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Napa Green | Champion Story
Davie Piña described going before the Coastal Conservancy to request funding: “When we told them we had self-funded the restoration plan, had every single landowner onboard, a partnership with the Napa Resource Conservation District and the County and more than half of the $20 million raised in matching funds, they were floored. People told us it might take 20 years to break ground. We did it in seven.”
The plan was built from the inside out, with landowners like John Williams of Frog’s Leap, Piña and other Rutherford Dust Society leaders building relationships and trust with all the landowners.
In the late 1990s, berm and levee wars were getting litigious and landowners knew building the river banks higher were just ‘staying away from the river.’ Williams recalled looking at breached berms and eroding and collapsed banks, thinking, “If we tackled these different problems together we might have a better chance.”
The Napa Resource Conservation District (RCD) came to the Rutherford Dust Society and proposed a partnership. Many landowners needed to make expensive and time-consuming repairs. By collaborating, they could see benefits, like getting grants and sharing costs. Initially, each landowner contributed based on the length of their river frontage to privately fund a restoration engineering study. Once complete, a public-private partnership with the RCD was formed, called Rutherford Dust Restoration Team (RDRT), and began restoring and managing the Napa River from Rutherford to Oak Knoll.
Napa County’s Measure A Flood Control sales tax proved to be a lifeline, providing matching funds of approximately $12.5 million. This enabled RDRT to obtain grants from multiple state and federal organizations, totaling another $7.9 million. With funding and a restoration plan with environmental and regulatory approval, they broke ground.
Davie Piña recalled one landowner who admitted he signed initially because he never thought the project would happen. “Ultimately he invited the group over to his house and congratulated us on what we’d accomplished. Another time I ran into Michael Honig, who had seen restoration work being done on another property, and he said, ‘That’s the greatest thing I’ve seen. When do you start on my property?’”
Restoration began in 2009 and was completed in 2014. The Napa County Flood District monitors and maintains the work. Annual reports show the restoration is meeting and exceeding performance standards for project success, including positive trends in channel width-to-depth ratios; increased in-channel gravel recruitment and fine-sediment storage; increased riparian buffer width and vegetation establishment.
Napa Green is a global leader in sustainable winegrowing, setting the highest bar for sustainability and climate action in the wine industry. Napa Green facilitates systematic soil to bottle certification for wineries and vineyards, and provides the resources, tools and connections to continuously level up leadership. In 2021, Napa Green was the first sustainable winegrowing program in the world to redevelop Vineyard certification standards to focus on climate action, regenerative carbon farming, and social equity. In 2022, Napa Green and community partners launched the first of its kind, six-event RISE Climate & Wine Symposium (formerly THRIVES) with over 65 leading speakers and 40 “Sustainable Services & Solutions” partners and sponsors.
@antinorinapavalley family’s winemaking legacy spans over six centuries. To ensure that legacy continues, they have a deep commitment to sustainability and the care of the land for future generations.
Hear why Antinori is exploring the use of @hopenvironmental1965 soil compostable tie tape in the vineyard.
#regenerativevineyard #greenbusiness #sustainablewinery #greenpurchasing #landstewardship
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@mvino1 has spent her career in the wine business telling the unique stories of wineries and as a Sommelier and Vintner. Here she has created an itinerary that showcases a rich variety of regional efforts in the Stag’s Leap District, Oakville and northern St. Helena. Check it out to experience the whole systems, regenerative practices at each of these @napagreen certified wineries that are as essential and unique as the terroir we pride ourselves on here in Napa Valley.
📍 @chimneyrockwinery
📍 @bcellars
📍 @boeschenvineyards
Visit these wineries to create deep meaningful connections and support local, sustainable businesses. Check out our climate smart itineraries - you really can’t go wrong.
#winetasting #sustainablewine #winetastingitinerary
🍃 Save green and drink green!
If you’re visiting the Central Napa Valley from anywhere in California, January is a great time to check out these incredible #NapaNeighbor deals from @napagreen certified members running through the end of the month.
📍 @ballentinevineyards
📍 @barnettvineyards
📍 @cliffamily
📍 @freemarkabbey
📍 @grgichhillsestate
📍 @mummnapawinery
📍 @pejuwinery
📍 @rombauervineyards
📍 @rutherfordhillwinery
📍 @schweigervineyards
📍 @stsupery
📍 @tressabores @tressaboreswinery
📍 @vsattui
📍 @whitehalllane
📍 @zdwines
Check out @napavintners or reach out to each winery for more info, and stay tuned for more adventures heading North.
#winetasting #visitnapavalley #sustainablewine
We love working with @mcecleanenergy to not only help you save energy but also money!
Hear from Dominus Estate’s Tod Mostero to hear how much they saved from a lighting change then connect with the Napa Green or MCE team to learn more.
🎥 @robot_productions
#energyefficiency #climateaction #sustainablebusiness #greenbusiness #sustainablewine
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Check out these stunning @napagreen certified wineries in this itinerary from @evyncam that takes you from the bay to the forest to explore the wide range of ecosystems that Napa Valley has to explore.
📍 @bouchaine_vineyards
📍 @ruddestate
📍 @seaveyvineyard
Visit these wineries to create deep meaningful connections and support local, sustainable businesses. Check out our climate smart itineraries - you really can’t go wrong.
