.Field Fresh

Everyone who has ever planted a summer garden knows that the taste that comes with biting into a homegrown cucumber or tomato can’t be replicated in a superstore. Certainly, the folks over at Quivira Vineyards and Winery in Healdsburg, who are teaming up with chef Doug Nicosia of Sensuous Farms, just can’t get enough DIY grub.

Laura Shear, the public relations rep for the winery, stresses that the first Farm to Table summer dinner, slated for July 25, is a way to show people the ways in which a biodiverse farm and winery can give back to the community.

“Quivira is a biodynamic wine estate, and they’ve been expanding the grounds to include a working organic garden,” she says. “It’s really moving toward a European-style wine estate, where the idea is to be fully balanced and self-sustaining, and to bring back the native life of the area by working in harmony with the environment.”

The Dry Creek Valley is known for its artisanal products, Shear adds, and Quivira’s dinner is one way to celebrate the appeal of Slow Food. “I think people are seeing it as a very approachable lifestyle, and are intrigued by the idea of an entire meal that comes from one estate,” she says. “We always hear about the whole idea of the locavore movement—eat local, support local growers—and this is a chance to see what it really tastes and feels like.”

Guests will be able to graze on appetizers and crisp Sauvignon Blanc while learning the ins and outs of biodynamic farming from winemaker Steven Canter and farm manager Andrew Beedy, who incorporate beekeeping and herbs into their formula for a healthy harvest. A sit-down meal not surprisingly enlivened by Quivira wines follows. Because the dinner is held on a real live vineyard and working farm, casual dress is recommended, along with sunscreen and sturdy shoes for traipsing through the vines.

Savor the summer with the Farm to Table Wine Dinner on Saturday, July 25. Farm tour at 5pm; dinner, 6:30pm. 4900 West Dry Creek Road, Healdsburg. $105&–$125. 707.431.8333.