A Family Affair: Steve Beckmen and his father Tom (right) have seen the sensory and financial advantages to using biodynamic growth methods for their Rhone varietals.
Santa Ynez Valley (AVA)
The Biodynamic Story
of Beckmen Vineyards
One of the hardest things to do in biodynamics is to actually make the decision to try it. Once you make the decision, everything seems to fall into place. We saw good results almost immediately.
~ Steve Beckmen
by
Dennis Schaefer
April 14, 2008
In 1994, Tom and Judy Beckmen bought the former Houtz Vineyard property, consisting of a twenty acre vineyard parcel and a rustic winery, located in smack dab in the middle of
Santa Ynez Valley in
Santa Barbara County.
Tom grew up outside Chicago, working on a ranch and managing farm programs to put himself through college. But he also had an entrepreneurial spirit. In the early 1970’s, Tom founded a company called Roland Corporation U.S., which helped to pioneer electronic musical instruments, creating a synthesis of music and computer applications. His original passion for agriculture stayed with him however and, after selling Roland Corporation U.S. in 1993, he turned his attention to becoming a winegrower.
His son, Steve, also had a love of the land and agriculture. With his analytical mind and problem solving skills, he was the ideal family member to pursue winemaking. Largely self-taught, Steve brought fresh eyes and a keen palate to the task of resuscitating the vineyard property.
In 1996, the Beckmens purchased a 365 acre ranch, now known as
Purisima Mountain Vineyard, which Steve planted to Rhone varietals. Then in 2006, after a series of experimental and controlled trials, Beckmen went to 100 percent biodynamic farming at Purisima Mountain Vineyard.
Dennis Schaefer (DS): What attracted your family to the wine business?