Napa Green Champion Stories

WATER EFFICIENCY & SAVINGS

Simple Steps to Reduce Winery Water Use

As one of the original members of both the Napa Green Certified Land and Winery programs, St. Supéry Estate Vineyards & Winery recognizes that sustainability is a path, not a destination. One of their key discoveries on the path to improvement is that day-to-day awareness and staff empowerment are critical.

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Save Water, Save Money, Maximize Quality

The Napa County Resource Conservation District (RCD) received grant funding to assist growers with low- to no-cost services that improve vineyard irrigation efficiency and scheduling. These include a comprehensive “Irrigation Toolbox” and the “Mobile Irrigation Lab” (a core component of the Toolbox).

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Reaping the Benefits of Cutting-Edge Irrigation Technologies

Tule Technologies and Ranch Systems provide tools to vintners to measure Actual Evapotranspiration, vine stress and wirelessly provide vineyard data that can be linked to automated irrigation. Pine Ridge Vineyards and Chateau Montelena Winery were early adopters of these technologies and they are impressed with the results.

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Napa Green Champions Make Water Efficiency Mainstream

Looking for some new ideas to improve water efficiency, and simultaneously save energy? Here are a few examples of what some Napa Green wineries are doing to baseline and track water use to inform decision making; engage staff through “Blue Teams;” and set ambitious and inspiring goals like becoming the first Living Building Challenge certified winery.

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ENERGY EFFICIENCY & SAVINGS

Saving Energy With Solar at Honig Vineyard and Winery

Honig Vineyard & Winery has spent the past ten years investing in energy conservation and renewable energy, and it all started with a PG&E energy audit. As a result of the initial audit, which included an assessment of their existing energy use and recommendations for upgrades, Michael Honig and his team changed out all of the old lighting for the highest efficiency lighting with a no-brainer payback period.

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For ZD Wines Sustainability is a Daily Endeavor

ZD Wines, a family-owned winery operated by the 2nd and 3rd generations of the deLeuze family, is celebrating 50 years in the Napa Valley. They are a perfect case study of how embracing sustainability can support production of great tasting, world-class wines.

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Down to Earth Month: Going Green Energy & Incentives for EV Chargers

Energy efficiency is a core priority for Napa Green Wineries, both for conservation and cost-savings. Maximizing efficiency is especially important when considering the installation of solar renewable energy. As we say, “We don’t want to solarize inefficiencies.” The more efficient the operation, the smaller the scale and footprint of the solar array, reducing the price tag.

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WASTE PREVENTION & SUPPLY CHAIN

A History of Waste Reduction at Trinchero

Trinchero Family Estates was recently awarded the premier California Sustainable Winegrowing Leadership Award Green Medal for their company-wide business leadership, recognizing a history of smart resource use going back nearly 70 years. When the Trinchero family purchased the Sutter Home winery in 1948 they began a tradition of recycling that included purchasing, washing and reusing bottles from neighboring wineries.

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Lighten Up

Packaging plays an important role in customer perception. We are hearing more and more stories from Napa Green members about the benefits of greener packaging AND customers giving kudos for eliminating Styrofoam and lightening packages.

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Natural Cork is a Win for Planet and People

Natural cork is the most sustainable wine closure. Did you know that cork is made from the bark of cork oak trees? The bark cannot be harvested until the oak tree is 25 years old, and is then harvested every nine years, using ancient harvesting techniques. The bark harvest actually prolongs the life of the trees, which can live from 100 to 300 years.

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SOCIAL JUSTICE, DIVERSITY & INCLUSION

Down to Earth Month: Social Equity

By definition, sustainability rests on three pillars – People, Planet, and Prosperity. All too often sustainability is simply equated with environmental stewardship, when in fact core to sustainability is the recognition that you cannot have environmental or economic sustainability without social sustainability.

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PROACTIVE FARMING, SOIL HEALTH & BIODIVERSITY

CLIMATE ACTION & REGENERATIVE AGRICULTURE

It’s Electric!

Electric vehicles (EV) are growing in popularity, making a winery’s decision to install EV charging stations not only a sound environmental investment but an opportunity to attract eco-conscious consumers. Wineries with EV charging stations are hearing the same story: A guest was in need of a charge, found that the nearest station was at a winery and decided to stop in for a taste while plugged in.

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Three Napa Green Wineries Explore a Commuting Partnership

As part of Down to Earth Month, the NVV is promoting the Napa Commute Challenge and exploring what our members are doing to incentivize the use of alternative transportation to and from work. Cakebread Cellars, St. Supéry Estate Vineyards & Winery and Opus One have promoted the use of alternative transportation for some time, and are now looking toward the future.

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Partnerships Help Restore the Napa River

Restoration of the Napa River is a testimony to the power of public-private partnerships in revitalizing the health of waterways and riparian lands. More than 70 property owners are contributing to four ongoing collaborative projects from Oak Knoll to just south of Calistoga, along the main stem of the Napa River.

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Rutherford Restored

The Rutherford Reach restoration project has been lauded for rapid accomplishments achieved through private commitment and public partnership. The statistics are notable: This project alone achieved more than 80 percent of the mandated TMDL reduction target for the Napa River watershed due to channel incision and bank erosion.

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The Benefits of Biochar

Biochar is a form of charcoal that is being tested as a soil amendment in several vineyards throughout Napa County as growers look to improve soil health, increase carbon capture and reduce nutrient inputs. Among those exploring the use of biochar are Cakebread Cellars, Spring Mountain Vineyard and the Napa Resource Conservation District (RCD), which manages an experimental vineyard in Carneros.

