EDITORIAL: High-tech winery wins first permit EDITORIAL: High-tech winery wins first permit (April 03, 2002)

Where else but Silicon Valley would a proposed winery be named "Clos de la Tech" and feature cutting-edge technology that can plant vines into a hillside without plowing up grass, weeds or sod?

Meet T.J. Rodgers of Woodside, the irrepressible CEO of Cypress Semiconductor, who has his heart set on growing the world's best pinot noir grapes in a remote area of the county off Skyline Boulevard. And he is willing to spend whatever it takes to make it happen.

Earlier this month, Mr. Rodgers appeared before the county Planning Commission and received the first of three permits that will enable him to develop 70 acres of vineyards and bore three huge caves in the hillside to house his wine-making equipment, living quarters and a bunkhouse.

Clearly dazzled by Mr. Rodgers' slick Power Point presentation, the commissioners watched as the main features of the project popped up: **The caves, ranging in size from 23 to 34 feet wide, 17 to 23 feet high and 300 feet deep, would require excavation of nearly 20,000 cubic yards of dirt, which will be placed at other locations on the property. Each of the caves will be bored at a slightly lower elevation so that wine can flow from crusher tanks to barrels to bottling. **More than 12,000 cubic yards of dirt will be moved to widen and extend the road about a mile past the quarry on Langley Hill Road. **Conservation will be of the utmost importance, with no buildings, no plowing, no chemicals, no pumps, and no additives needed. **Solar energy will power the winery, and grapes will be handpicked. **A small tractor Mr. Rodgers had designed and built in Europe will be able to ride up and down the hills on a cable, carrying workers who can plant vines or harvest grapes.

So far, the only murmurs of dissent come from Cathy and David Crane, owners of Yerba Buena Nursery, which is located nearby on Langley Hill Road. They worried about the scale of the development, the trees and native vegetation to be removed, and the implications for future developers in the scenic area, who might not be so rich or careful.

Despite these concerns, Mr. Rodgers emerged from the meeting with the permits he needs to grade the road and drill the caves. Later this summer, he will return to the commission for a permit to build his winery, and a zoning change to allow a production of 10,000 cases per year, instead of the 2,500 currently allowed by the county. He has promised no tourists and no tasting room.

By virtually any yardstick, Mr. Rodgers has done his due diligence and then some. He has promised a squeaky clean, environmentally sensitive, low-impact operation at Clos de la Tech.

And while the county may appear to have fallen for a slick presentation, it has imposed a tough list of 23 environmental stipulations on the project that should keep development in line.

Now it's up to the county to make sure that Mr. Rodgers fulfills his promises about saving vegetation and carefully engineering the fill to prevent future erosion.

However, with no regulations covering vineyards, the county might also think about creating new rules to assure that future Silicon Valley millionaires do as good a job as Mr. Rodgers promises.

Mr. Rodgers says the rocky soil off Skyline Boulevard is the perfect medium for his pinot noir. With his persistence and commitment, he could be a model for others.