It’s hard to imagine getting fired up about tank and bottling line cleaning. But Eric Lyman, winemaker for Judd’s Hill, is genuinely excited about a new biodegradable cleaning product developed specifically for the wine industry: Destainex LF.
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.
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).
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.
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.
Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars has been Napa Green Certified from Soil to Bottle for over a
decade. As a part of their commitment to continuing improvement, they have established
a cross-departmental “Green Team” to engage and empower employees.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Seven Principles of Regenerative Agriculture: Context Limit Disturbance Armor the Soil Living Roots Build Biodiversity Phaseout Chemical Inputs Integrate Animals Grgich Hills Estate – Growing
Bruce Cakebread and Cakebread Cellars are championing water conservation with their new green parking lot – native trees, drought tolerant grasses and flowers, permeable pavement and bio-swales that capture and filter water and recharge groundwater.
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.
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.
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.
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.
The 9.5 mile Oakville to Oak Knoll (OVOK) Napa River restoration project flows immediately south of the Rutherford Reach restoration. More than 30 landowners are voluntarily participating in this collaborative effort, and like the Rutherford Reach, they are helping fund the long-term monitoring and maintenance of the project.
The California Land Stewardship Institute (CLSI) is working with landowners on a restoration plan for a 5.3 mile stretch of the upper Napa River just downstream from Calistoga. This stretch of the river is highly entrenched, with vertical 20-25 ft. banks, actively eroding and threatening collapse.
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.
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.”
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.
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.
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.
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.
Chateau Montelena Winery is a stone building nearly 130 years old. But that doesn’t stop winemaker Matt Crafton and members of their leadership team from implementing cutting edge technologies that save energy, water and money while maintaining the integrity of this historic building.
Most wineries don’t pursue sustainability certification for marketing purposes. But, an increasing number of studies shows both consumers and trade value environmental stewardship and use this information in their wine purchasing and sales decisions.
Book your exquisite food & wine experience at @bcellars this August and support the wonderful work being done in climate smart winemaking!
#winery #winetasting #wineandfood #chef #napa #napavalley #climatesmart #sustainability #winereels #cheers
Thank you to all who came out to @complinewineshop for Vino & Vinyl featuring Napa Green winemakers!
We love getting out into the community and talking all things green!
📸: @tisharoundtown
Book your visit to @sterlingvineyards this August and receive 50% off your tasting while supporting Napa Green! 🍷🚠
#cheers #climatesmartagriculture #winery #napa #napavalley #visitnapavalley #winetrip #winwin
Join these rockstars of winemaking this week at @complinewineshop for Vino & Vinyl night featuring all Napa Green Certified Wineries!
🗓️: Thursday, July 18th
📍: Compline Wine Shop
⏰: 7:00pm
Get your tickets now at the link in our bio! 💃🍷
@tressabores, @ashesxdiamonds, @spottswoodewinery, @closduval, @larkmeadvineyards, @complinewineshop, @tisharoundtown
Plan your tasting at @phiferpavittwine in August! 🍷
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” - Margaret Mead
We are thrilled to officially kick off our ‘Cheers to Climate Smart Wines!’ campaign with the first press release going out and the announcement of the involvement of 21 of our Napa Green Certified members!
Join us in the month of August at a participating winery to celebrate the beautiful harmony & synergy between sustainability and luxury while supporting a great cause!
Full details at the link in our profile. Cheers to Climate Smart Wines!!
You’re invited..
Join us for a fun night featuring some awesome Napa Green wineries! Link in profile for tickets. 🎵🍷
📍: @complinewineshop
🗓️: Thursday 6/18/24 7:00-9:00pm
🎟️: Linked in profile
Plan your tasting at the beautiful new Garden Pavilion at Napa Green Champion winery @whitehalllane!
Help support Napa Green while sipping on delicious Sauvignon Blanc and Merlot amongst the scenic views. Cheers to Climate Smart Wines! 🍷
#napavalley #winereels #sustainability #winetasting #winetrip #visitnapavalley #cheers #vineyardviews #winelovers
Plan your trip to @cliffamily this August for our ‘Cheers to Climate Smart Wines’ campaign!
Clif Family Winery & Farm will be creating a beautiful food and wine tasting menu for the month of August with a percentage going straight to support Napa Green!
Plan your visit to the tasting room, food truck or gorgeous Enoteca Private Tasting Salon in August to enjoy great food & wine while helping to support this important initiative!
#napavalley #sustainability #napa #cheers #winereels #winetasting #visitnapavalley #winebusiness #wineindustry #winetrip
We’re thrilled to announce our ‘Cheers to Climate Smart Wines’ campaign starting in August!
Several of our champion members will be curating special offerings to support Napa Green and highlight the brilliant work being done in Climate Action here in Napa Valley.
Join us this August and visit @spottswoodewinery & @mkshepp!
Economics of Organics on June 25th at @grgichhills. Register at the link in our bio.
🎙️: @soilrainandhope
🎞️: @mvino1
Team Green outing today at the stunning @boeschenvineyards as we celebrate big things that we can’t wait to share with you! 🌿
One of the main resistances to phasing out glyphosate is increased labor and equipment costs. However, the costs of herbicides and fertilizers have risen dramatically, so increased labor demands can be offset by reduced supply chain purchases.
In addition, leaders like Grgich Hills Estate have shown that regenerative organic farming can be cost-effective. According to an analysis by Brotemarkle Davis & Co. LLP accounting firm, the average annual per acre cost of vineyard management in the Napa Valley is $14,800, with $3,800 in depreciation. At Grgich, they spend $11,000 per acre, with only $1,300 in depreciation due to the longer life of their vineyards.
Learn from regional leaders about the practical costs, benefits, and ROI of herbicide-free, organic, and regenerative vineyard management.
Confirmed Speakers:
• Ivo Jeramaz, Grgich Hills
• Phil Coturri, Enterprise Vineyard Management & Winery Sixteen 600
• Brad Kurtz, Gloria Ferrer
• Brenae Royal, St. Supery
• Rebekah Wineburg, Quintessa
Register at the link in our bio.
“Storytelling is key… and sustainability is the most important topic in wine.”
Thank you @elinmccoy for an incredible and insightful conversation with @napagreen members about the stories most likely to capture journalists attention.
