Welcome to San Luis Obispo Wine Country

Though sustainable, organic and biodynamic vineyards—methods of farming the land that are thought to be healthier for the earth, animals and us—are catching on throughout the wine industry, Pipestone Vineyards in San Luis Obispo, California are taking it one step further: Feng Shui vineyards.

There’s nothing left to chance in Pipestone’s vineyards—from the placement of the vines, to how they’re irrigated, when they’re pruned, to the placement of certain talismans around the vineyard to promote luck, bounty and the health of the crop. In what Jeff Pipes believes to be the only Feng Shui vineyard, the elements of earth, wind, and water are put into careful harmony according to the rules of this most ancient Chinese practice.

Pipes wasn’t so sure in the beginning. It was his partner, Florence Wong, who came up with the idea. After spending much of her life in Hong Kong (where just about everything from homes to offices are set up to create the ideal balance of energy through the principles of Feng Shui), it seemed like a logical step to incorporate the practice into the vineyards, which are also organic.

After spending years as an environmental engineer and lawyers, Pipes knew that many of the chemicals he’d been exposed to in his work—some of which also turn up in the pesticides and fertilizers used in agricultural work—weren’t doing him, or anyone much good. So he decided to purchase a vineyard near Paso Robles where he could practice farming in the style of his grandfathers, with a lot of back-breaking work, natural methods and little help from anyone, or anything (like synthetic chemicals), outside of his family. And Feng Shui, with its idea that every action we take has an effect—either good or bad—seemed to fit right in with his philosophy.

Pipestone remains a small, family-run winery, focused on Rhone varietals like Syrah, Viognier, Grenache, Zinfandel and Red Blends. The winery is available for tours and tasting, with prior notice.