32 PUNCHMAGAZINE.COM {punchline} may be that the birds are more active in our vineyard because we are up on a hill with lots of trees where the birds hang out as compared with the flatter lands with fewer trees and birds. I know that’s true in Napa.” To maintain the vineyard, they pay great attention to sustainable farming practices. No chemicals are used, only organic elements. And while they manage the vineyard, they don’t make the wine. The day-to-day viticulture, crush and winemaking is handled under contract by Coastal Range Vineyards, who provide that service to a number of private vineyard estates in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Mark works closely with Peter Kirchner, Coastal Range’s principal winemaker. They jointly determine how the wine is produced. “We both share a common philosophy of the primacy of the fruit in that process, and the need for the wine to express the They’ve both always enjoyed the wines of Burgundy, France. Now they enjoy discovering how each vintage produced from their vineyard is distinct. To get the grape vines planted, Mark enlisted the help of a former patient, Steve Pessagno, who had worked at a number of larger vineyards. “He and I literally physically planted the grapes,” recounts Mark, who explains that the land is ideally suited to growing grapes. “It was chosen by Leland Stanford for horses and grapes in the late 19th century. It’s a combination of the soil and the light and the climate. Plus, we get coastal fog and also have great sun. You could plant anything here! And grapes are relatively drought-resistant and provide a good fire break.” To combat birds eating the grapes, they cover the vines with netting. “I’m surprised that more people here aren’t using nets,” observes Mark. “It
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