Why can’t winemakers own the land they use?

Check out Jon Bonné’s piece in the SF Chronicle about winemakers owning their vineyards. Farming is the most important thing we do. The more work that goes into growing the grapes the less work we have to do in the cellar.

Here is what he says about us:

AND IN SANTA BARBARA, GAVIN CHANIN HAS A PERFECT HYBRID SETUP: HE BUYS FRUIT FROM TOP VINEYARDS, INCLUDING BIEN NACIDO AND LOS ALAMOS. BUT HE PAYS A KEENER EYE THAN MOST TO FARMING, OFTEN CHECKING GRAPES WEEKLY TO ENSURE THEY GET PICKED AT JUST THE RIGHT MOMENT. AND CHANIN MIGHT HAVE THE BEST BRIDGE BETWEEN GROWING AND WINEMAKING: HIS DAY JOB FOR AU BON CLIMAT AND QUPÉ PUTS HIM RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF BIEN NACIDO, WHERE HE CAN SEE THE MILLER FAMILY’S TALENTED FARMING ON A DAILY BASIS AS HE GOES TO WORK.

YET THERE’S STILL THAT GAP BETWEEN WINEMAKING AND FARMING — ALTHOUGH CHANIN HAS FOUND A WAY TO PAY CLOSER ATTENTION TO HIS GRAPES THAN MANY ESTATE WINEMAKERS.