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Silenus Winery Takes Farming to the Next Level

April is a time of growth – when plants move from dormancy to bloom and the Napa Valley’s landscapes are lush and green, with the rivers and streams full from early spring rains. During April, we also celebrate Down to Earth month, making it a great time to think about soil health and how to manage property using “Carbon Farming.”

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Down to Earth Month: Climate Action and Electric Tractors

When discussing reduced herbicide use or organic farming, a common argument made is that more tractor passes are required, which increases emissions and the carbon footprint of vineyard operations. However, that no longer has to be the case as electric tractors are entering the market that are competitive with, or even outcompete, conventional tractors.

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Natural Cork is a Win for Planet and People

Natural cork is the most sustainable wine closure. Did you know that cork is made from the bark of cork oak trees? The bark cannot be harvested until the oak tree is 25 years old, and is then harvested every nine years, using ancient harvesting techniques. The bark harvest actually prolongs the life of the trees, which can live from 100 to 300 years.

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Soil to Bottle Sustainability

ZD Wines Thinks Green

ZD Wines was recently certified as a Napa Green Winery. “It’s the way we think anyway – the way we do everything,” said CEO Robert deLeuze, son of founder Norman deLeuze, about the straightforward process to becoming certified.

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Truchard Vineyards – Big Vineyard, Big Heart

In 1888, Anthony Truchard II’s great, great grandfather moved from Lyon, France to the outskirts of Houston, Texas to start a winery. Though his efforts were ultimately stymied by Prohibition, a vision had already begun to take shape for future generations of his family.

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Communicating Sustainability

See and learn the technique for a conservation/low-smoke burn. Join us tomorrow for this no cost event at @gloriaferrerwinery! 

The Clean Burn Company and Napachar will run their BurnBoss air curtain burner and flame-capped kiln/ring-of-fire system for processing spent vines, fire fuel thinning, and other wood waste. All three of these techniques/technologies can be used to develop biochar. 

Michael Sippiora from Treasury Wine Estates will present the results of a recent vineyard biochar application research project.

Link in profile to register, see you tomorrow!
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In loving memory of the legendary Miljenko ‘Mike’ Grgich.
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Thank you to all who came out for our Weed Management event! For more info check out our online Weed Management Toolkit with FAQ’s, Case Studies, Resources and more. 

🌱🚜
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Cultivating Resilience in Napa Valley 🍷

A few tickets remain for the event THIS Thursday, March 14th at 3:00pm. Join Winemaker @matt_brain_, @cathycorison, @bedrockwines & @andrearobinsonms for a lively and interactive tasting of barrel samples and panel discussion. 

🎟️ Click the link in our profile to reserve your seat now.
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Join us THIS Thursday, March 14th for a panel on Cultivating Resilience with @cathycorison, @bedrockmorgan, @matt_brain_ & @andrearobinsonms. 

The event is held at @freemarkabbey and begins at 3:00pm. Please get your tickets ASAP at the link in our profile. See you there!
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Listen in for insights from @bedrockmorgan on Cultivating Resilience in changing weather patterns and get your ticket to hear Morgan, @cathycorison, @matt_brain_ & @andrearobinsonms live at next week’s Vintage Salon on Thurs, March 14th at 3:00pm at @freemarkabbey. 

Link in bio for tickets! 🎟️
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On this global day of celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women world wide, we want to wish all women in wine and climate action a very Happy International Women’s Day! 

The work we do is never easy but we’ve seen great advancements and look forward to what more what can do in 2024, together. 

Cheers!! 

#internationalwomensday #womensday #womeninwine #winebusiness #wineindustry #climateaction #napa #napavalley 

📸: @kikimrobinson & @briana_marie
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Order your Napa Green shirt TODAY for delivery in time for Earth Month and help our non-profit go! 🌎🌱

👉 Link in profile
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You’re invited to join us on Thursday, March 14th for our first Vintage Salon on Cultivating Resilience where we will taste through barrel samples with @andrearobinsonms & Winemakers @matt_brain_ & @bedrockmorgan! 

👉 Head to the link in our profile to get your tickets ASAP!
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Join us for a March Event! 🌱

March Events can be found at the link in our profile and online at napagreen.org under Connect with us > Events & Workshops. 

We are so thrilled to have seen so many faces at our well attended events in February and want to keep the climate action momentum going for 2024. Head over to our website and sign up for one or all of these events today!
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Napa Green & Premiere Napa Valley 💚

Thank you for creating such a beautiful event @wheelerfarmswinery! 

Incredible offerings from Napa Green Certified wineries @aowinery, @chandonusa, @grgichhills, @inglenook1879, @rombauervineyards, @spottswoodewinery, @trefethenfamily, @troisnoixwine & @stsupery!! 

Cheers to @premierenapa!
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The whole team is here and some amazing friends are joining us like @spottswoodewinery, @accendocellars, @aowinery, @stsupery, @rombauervineyards, @chandonusa, @troisnoixwine, @trefethenfamily, @matthiasson_wine & @grgichhills! 

Our first @premierenapa event kicks off at 4pm today at @wheelerfarmswinery!! 🍷🎉
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Grazing in the vineyards with a big assist from Cup the Sheep Dog! 

We’ll see you at our event in partnership with @napa_valley_grapegrowers on Feb 27th at @thecastello! Link in bio for registration. 

#welovedogs #sheepdog #sheepfarming #grazing #vineyards #napa #napavalley #regenerativeagriculture #soilhealthmatters
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Sign up for the Grazing Workshop on Tuesday, Feb 27th at @thecastello at the link in our profile. 

@napa_valley_grapegrowers @perennialgrazing
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Add the Napa Green logo to your back label! 

Find the link in our profile or email megan@napagreen.org. Happy bottling season!
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