"Biodynamic" and "sustainable" are words that are very popular in the wine world these days. The terms refer to a style of farming that either minimizes or eliminates the use of pesticides in the vineyards. The theory is that the use of (certified or non-certified) organic farming brings out the best in the fruit by not compromising the soil or plants with chemicals that can be considered harmful.

At the Domaine de la Terre Rouge and Easton wineries, owner Bill Easton has taken it one step further - he has added a solar powered winery to the list of sustainable attributes.

Easton started the Domaine de la Terre Rouge winery in the mid-1980s with a mission to create great wines modeled after the Rhône region of France. The winery's name is a reflection of the great wineries of the Rhône. "Terre Rouge" means "red earth" in French and refers to the vineyard's soil, which is largely granite and volcanic based.

But what is a Rhône style wine and why would we want this style here in California?

In the 1970s the grape varietals Cabernet and Chardonnay dominated the California wine landscape. In the 1980s, in response to the assertion that great wines could only come from this limited list of grapes, several maverick wine makers decided to challenge this idea. Easton was one of the original of these "Rhône Rangers" to plant and cultivate vines that had been long responsible for great wines such as Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Côte-Rôtie and Hermitage.

In the Northern Rhône, the only red grape allowed is Syrah, but white wines can be made from Viognier, Marsanne or Roussanne. The Southern Rhône, on the other hand, has 23 varietals allowed - these include Grenache, Mourvèdre and Cinsaut to name a few.

The wines of the Domaine de la Terre Rouge winery follow the Southern Rhône style and are all a delicious tribute to their French counterparts.

Their flagship wine is simply titled Noir (French for "black") and is crafted in the Châteauneuf-du-Pape style. Noir is a blend of 45 percent Grenache, 35 percent Mourvèdre and 20 percent Syrah. The wine is bottle-aged for two years before its release so that its primary fruit flavors of plum and black cherry are balanced by its secondary spice aromas. The current 1999 vintage (released in October 2004) has achieved a wonderful balance between its 14.5 percent alcohol and powerful richness. A total of 900 cases were produced.

One of the 2001 Terre Rouge Syrah selections comes from the Sentinel Oak Vineyard, the oldest Syrah vineyard in the Sierra Nevadas. This wine shows a dark, almost inky, color with deep, concentrated fruit aromas. The spice in the bouquet matches the incredible raspberry flavors, smoky wood tones and firm yet delicate tannins. Like all Terre Rouge wines, this Syrah is barrel-aged in French oak to accentuate and complement the wines natural flavor profile.

A great selection for everyday wine enjoyment can be found in their Tête-à-Tête, a fun and lighter bodied blend of the same grapes as Noir. Made in the Côte-du-Rhône style, this wine sits only 10 months in the barrel, which helps bring the fruit forward; oak aging can add tannins to wine, and in this case, is not typical of the style they were looking for. This wine can be enjoyed slightly chilled on a warm day as a refreshing alternative to a chilled white wine.

The Easton wines are packaged under a separate label, even though the majority of the wines made there have the Domain de la Terre Rouge packaging.

Why two separate label programs? The Easton wines are made from the more traditional Amador County varietals such as old vine Zinfandel, Barbera, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc. The wines are made from vineyards that range from 25 to more than 100 years old.

Amador County, located 45 miles south of Sacramento, is one of the oldest grape growing regions in California with vineyards dating back to the 1860s. The Sierra Foothills' granite and volcanic soils and moderate climate provide the perfect growing conditions for growing premium grapes.

The white wine blend of Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon and Viognier, called Natoma, is crisp, fresh and dry - reminiscent of a white French Bordeaux. Natoma is the Maidu word meaning "from up river," which is where the vineyards for this wine are located. Natoma has a firm and refreshing acidity that will get smoother over time.

Of their four current Zinfandels, the Fiddletown Zin comes from the oldest vineyard. The Eschen vineyard in Fiddletown dates back to 1865 and has a quality all its own - to keep this unique character in the wine, Easton does not blend in grapes from other vineyards. This single vineyard Zinfandel exhibits notes of raspberry, blackberry, pepper, licorice and clove - wonderful now and will improve well after 2010.

The Domaine de la Terre Rouge Winery is a pleasure to visit. From the moment you step out of your car, you hear classical music accentuating the pastoral vineyard in the Amador Foothills. The tasting room is open Friday to Monday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and is well stocked with current and past releases.

Green farming, solar power and naturally delicious wines, the Domain de la Terre Rouge winery makes for a perfect afternoon out, just bring a picnic basket and someone to share it with.

Visit them on the web at www.terrerougewines.com.