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Helena, CA, August 22, 2006 - Eighty-nine acres of To Kalon-arguably the Napa Valley's most famous and historic vineyard-was permanently preserved to agriculture today, when grapegrower and To Kalon Vineyard owner Andy Beckstoffer donated a conservation easement on the property to The Land Trust of Napa County. The donation was announced at a press conference, held in the famed vineyard, with Representative Mike Thompson (D-CA), The Land Trust Executive Director John Hoffnagle and Beckstoffer in attendance. All three spoke about the need to preserve agriculture as a way of life in Napa County.
Thompson, who was instrumental in securing approval for recent legislation intended to protect thousands of acres of agricultural land and open space throughout California and the nation, briefly outlined the measure (approved by congress on August 5, 2006) and its tax provision that will expand deductions for land donated for conservation purposes. The President signed the bill into law on Thursday, August 17.
"I believe conservation easements are one of the most important tools we have for ensuring our farmland is protected from uncontrolled development,"
said Thompson. "Today, we have taken an important step toward better protecting our economy, our environment and our rural communities."
Beckstoffer"s To Kalon Vineyard is located across Highway 29 from Mondavi-Rothchild's Opus One in Oakville. Purchased by Beckstoffer Vineyards in 1993, the 89-acre parcel was part of the original 359-acre To Kalon vineyard first planted by Hamilton Crabb in 1868. In the 1880s, the wines of Crabb ranked among Napa Valley¹s top vintages. To Kalon has continued to produce some of the Napa Valley's most sought-after wines every decade since. Today, Mondavi owns 250 acres of To Kalon and U.C. Davis, the remaining 20 acres.
"In 1868, Hamilton Crabb planted the first vineyard here," said Beckstoffer standing among the vines of To Kalon. "We¹re now finishing what he started with our stewardship of the land and a conservation easement that promises to preserve this property to agriculture forever."
Hoffnagle of The Land Trust, who called the President¹s new bill "a significant boost for our conservation efforts" and "a landmark achievement," urged other vineyard owners and farmers to donate conservation easements on their Napa County acreage. Currently, 10 percent of Napa County is preserved through The Land Trust. Nine percent of the county is planted to vineyards.
The To Kalon Vineyard conservation easement marks Beckstoffer's third such donation to The Land Trust of Napa County. In 2003, Beckstoffer announced his intent to preserve the majority of his 1,000 acres of Napa Valley vineyard land through The Land Trust. Since that time he has donated conservation easements on his 44-acre Carneros Creek Vineyard and his 40-acre Beckstoffer Vineyard X, forever protecting both important vineyards from commercial and residential development.
"It¹s not enough to grow great grapes," said Beckstoffer. "You have to take good care of your people and the environment, and you have to preserve the land. I hope the donation of To Kalon will motivate my friends and neighbors to put their prime vineyard land in conservation easements."
