The Producers: Birdhorse Wines

“The Producers” a series that works to show the faces behind the folks growing the food and drink on our tables and stewarding agricultural lands. Read the other installments of the series with small farmers and producers here.

Corinne Rich and Katie Rouse are the “two fierce ladies bringing adventure, diversity, and rediscovery to California wines” and the duo behind Birdhorse Wines. Corinne and Katie are dedicated to rethinking the way that winemakers engage with grape growers and use their role to maintain soil health and steward land. They are very selective about their grapes and where they come from. They have personal relationships with all of their small growers and deep discussions about what the sustainability of each piece of land means. Most of their wine is organic, but sometimes they will work with a grower who is limited in some way — certification is too expensive, for example — so they aren’t certified organic but their thoughtfulness and dedication to the land is above and beyond. Corinne and Katie really think that sustainable organic farming is the way to the future and they are bringing that directly into their small wine brand.

While this all sounds really serious, they also seriously drive around California dropping notes in mailboxes when they see grapes they like, so they really balance the serious with the fun! Corinne and Katie are goofy, kind and thoughtful, and the energy they bring to their work is clear in the quality of their wine. Their wines are bright, drinkable and delicious. They understand that good wine starts with good soil and we can’t wait for you to learn more about them, from them! Read on below!

GG: Alrighty, so let’s start by telling us a bit about your operation: Where are you located? What do you sell? Where do you sell? How long have you been in business?

C & K: Birdhorse is kind of located wherever we are...but we actually make the wines at a facility down in Sonoma, CA. We sell 6 different varieties: Verdelho, Arneis, Rose, Valdiguie, Carignan and Barbera. We sell directly through our online store, but our wines can also be found at a variety of retailers and wine bars throughout the Bay Area. We’ve been joyfully producing our wares since 2018. We produce the wine, and the grapes are grown at a variety of different locations close by — depending on the variety and our relationship with the farmer.

GG: And how did you get into making wine?

C: I grew up in Sonoma County with parents who were enthusiastic consumers of wine, but had no connection to the industry. I studied chemistry in college, and was moving home after graduation looking for work. I found out wineries needed laboratory help during their harvest seasons, and that’s how I first ended up setting foot in a winery. After my first harvest I got out of the lab and into the cellar, and the rest is history.

K: My relationship with wine started from an early age, as forced manual labor in my family’s vineyard and winery back in my home state of Virginia. It wasn’t until I studied geology in college and got really into soil science that I realized wine could be a great way to pursue my passion for the outdoors and my love of earth sciences. I worked my first harvest in Sonoma in 2012, and went from there.

GG: And what does sustainable wine production look like to you? 

 C & K: It all starts in the vineyard, really. Sustainability is the practice of putting back into the earth what you take out of it, and being thoughtful about those inputs and outputs. We’ve worked to make sure the growers we source from all farm organically, with no herbicide or fungicide use in the vineyard. We love to see folks using compost, native cover-cropping, minimal tillage when possible. But just as important in a sustainable model is how our growers treat their people. We try to work with small operations that pay people a living wage and invest in the employees they higher for longer term relationships. 

On the winery side, sustainability for us is about reducing waste. How do we use less water, less electricity? What kind of products can we use that generate less plastic in shipping and transport? Can we use lighter glass to reduce our carbon footprint?

GG: Along with all of these sustainability factors in the vineyard, what kinds of things do you consider when making decisions about your wine?

C & K: With farming and packaging — always reducing our carbon footprint.

With winemaking — allowing the true character of the wine to express itself by being gentle and minimal in their  treatment as the wines evolve while maintaining freshness, texture and tension.

GG: And how do you view your wine as part of a larger food system?

C & K: Agriculture is a hugely impactful sector of California’s jobs and economy, so wine is inextricably linked to this. As a small brand, our philosophy in winemaking echoes  the sustainable and local agricultural movement. We work with farmers who farm sustainably, we are minimal interventionist in our winemaking practices and use USA-made glass. We strive to make the best decisions both environmentally and ethically for our wine brand.

GG: And in this big food system, do you think sustainability is accessible for everyone in today's world?

C & K: It’s all about making sustainable decisions economically feasible, so no. We don’t think it is at this point for all socio-economic groups or regions. This is an issue that continues to need a hugely group effort and governmental support to make headway in our modern world of convenience.

GG: And so what does the ideal food system look like for you? Are there issues that you think are currently being overlooked?

C & K: One that not only supports the local economy but one that supports the people who do the work as well. Paying agricultural workers a living wage--in most food systems--is hugely lacking and continues to be a large shortcoming in the wine industry.

GG: What does texture mean to you in white wine? More specifically in Arneis?

C & K: For us, texture is a huge component for making a white wine last--why you want to go back for another glass. It also just gives it that extra layer to turn it from being simple and refreshing to something a little more cerebral.

GG: How would you describe the 2020 Arneis? Do you have any go-to pairing with this wine?

C & K: Arneis is a really special variety, because it makes a distinctly savory white wine. Instead of citrus or stonefruit, it’s all about fresh fennel bulb and tarragon and green figs. And it’s got such a pert acidity and we ferment it in 500L puncheons to give it a heap of texture, so the palate ends up having this beautiful complexity and tension. The 2020 iteration is super fresh and has really expressive aromatics because of the intense heat we experienced during the growing season. 

GG: And finally… What is a favorite recipe that you are loving lately?

C & K: We love cooking up Yottam Ottolenghi’s Chicken Sofrito with mejadrah (lentils and rice). Hearty, so flavorful, and lots of delicious leftovers.

Corinne Rich and Katie Rouse are the duo behind Birdhorse Wines.We are so grateful for the time they spent on this interview and the energy they bring to new food projects. We are thrilled to share their voice in this space.