Instead of spending some $50,000 per acre to plant weed-free, irrigated turf, Robert Seelig, executive director of cemeteries for the diocese of Oakland and Tom Richardson, director of development, decided to plant some grape vines instead, costing just $17,000 an acre.

At first, the Bishop's Vineyard wines were used for Communion and served at charity events.

Then in 2013, winemaker Shauna Rosenblum of Alameda's Rock Wall Wine Company agreed to produce the wines for the Diocese of Oakland.

"There are definitely some jokes one could make about the wines having a specific minerality," says Rosenblum. Continue reading