Grahm to breed 10,000 new grape varieties

“Rhone Ranger” Randall Grahm has launched a crowd funding campaign to create “the first New World grand cru” and breed 10,000 entirely new grape varieties.

Randall Grahm. Photo credit: Sara Remington

Over $25,000 of the target $350,000 has been raised via online platform Indiegogo within 24 hours of the campaign going live in response to Grahm’s vision of producing “a wine of unprecedented complexity and harmony” at his “enchanted” Popelouchum property in San Juan Bautista, California.

Launching his bid, Grahm, who has spent the last 30 years running Bonny Doon Vineyard in Santa Cruz, explained: “I’m looking to change the wine industry in a big way. It is part of my life’s work to continue to push the boundaries of this very conservative business.”

He described Popelouchum, whose name means “paradise” as “representing the fulfilment of my lifetime dream of finding a site that speaks to my heart, where I might grow grapes expressive of unique and distinctive terroirs. I first saw Popelouchum in my dreams before I observed it in ‘ordinary reality.’ It’s where my legacy can live on long after I’m gone.”

As for his plan to add significantly to the 1,368 varieties documented in Wine Grapes, Grahm outlined a mission “to incorporate the features of disease and drought resistance into the vine offspring, making them more sustainable, in light of global climate change, and ongoing impact on the planet.”

Popelouchum. Photo credit: Ryan Woodhouse

At a time when the world’s vineyards are showing greater homegenity in terms of grape variety, Grahm confirmed his intention to make these new plants available to viticulturalists, noting: “Greater diversity will make the world a more interesting place.”

If the fundraising campaign is successful, Grahm outlined a plan that will begin with the construction of a greenhouse to cultivate these new varieties. He will also plant “approximately 45 acres” of Rhône varieties, as well as some “extremely promising” Italian ones.

To complement the vineyards, Grahm hopes to plant a 5-acre garden on-site with a view to creating a pop-up dining experience. In addition there are plans to promote biodiversity further through plantings of fruit trees and flowering shrubs within the vineyard.

Depending on the size of their donation, those supporting the cause will be rewarded with an invitation to the launch party in 10 years time, a wine tasting webinar with Grahm, the chance to name one of the new grape varieties and a tour of Popelouchum.

Concluding his appeal, Grahm observed: “The wine world, especially our local corner of it, is congested with far too many wines, many of which taste more or less the same, but there is certainly always room for something that is startlingly original and soulful.”