Anyone who has been to Terra de Promissio, knows the story. Charles & Diana Karren bought an old dairy ranch in 1999 outside of Petaluma. They got an Ag loan to plant a pinot noir vineyard. But because they had not budgeted for the new and very onerous Sonoma County compliance regulations, they ran out of money after the vineyard was planted.
Diana called her parents in Russia saying “my American dream is over, we have no more money and have to sell the vineyard for a loss.” Her Father—Vadim Zarr said:
“Stop crying, if I can drive a Soviet tank, I can drive an American tractor, I will come help.”
With the last $20,000 in loan money, the Karren’s bought a used RV trailer, made a down payment on a tractor and bought an American Flag. Vadim flew to the US and Charles brought him to the vineyard and said: “Welcome to America”
Vadim was very excited and started farming the first day. Using the tractor and his own ingenuity, he saved a vineyard from ruin. Make no mistake, farming is solving problems. And he had many to solve, building a 6,000 feet deer fence, mowing and disking 100 rows, irrigating the 6 blocks of 33,000 of newly planted vines, replacing the milk cartons with grow tubes then training and pruning, chasing away deer and rabbits and everything else a farmer does to keep his crops growing.
The problems were enormous and he went to work every day from sun up to sun down, 7 days a week and did it cheerfully with a smile and pride in his work. Vadim kept the vineyard alive for 3 years till the first harvest in 2005. He picked the grapes, drove the tractor and then took the pinot noir fruit to 3 different wineries. He would do that for the next 10 harvests and he was able to successfully taste the fruits of his labor as Terra de Promissio grapes became some of the most sought out grapes in Sonoma County.
Today, Terra de Promissio is the most designated Pinot Noir vineyard in the United States. Wineries such as Castello di Amerosa, Domaine Della, Dutcher Crossing, Gary Farrell, Land of Promise, Metzker, MacRostie, Senses, The Calling and Williams-Selyem have made wines with Terra de Promissio grapes and received numerous awards and accolades, including the Wine Spectator’s 2011 Wine of the Year - the 2009 Kosta Browne Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir. Vadim particularly loved “Vadim’s Watch” Pinot Noir made by the Kistler winemaker Jason Kesner for his own Kesner Wine in honor of Vadim “watching over Terra de Promissio”.
Vadim Zarr was born on June 19, 1947 in Minsk, USSR (Now Belorussia). His father was a decorated pilot in World War II who flew spy missions on the Russian front against the Nazis. As a boy, his family moved to the territory of Kazakhstan. He went to university, served in the Soviet Army, and took a job in a communist owned factory. Vadim married the love of his life, his sweetheart Sonya in November 1975. They were married for 45 years and together they had two daughters—Diana and Alina.
Vadim had two significant personal milestones in life of which he was very proud. After the fall of the Godless Soviet Union, Vadim became a Christian and was baptized in the summer of 1996. Jesus Christ was a big part of his life, he always celebrated Christmas and Easter in a big way, read the bible, and most importantly, he treated everyone with respect and kindness.
On January 5, 2011, Vadim became an American Citizen. After being a citizen of the Soviet Union, and then Kazakhstan, he said becoming an American was one of the happiest moments of his life. He said, “I never felt at home in the Soviet Union or Kazakhstan. But from the moment I came to America, I felt at home”. Every day on the vineyard, he proudly flew the American Flag. He loved this country, its patriotic traditions and its people.
After courageously battling dementia for 8 years, Vadim died peacefully in his sleep on May 30th. His family, his wife Sonya, his daughters Diana Karren, Alina Zarr, his son in law Charles Karren and his pride and joy, his grandchildren, Christian and Grace Karren are forever grateful to what he did for his family and for what he personally sacrificed. He will be greatly missed, by his family, his vineyard neighbors the Aggio family and especially by the many winemakers, fellow farmworkers and all the friends he made.
Vadim Zarr is a true hero who saved a vineyard, saved a small business, saved his family, and was living proof that through hard work, self-reliance, dedication, perseverance and Faith, the American Dream is still alive and well.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks the next time you open a bottle of your favorite Terra de Promissio vineyard designate or a Land of Promise wine, you give a toast to our father, grandfather and husband Vadim Zarr. The wine you will be drinking is his legacy and it would make him happy to know that you are happy drinking one of his great pinot noirs.
