Sixteen 600 (Phil Coturri)

If you ask him, Winery Sixteen 600’s winemaker Phil Coturri might quote a Levon Helm song and describe himself as a “poor old dirt farmer.” However, after over 40 years pioneering organic and biodynamic wine-growing in California, descriptions of him range from “famed organic viticulturalist” by the Hollywood Reporter to “the ubiquitous wizard of sustainable winemaking” by Sonoma Magazine. He was born with the cultural palate of Italian immigrants, weaned on the music and ethos of San Francisco in the 1960s and planted deep into the rocky hillsides of Sonoma Valley. Sixteen 600 believes that the pursuit of premium wine begins with a vibrant, healthy vineyard ecosystem that allows vines to flourish and grapes to show the individuality of the terroir. In the decades since growing his first organic vineyard, Phil has proven that not only are organic farming practices better for the farmers and the environment, but they also produce better wine. The grapes used for Winery Sixteen 600 are all certified organic or biodynamic. No chemical fertilizers, pesticides or herbicides are ever applied. Dense cover crops and insectuaries promote biodiversity and enrich the rocky soils with vital nutrients. Part of Phil Coturri's success with his wine comes from his lean rocky soil. He does not believe in fertilizing the grapes with any type of bagged fertilizer, even organic ones. He feels it promotes fast growth which makes the plants more susceptible to insects and diseases and compromises the flavors of the wine. Instead of using fertilizers, Phil uses cover crops. Most of the grapes Phil tends are on steep hillsides that have been terraced. In new fields, Phil plants a mixture of plants to establish a permanent nitrogen-fixing cover, which also helps to minimize erosion. Yields are kept low, and vines are hand-worked and watered minimally. The result is a ripe, rich, vibrantly flavored, full-bodied wine that allows the varietals and the region to shine.Phil was instrumental in the 2013 approval of Moon Mountain District American Viticultural Area (AVA). The AVA is basically a crater of dormant volcano, which sits above and to the east of Sonoma Valley. It's a rocky terrain with shallow soils and only about 1,500 acres of vines planted.The unique logo and label artwork is done by famed psychedelic artist Stanley Mouse whose work adorns the covers of albums by the Grateful Dead, Journey, and Styx, as well as rock posters for Eric Clapton, The Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, 13th Floor Elevators and numerous others.Meet Phil in a short YouTube video here.