Alfred White Retires

After an astounding 53 harvests, vineyard manager Alfred White has retired from his long-standing role at Anderson Valley’s Husch Vineyards.

Al first came to Mendocino in 1973, looking to find a fit professionally and culturally. The rural Anderson Valley seemed like a decent fit culturally but Al wasn't sure that a career in the local saw mill made sense.

Al explained his dilemma to his realtor - Tony Husch - and Tony decided he could use some full time help at his nascent winery. One of Al’s first tasks in 1973 was to help harvest the Pinot Noir from the Knoll Block. It was a historic event - Anderson Valley’s first harvest of Pinot Noir grapes! Al seemed to be around for many of these historic events.

Pruning, grafting, hoeing, dusting -- vineyard work was indeed full time. When Al casually mentions that a guy can prune 10 acres in a winter, he knows firsthand. Al picked up a copy of Winkler’s General Viticulture to help understand what the vineyard needed. A lot of neighborly advice helped too. One neighbor took a glance at the weak vines and suggested “you might try some water.” The vineyard perked up immediately.

However, Al’s most prescient farming decision was a rejection of common convention. Erosion of the hillsides at Husch was a looming problem, and Al correctly attributed the problem to his twice annual discing protocol. Discing is a form of plowing that is used to turn and break up the soil. In 1976, Al sold the disc and converted the 20 acre vineyard to a no-till regime. This approach is the cornerstone of “regenerative farming” today.

When neighbor H.A. Oswald purchased the vineyard and winery in 1979, Al decided to stay on. Over the subsequent 45 years, Al has worked with three generations of the Oswald Family. He tried his hand at winemaking once, but decided the vineyard was his forte.

Over the decades Al has seen Husch Vineyards and Anderson Valley as a whole come into maturity. In 1983 the Anderson Valley was recognized as a grape growing appellation: Al wasn’t just growing Mendocino Pinot Noir, he was now growing Anderson Valley Pinot Noir. Not to be overlooked, Al’s Gewurztraminer was selected for a White House State Dinner in 1984.

“Al White stands as the single most influential mentor in my career as a winemaker” says Duckhorn Chief Operating Officer Zach Rasmuson. “Al was practically minded in his approach to farming and sustainability. He was never afraid to buck trends or use evidence to disabuse me of false beliefs in the pursuit of quality and viticulture.” Brad Holstine, family owner and Husch winemaker since 2003 adds, “My job is ten times easier with Al guiding the grapes towards harvest each year.”

Over the years Al has created new overlap between viticulture and watershed restoration. Under Al’s tutelage, Husch was part of the first certification class of “Fish Friendly” Vineyards. Al partnered with The Nature Conservancy and the Mendocino County Resource Conservation District to conduct research and restoration in the Navarro Watershed. Year after year, Al donned his waders and took meticulous measurements of the Navarro River to document flow conditions.

Family owner Zac Robinson adds more praise. “We are still amazed by Al’s forward-thinking choice to take Husch no-till. When the vision of ‘Regenerative Farming’ was defined, Al had already been practicing this approach for decades.”

Husch’s vineyard plantings are known for their longevity, so it is a notable achievement that Al has been tending those vines for almost their entire lifespan. It's worth repeating: 53 harvests. That is more than half a century! Amazing work, Al.

Husch Vineyards
Tasting Room: 4400 Hwy 128, Philo, CA 95466
Mail Address: PO Box 189, Talmage, CA 95481
Open Daily 10am to 5pm (closed 12/25/2024)
1-800-554-8724
Contact Us  | Accessibility  | Trade & Wholesale  | Privacy