Mahogany Mountain Vineyard and Winery
by Amanda Hinds Doyle
Just beyond the snaking roads of Route 67, in the rustic rocky desert, lies a rich oasis of tasteful vino. Once surrounded by a lush green landscape, Mahogany Mountain Vineyard and Winery now lies amongst a barren, yet beautiful land. Residing in Ramona for over 15 years, the vineyard is thriving, even after the Cedar Fire of 2003. Due to Michael and Kim Hargett’s persistent tactics in the cleanliness and upkeep of the land, their vines and home were the sole survivors, suffering minimal damages. “Our whole neighborhood was burnt and our house and vineyard survived,” says Kim. While the infrastructure of the vineyards, such as poles, burned down, the vines stood strong. “All the vines looked dead—we had just finished a harvest—but my husband started watering them and they were fine.” A remembrance of the devastation lies in front of the Hargett’s house, an imprint of a car that burned to the ground during the fire’s crawl up the mountain.
Mahogany Mountain Vineyard and Winery goes beyond historic and beautiful—its qualities are unmatched. Starting the vineyard in 1997, Kim and Michael aspired to create an all-natural, great tasting “organic” wine. Beginning their journey as amateur wine makers, they joined the San Diego Amateur Winemaker Society and studied under a gentleman winemaker in the area.
Drinking their mistakes, Kim and Michael began learning the tactics that coincide with producing natural wine, including: minimal watering; drip irrigation; eliminating pesticides; and using only nutrient-rich soil from the earth (no fertilizer). They say, “Our philosophy is to grow grapes and make wines with as little impact on our surroundings as possible and live in harmony with the nature around us.”
To further increase their knowledge in production, the Hargetts took a journey across the world to none other than France, the premier stop for winemakers and wine lovers around the world. Meeting many welcoming winemakers, the Hargetts were shown the vineyards. “Somehow we met a great deal of nice people,” says Kim. “They took us into their underground cellars, and one
guy even explained how they make the wine there.”
After France came a trip to Italy where Kim and Michael furthered their wine education. Throughout Kim’s studies she came to realize that the need for chemicals could be dismissed from the process entirely, if the grapes are grown and cared for properly. “We found out how pure wine is,” she says.
Their land had many “almost” crops. The Hargetts thought long and hard as to what crop would prosper, while promoting mental and physical wellness for themselves, and also help pay for the high property tax. While noticing the dry, rocky terrain in France, Michael knew his land would accommodate the vines. “I approved the idea because it looks so beautiful.
I could envision myself walking through the vines,” Kim says.
Currently the Hargett’s vineyards are located on 43 acres of land at an elevation of 1,500 feet. Being a small family-owned business, Kim and Michael are able to specialize in premium handcrafted wine, at limited production. With Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Mourvèdre, Syrah, and Zinfandel being the main premium wines, the Hargetts put sweat and tears, metaphorically speaking, into each and every bottle to assure the highest quality natural wine available.
The wine is assured to be chemical and pesticide free, but not organic certified. The costs and regulations are too much to bear right now. Having such a small production and minimal help, the Hargetts have no time to spare. So the Hargett’s plan is to continue making their wine in an organic manner, and they will decide later on whether certification is necessary.
While some find growing organically a challenge, the Hargetts enjoy the meticulous care and production process. Leading up to the harvest is really what makes the grapes. Before Kim begins the selection process, weed abatement, accurate watering, and pest control are a few of the many issues that need to be addressed. Again, being organic and environmentally friendly makes this process all the more difficult. Michael is constantly ridding the vineyards of weeds, without the use of herbicides. Having recent problems with his mower, Michael turned to a weed whacker, making progress a bit slower.
When it comes to watering, the drip irrigation systems allows the Hargetts to conserve water, which keeps the soil dry, but gives the vines everything they need. “We want to water them as little as possible,” Michael says. “We don’t want to stress them too much, but we don’t want them getting too much water.”
Being in a remote area, the Hargetts built a well 1,000 feet underground. The well is concrete and steel, since their last one burned down in the Cedar Fire. “It’s mineral and it tastes delicious,” Kim says about the water. “In fact, some people ask us to bottle our water so they can buy it.” This watering technique has become more popular throughout the years, but some vineyards still use sprinkler systems. According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, drip irrigation systems use between 20 to 50 percent less water than conventional in-ground sprinkler systems. They are also much more efficient than conventional sprinklers because water is not lost to wind, runoff, and evaporation.
