing business. That's why, in addition to making the most of a natural, native cover crop and a small flock of two Old English Babydoll Southdown sheep we incorporate domestic turkeys into the management of our vineyard. The turkeys roam the Wawawai Canyon Vineyard as soon as they're too large to be easily carried off raptors—around late spring. Naturally omnivorous, these feathered Rhone rangers delight in feasting on all sorts of vineyard pests from grasshoppers to army cut worms. In addition to providing valuable fertilizer, they are content to snack on a host of vegetation...prickly lettuce, dandelion and other notorious annual weeds.

As the grapes begin to change color in early July to mid-August (know as Veraison), the turkeys must be monitored closely. Once they take an interest in the ripening grapes, they are moved to a large pen near the winery. There they are blissfully fattened on a rich mixture of pomace (the solid remains of grapes, consisting of skins and seeds, pressed off after fermentation) and grain. If the grape variety is particularly dark—like Syrah or Barbera, the consumed pomace will sometimes leave their breast meat stained with streaks of purple. The turkeys, happy and modestly drunk 'till Thanksgiving...have enjoyed a fine, full and free-range life. That is, or a turkey.