TALISMAN PARTNERS WITH VAN DER KAMP VINEYARD

Mara Canizzaro and I were invited to introduce Talisman to van der Kamp Vineyard in Glen Ellen. We were welcomed by the bright blue eyes of Ulysses who took us on a purple blazer tour around the vineyards. Mara’s hair streamed behind her as she stood up in the blazer and let out a loud and wild "whooie!.” Ulysses drove us up to a redwood grove that was surrounded by a beautiful pond. It was the perfect picnic gathering spot with an artsy chic redwood outhouse, even featuring a guestbook. I went for a ride on the giant adult swing that soars above the pond. It looked out on the valley and upon the illuminated heart Ulysses had created and I knew we needed to partner with the magical experiences being created on this special property. The quiet in the redwoods, fresh mountain air, rambling pinot grape fields and charming barn definitely sets this vineyard on the map as a perfect destination for Talisman farm-to-table events, festivals, yoga retreats, and more.

Van der Kamp Vineyard is a multi-generational family farm. The brother and sister team, Malia and Ulysses van der Kamp, have taken the reins with a continued passion for being mindful stewards of the land.

Sonoma Mountain, where the vineyard sits, is held as the sacred birthplace and ancestral land of the Coast Miwok and Pomo tribes. The van der Kamp family devotes their lives to preserving the natural bounty, sacred freshwater springs, abundant animal life, biodiversity, and spiritual heritage of this land. Ulysses has honed and perfected his farming of Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier grapes over the past 30 years and has a renewed commitment to farming organically for the environmental sustainability of future generations. Malia brings these grapes to life through minimalist, noninvasive winemaking. She is passionate about expressing the magic of this land through wine, which you can taste in each glass.

Many native healers have come to visit this land, but one Shoshone man named Corbin Harney was particularly inspirational to Malia. He faced many challenges as a child growing up on a reservation. He was taken from his family and forced to attend a boarding school where the children were punished for speaking their native tongue in an attempt to assimilate them. Yet, upon his death, he was the last remaining fluent speaker of the old Shoshone language. He spent his entire life fighting for his heritage, his ancestral lands, and attempting to heal and pray for anyone in the world that was in need. He greatly influenced Malia from a young age, showing her the vital importance of family and tradition while caring for the land both physically and spiritually.

Malia wants to create a better world for generations to come, one in which they can still marvel in the abundant natural beauty and wonder of the earth. Van der Kamp farm is that dream becoming a reality. We look forward to sharing news of future events in this special space.