Bouchaine Vineyards Adds New Dates to 2020 Falconry Vineyard Experience
July 6, 2020, Napa, CA – Bouchaine Vineyards popular Falconry Vineyard Experiences, an exclusive opportunity to witness firsthand the wonder of nature while supporting sustainable farming practices, has added new dates to the 2020 schedule – August 30, September 27 and November 8 , full information below.
Bouchaine Vineyards began their Falconry Experience in 2018 to great acclaim. Working with West Coast Falconry, Northern California’s premiere resource for falconry education and services, the Falconry Vineyard Experience occurs in the socially-distanced space of the Bouchaine gardens where guests learn about the role of raptors in the vineyard management and in the wild, not to mention Bouchaine’s vines, terroir, history and sustainable farming.
The birds swoop through the air in a display of their astonishing agility, return to their handler, and then to the gloved arm of each guest. Guests learn about the history of falconry from Genghis Khan to Scotland and ever-forward to the United States. The falconer discusses the eyesight, flying, and hunting techniques of hawks, falcons, owls, and eagles.
With six falcons, nine hawks, three owls and a vulture, West Coast Falconry is one of the few falconries to hold a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Special Use permit, allowing a trained bird to fly to a guest’s gloved arm or a guest to hold a bird for photos.
Following the class, guests will be set up on separate picnic tables with a bottle of wine, Bouchaine wine glasses to take home, and a place to relax in the sun for a full hour after the class is over.
Bouchaine Vineyards uses falconry for bird abatement daily during the final months of the growing season, where trained falcons and hawks are used to intimidate and chase pest birds from the vineyards. This is a natural predator-versus-prey relationship that allows pests that cause damage to grapes to be removed to a different location through repeated “flyovers,” resulting in a quiet, discrete, organic, eco-friendly and sustainable abatement procedure. No birds are harmed in the process.
Falconry Vineyard Experiences are scheduled for August 30, September 27 and November 8 and include the falconry experience followed by a tasting of five of Bouchaine’s award-winning wines and a reserved socially-distanced table in the Bouchaine gardens. Falconry Vineyard Experiences are from 9:30am to 11:00am and are $200 per person.
The Falconry Vineyard Experience and the Falconry Demonstration are available only by reservation by calling (800) 654-WINE or (707) 252-9065. Guests will be advised of standing prescribed health safety requirements at the time of the reservation.
Bouchaine Vineyards has long been both critically and environmentally acclaimed as a premier producer of Estate Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Noted as the first “Fish Friendly Farming” certified vineyard in Napa Valley, and also Napa Green Land and Winery certified, Bouchaine continues to seek sustainable farming methods that elevate the distinct quality of their wines.
Family-owned Bouchaine Vineyards is located at 1075 Buchli Station Road, Napa, CA 94559. The winery is open daily for tasting and tours. Reservations are required for groups of six or more guests. More information is available at www.bouchaine.com or by calling (800) 654-WINE or (707) 252-9065.
About Bouchaine Vineyards
Bouchaine Vineyards is the oldest continuously operating winery in the Carneros District. Originally planted in the late 1880s, Gerret and Tatiana Copeland have been the proprietors of our estate since 1981. Meticulous sustainable farming techniques and the estate terroir allow for crafting award-winning Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays. Bouchaine continually endeavors to create the perfect bottle of wine embodying the excellence of Burgundy, the exuberance of California and the terroir of Carneros.
