Soil keeper Michael Presley holds finished compost at DaVero Farms and Winery in Healdsburg, Calif. (Paige Green Photography)

If you have spent any time around wine people, you have heard the phrase: It starts in the vineyard. DaVero Farms and Winery is taking that one step further, straight into the compost pile.

On Sunday, March 1, the Healdsburg farm and winery hosts Worms to Wine: The Flavor of Compost, a three-hour workshop built around a simple idea: What happens in soil — microbes, worms, organic matter and observation — shows up later as aroma and texture in the glass.

DaVero farm manager Andrew Beebe and soil keeper Michael Presley lead the morning. They explain how the farm builds compost, how it uses it in the vineyard, and what to look for when a compost pile is working — or when it is headed the wrong direction.

The plan is split between short instruction and hands-on time. Organizers say the workshop includes about 1.5 hours of classroom learning and 1.5 hours of field work on the property.

The tasting is part of the lesson, not a separate stop. Participants will sample two estate wines and work through aromas and flavors DaVero says are influenced by healthy, active soils.

Compost can sound abstract until you put it in Sonoma County terms: water, heat, and the growing need to build resilience into farming systems.

Research and extension agencies describe compost as a practical tool, not a feel-good extra. Adding compost can boost soil organic matter, which helps soil hold water and stay structured when conditions turn hot and dry. The net effect for growers is simpler: Healthier soils can support steadier vines through stress, especially in drought and heat.

Because this is not a sit-and-sip event, the practical prep matters. Organizers recommend bringing garden gloves, wearing closed-toe shoes, and dressing for being outside — comfortable clothes for walking the property and a light jacket for a cool Healdsburg morning.

The event is 21 and over, costs $45, and attendance is capped, keeping it small enough for hands-on learning and questions that do not get lost in a crowd.

When: Sunday, March 1, 2026, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Where: DaVero Farms and Winery, 766 Westside Road, Healdsburg Cost: $45

If you go, expect the rare wine event that asks you to look down before you look at the glass, and to treat worms and microbes as part of the flavor team.