feature
FOR ANY PLANT ENTHUSIAST, it’s a particularly romantic truth that the United States’ historic home of Cannabis cultivation also happens to be coterminous with its dominant wine-producing region. For fans of intoxicating substances, it’s downright exciting, not to mention convenient. And, for history and geography buffs, the fact that American weed and wine country not only significantly overlap with one another, but also got their starts in Northern California, is more than just a coincidence – it’s a testament to the special land both industries call home, as well as the industriousness and foresight of the people who brought them both to life.
The Perfect Pairing Cannabis growers and wineries embrace their common ground
In
leafmagazines.com
48
a perfect world, weed and wine are obvious bedfellows. They are both delicious and make people feel good. They come from the earth. And, for those who dare to think a little bit more about what they are putting into their bodies and why, both products evoke a legacy of taste and enjoyment that transcends just getting drunk or high – a lifestyle, some might say. Unfortunately, the relationship between legal weed and wine hasn’t always been friendly up until now. In Sonoma, Napa and Santa Barbara counties, fierce wars are being waged between Cannabis cultivators and wine producers, the latter of whom argue that Cannabis cultivation damages their agriculture and sullies the upscale reputation of the wine industry. They’re also not keen on the smell, which they say lessens their quality of operations, especially as tourism is concerned. On their side are wealthy proprietors, who don’t want to live next door to a weed farm, legal or not. Those battles are currently being litigated in the public sphere via local governments and court cases. But there are brighter spots: In late 2020, a law was passed in California, State Bill 67, which allows the California Department of Food and Agriculture to begin administering an appellations program. It will determine geographic boundaries for Cannabis producing regions, the way such designations exist in wine. Many people in the wine world were instrumental in helping Cannabis industry folks put that program, which is still in its
Stephanie Honig of Honig Vineyard & Winery in the Napa Valley, helped found the Napa Valley Cannabis Association. Photo by Devin Cruz.
SEPT. 2021
Sunstone Winery in the Santa Ynez Valley. Photo courtesy Sunstone Winery.
infancy, together. They believe that strengthening an appellations system in one industry leads to an overall strengthening in the concept of geographically centered agriculture, which is ideal from both a farming and a marketing standpoint. Some winemakers are taking it a step further, either by fully advocating for Cannabis cultivation in their wine-producing proverbial backyards, or by getting into weed growing themselves. Teddy Cabugos, who owns Sunstone Winery in Santa Barbara County’s Santa Ynez Valley, is doing both. In a notable judgment, his winery applied for a land use permit to grow Cannabis at the vineyard’s estate, which would mean grapes intended for winemaking and weed are grown on the same property. Sunstone Winery Owner Teddy Cabugos This is strictly at their Santa Barbara County property. Photo courtesy Sunstone Winery.
verboten just about everywhere else, especially in California. After a lot of back and forth with local governments and agencies, as well as his well-heeled wine cultivating neighbors, Cabugos was able to reach an agreement. In May 2021, Sunstone was approved for the permit to plant up to six and a half acres. It’s the first time such a permit has been granted in Santa Barbara County and it represents a significant step in pairing wine with weed, pun fully intended. “Sunstone is in a neighborhood with very wealthy people, most of whom don’t want Cannabis,” he says. “I had to work against seven appellates, very high-profile people, and for a year I had to work with them to dwindle down my project to something ‘respectful,’” adding that he understands he’s the newcomer to the neighborhood – having bought the property in 2019, though he’s a fourth generation Santa Barbara resident. He respects that not everyone was initially on board with his plans to grow weed, and thus was willing to compromise. Cabugos says he and his wife bought the property with Cannabis cultivation in mind from the start. “I think the wine industry missed a huge opportunity in Santa Barbara County for filing for their permits, because they have the most beautiful properties,” he says. “They already have brand names. They already have the public coming onto their proper-