Another aspect that sets Mahogany Mountain Vineyard and Winery apart and provides a healthy organic growth is the untouched soil. “The soil is so pure. There is nothing in the soil except the vegetation,” Kim explains. “Also, after the fire, the ashes made the soil more nutritious, so we don’t have to put fertilizer in there.” Michael added that all of the soil was washed down through the valley—soil that was naturally rich in nutrients. “We had our soil tested and nothing needs to be added,” says Kim.
Going with the terrain, the Hargetts had no need to displace any soil. The vineyards move with the land, giving it a beautiful organic feel. Letting the vines grow naturally, with minimal pruning, also adds to the aesthetic and more natural growth of the vineyards. “Some, like in Napa, grow where you are constantly cutting and pruning the vine,” Michael says. “We let the vines grow naturally and we trim some, but not a lot.”
The Hargetts are lucky in that they have had minimal problems with pests. Growing without pesticides can be tricky, but the vineyards have stood strong and untouched. “Luckily the main reason we don’t use pesticides is because we hardly have any pests,” Kim says. “The agriculture department was worried about the European moth, but they couldn’t find any up here, I think because it’s too hot and high.”
After a full year on the vine and a month prior to harvest, Kim begins walking through the vineyards daily. This is one such task some might find grueling, but Kim finds it soothing. “I take samples of as many vines as possible every day starting a month before the harvest. It takes a lot of exercise, but that is good because I like to exercise in the vineyard,” she says. “So I walk through the vineyard and pick little grapes, take them home and crush them and mix the juice, and then I measure.” In this way Kim can tell when the grapes are actually ready for harvest. Harvesting the grapes too soon would be disastrous.
Even after implementing these methods, and a full year on the vine, a harvest can never be guaranteed to turn out as planned, although, after many years of experience, the Hargetts seem to have everything under control. With harvest time (generally around August or September) comes a combination of hard work with generous portions of fun.
After Kim and Michael go through the vineyards picking all the grapes that will be made into juice, their family drives in to help. “We have a huge harvest party, where we invite our relatives and friends and they come help harvest,” Kim says. “The good news is that because the vineyards are not very big, it only takes about 50 people and a couple hours at most, and then we have a feast for them.” From planting the new vines to crushing the grapes, everyone has fun getting their hands dirty.
In total, from vine to bottle, the process takes about two or three years.
Not only is the vineyard and winery a hot spot for wine connoisseurs, it is eco-friendly and provides an excellent firebreak for the small community. Michael explains, “Everyone around here likes that we are growing grapes because this road is the only way out of here, so people really like that this is opened up to agriculture and it makes for a firebreak.”
In November 2010, Mahogany Mountain opened a tasting room to the public where 2007 and 2008 varietals can be enjoyed. Extravagant handcrafted wood doors (made by Michael) open up to the serene beauty of the mountains, where wine can be enjoyed while taking in the majestic beauty all around.
Sipping each glass of refreshing wine, one can rest assured that it is perfectly organic, chemical and pesticide free.
The Hargetts are genuinely passionate about their wine. Speaking so highly of one another and their family for helping, they are thrilled to complete each process along the way. Kim and Michael take pride in the uniqueness of the winery for using all of their own grapes—none are bought. “We are one of the few wineries that go from A to Z using our own grapes for all of our wine,” Kim says. “Other places buy some of their other grapes.”
Kim and Michael hope to grow and spread the production and expansion of their wine and vineyard. “If we expand any bigger we would have to hire help,” says Kim. “But then again, that would be a good thing.”Mahogany Mountain Vineyard and Winery is located in Ramona, CA. For directions and more information, visit their Web site at www.mahoganymountain.com. Make sure to check out their 2007 Syrah, which recently won gold at the Finger Lakes International Wine Competition, which covers 30 countries and 50 states. Also join their wine club online for great deals and information at no cost.
Amanda Hinds Doyle is a graduate from Kent State University with a bachelor’s degree in Journalism and Mass Communication. She is currently a staff writer for Vision Magazine and the Go Green blogger for Examiner.com. Contact her at amandahinds@visionmagazine.com.