#winetasting #sustainablewine #winetastingitinerary
🍃 Save green and drink green!
If you’re visiting the Southern Napa Valley from anywhere in California, January is a great time to check out these incredible #NapaNeighbor deals from @napagreen certified members running through the end of the month.
📍 @antinorinapavalley
📍 @artesawinery
📍 @chimneyrockwinery
📍 @cliffledevineyards
📍 @hydewines
📍 @odetteestate
📍 @pineridgewine
📍 @priestranchwine
📍 @robertcraigwinery
📍 @robertmondavi
📍 @stagsleapwinecellars
📍 @truchard
Check out @napavintners or reach out to each winery for more info, and stay tuned for more adventures heading North.
#winetasting #visitnapavalley #sustainablewine
Find out what being @napagreen certified means to @joshwidaman and the team @pineridgewine, then go for a visit and taste the love in every bottle!
#sustainablewine #regenerativeviticulture #winetasting
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Check out this itinerary by @danpetroski of participating @napagreen wineries and vineyards that contribute to the long-term health of our land and ensure that Napa Valley remains a thriving and beautiful region for future generations.
📍 @larkmeadvineyards
📍 @silveroakcellars
📍 @vsattui
Looking for holiday experiences that create deep meaningful connections and support local, sustainable businesses? Check out our climate smart itineraries - you really can’t go wrong.
#winetasting #sustainablewine #winetastingitinerary
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This is not your typical itinerary by @abrittain – wetting your palate for wine producers that are difficult, perhaps impossible, to visit. However, if you are a wine connoisseur seeking exceptional wines from sustainability and climate leaders you should absolutely put in the effort to secure wines from these @napagreen certified producers.
📍 @dominusestatewinery
📍 @lailvineyards
📍 @adamvs
Looking for holiday experiences that create deep meaningful connections and support local, sustainable businesses? Check out our climate smart itineraries - you really can’t go wrong.
#winetasting #sustainablewine #winetastingitinerary
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This itinerary is ideal for a girls’ trip or a day out with friends! Discover the sustainable side of Napa with @goodfriendsgoodfood itinerary, which celebrates diversity and offers wines tailored to a range of palates.
These @napagreen certified wineries provide beautiful settings to connect over fantastic wine, all while supporting positive change within the wine industry.
📍 @domainecarneros
📍 @rdwinery
📍 @trefethenfamily
Looking for holiday experiences that create deep meaningful connections and support local, sustainable businesses? Check out our climate smart itineraries - you really can’t go wrong.
#winetasting #sustainablewine #winetastingitinerary
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This itinerary by Sommelier and Vintner, @danpetroski, showcases a rich variety of regional efforts from @napagreen certified wineries with a diversity of style, size, production and profiles, where each place focuses on varies in accordance with their distinct microclimate.
Be sure to check out the second 1/2 of this itinerary to complete your visit!
📍 @ashesxdiamonds
📍 @cliffledevineyards
📍 @hydewines
Looking for holiday experiences that create deep meaningful connections and support local, sustainable businesses? Check out our climate smart itineraries - you really can’t go wrong.
#winetasting #sustainablewine #winetastingitinerary
@closduval’s bottles from Verallia are 30% lighter than traditional bottles, which represents a 34% reduction in carbon emissions from glass production alone!
Lightweight glass saves natural resources, lowers transportation costs and emissions, and reduces the risk of employee injuries. Not only is it infinitely recyclable, it’s also beautiful!
Get a bottle (or several) of this @napagreen certified wine to feel and taste the commitment sustainability from soil to bottle.
#winetasting #wineindustry #climateaction #lightenup #lightweightglassbottles
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Get insider information and tips to make the most of your trip to some of @reyeswine.mw’s favorite Napa Green certified wineries with this exclusive in-the-know Itinerary.
📍 @rdwinery
📍 @sequoiagrove
📍 @schramsberg
Looking for holiday experiences that create deep meaningful connections and support local, sustainable businesses? Check out our climate smart itineraries - you really can’t go wrong.
#winetasting #sustainablewine #winetastingitinerary
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This itinerary, by Master Sommelier, @andrearobinsonms, will take you to @napagreen Certified wineries, where we can see and taste the commitment to our planet and our community that pays off now in great wine, natural beauty and soil health, while paying it forward.
📍 @chandonusa
📍 @grgichhillsestate @grgichhills
📍 @troisnoixwine
Looking for holiday experiences that create deep meaningful connections and support local, sustainable businesses? Check out our climate smart itineraries - you really can’t go wrong.
#winetasting #sustainablewine #winetastingitinerary
Congratulations to @twentyrowswines for @napagreen Winery Certification!
Twenty Rows crafts small lots of their Napa Valley wines, at the @fiordisolewines certified sustainable facility. These wines are not only made with environmental impact in mind, they reflect honest varietal character and showcase the terroir where the grapes were grown.
#sustainablewine #sustainablewinery #napavalleywine
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This itinerary by @abrittain will take you to @napagreen certified, tucked away spots, run by some powerhouse women, deeply dedicated to the stewardship of the Napa Valley.
📍 @tressabores
📍 @viadernapavalley
📍 @spottswoodewinery
Looking for holiday experiences that create deep meaningful connections and support local, sustainable businesses? Check out our climate smart itineraries - you really can’t go wrong.
#winetasting #sustainablewine #winetastingitinerary
