On April 21st. Chris Benziger, vintner and winegrower at the biodynamically and sustainably-certified Benziger Family Winery, hosted a convivial afternoon dedicated to discovering the sustainably-made Benziger “Running Wild” Chardonnay at Wine Enthusiast’s chicly-arrayed Greene Street store in SoHo. Chris presented the 2023 “Running Wild” vintage to wine media and trade. highlighting the biodynamic and sustainable methods that have formed the basis of the Benziger winemaking philosophy for three generations and counting.
Mike and Mary Benziger founded the winery in the Sonoma mountains of Northern California in the early 1980s. By 1995, they had converted to biodynamic farming to practice winegrowing techniques that harmonized with and preserved the natural landscape.
Some of these methods included establishing an environmentally-supportive, self-sustaining ecosystem of flora and fauna in and around the 85-acre estate and introducing livestock that would naturally maintain the land. In 2000, the Benziger Sonoma Mountain estate became one of the first North American wineries to receive Demeter-certification as a biodynamic farm. Currently, all four of Benziger’s estate vineyards hold this distinction.
Benziger Family Winery “Running Wild” Chardonnay 2023
Production: Hand-harvested in mid-to-late September. Four months of malolactic fermentation and battonage in French oak barrels.
Flavor Profile: Medium-bodied and structured, with balanced acidity, aromas of white flowers, citrus and orchard fruit, and sweet spices, and vibrant notes of lemon zest, green apples, pears, honey, and vanilla beans.
The Benziger Family “Tribute” Cabernet Sauvignon-dominant, Bordeaux-style red blend—the first Demeter-certified biodynamic wine produced in Sonoma County—was also poured at the gathering. This line represents Chris Benziger’s collaboration with The Wine Group, a leader in wine and beverage sales, to offer quality, sustainably-produced California-based wines at broadly accessible price points.
The 2023 vintage, sourced from sustainable vineyards in Paso Robles, was full-bodied and complex, with bright acidity and tannins, aromas of mixed berries, red and black stone fruit, dark spices, and earth, and notes of ripe blackberries, cherries, plums, oak, and pepper.
It was a pleasant afternoon spent discovering Benziger’s biodynamic and sustainably- crafted “Running Wild” Chardonnay, and “Tribute” red blend at Wine Enthusiast’s beautifully arrayed SoHo flagship store.
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