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By providing visual feedback of monthly water use, staff were empowered to make changes.​

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Using data from their Integrated Resource Assessment, staff saw the potential water savings available from a new barrel washing system. Their decision to invest in a new system paid off with substantial water savings.

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In the production facility, water use is monitored throughout, allowing for continuous improvement.

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.

In 2016, as part of St. Supéry’s Napa Green Winery re-certification process they participated in their first “Integrated Resource Assessment.” The assessment is a one-stop energy, water and waste audit that establishes baselines for energy and water use and waste diversion to evaluate areas for improvement.

After reviewing their initial water data, the staff at St. Supéry decided to focus on their water intensity metric. As a first step they trended the water data over time beginning in 2015 to show changes seasonally and with different operations.

Converting numbers to graphs is a key tool in communicating water use, showing large variances and inconsistencies.

Next, they implemented monthly ‘tailgate’ trainings providing production staff with water use feedback, the current baseline metric and efficiency goal, discussing Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and asking for input and suggestions. The cellar staff not only became motivated to beat the 2016 baseline but they also started to get competitive, asking to know specific water use in different areas of the winery.

As staff began to dig deeper, they implemented weekly – and sometimes daily, depending on activities – meter readings for each department.

By tracking use on days with different water intensive activities like bottling, tank and barrel cleaning, we can really see the difference. There are surprises, like the bottling line using more than we thought. We're now looking at steam and other cleaning alternatives.

The water intensity metric and usage data had another benefit: making the case for a new barrel washing system with low-flow nozzles and pressure washers. This immediately cut water use for barrel cleaning by 50 percent.

Engaging staff and sharing ongoing accomplishments paid off. In 2016, St. Supéry achieved a 33 percent decrease in production water use over 2015, and in the first half of 2017, they achieved an additional 22 percent decrease over the same period in 2016.

Empowered by their successful efficiency efforts, St. Supéry is now baselining water use per guest and engaging the hospitality team in a little friendly competition. While water use efficiency is only one element of participation in Napa Green, St. Supéry has shown the rewards available to all participants by using focused metrics and getting your team on board to achieve shared goals.

Making the commitment to third party certification takes time and effort, but it is worth it to demonstrate our commitment to the community and to protect our watershed, our land and the air we breathe.​

A live check in with @abrittain & @reyeswine.mw!
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🌿 Did you know that less than 3% of philanthropic donations go to environmental work? 

Please consider donating to Napa Green this giving season with one of several ways at any level! 

Head to the link in our bio for details!
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With gratitude and joy, we wish you a beautiful day & start to the holiday season from all of us at Team Green! 

- Ben, Meghan, Anna, Marissa, Sierra & Megan
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‘If not here, where? If not now, when?’ 

“The onus is on us as a world class wine growing region to be leaders in sustainability & climate action.” 

- Executive Director of Napa Green, Anna Brittain
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It’s been a big week at Napa Green and we want to take a moment to raise a glass to salute you all. 

We are overjoyed to see so much support and invigorated interest in our mission towards sustainable practices and regenerative agriculture in the wine industry. 

We have many more details, paired with educational & financial resources that are already up and rolling on our website. We will continue to share them all, one by one and in great detail here on socials as well. 

For now please plan on joining us at our upcoming Town Hall meeting on Dec 7th at @stsupery. You can find more details at napagreen.org. 

Cheers and Happy Friday Napa Valley. We are so proud to be a part of this amazing community!
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⚠️ Important Announcement 

Napa Green becomes the first sustainable wine growing certification to require the phaseout of Round Up. 

Please find the link in our bio for the full press release and full suite of info & grower resources. 

Join us on December 7th for our Napa Green Town Hall at @stsupery.
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Don’t miss the awe-inspiring @nikki_silvestri at @dominusestatewinery on Nov 30th!
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You’re invited to join us for a very special day at @dominusestatewinery on November 30th. 

We’ll be briefly interviewing our speaker @nikki_silvestri right here on Instagram today at 2:00pm PST to hear more about what to expect at this event. See you then.
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Curious to learn more? Join us at @dominusestatewinery on November 30th for a rare event and luncheon. Link in bio for details.
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GREEN is the new black this season!! 

Head to the link in our bio now and get your shirts, help a good cause and be an honorary part of Team Green this season! 💚
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Let’s hear it for our Executive Director of Napa Green, the incomparable Anna Brittain for being named a 2023 Wine Industry Leader by @winebusinessmonthly!! 

In their Sustainability Stewards section (which we love to see) we find Anna named in good company with inspired fellow leaders! 

Head to our stories or the link in our bio for free access to the full November issue. 

Cheers to the great work of our visionary Director Anna Brittain!!
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Drink Green this Halloween! 💚
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Sierra is our Soil & Climate Specialist at Napa Green and her ask this year is that everyone consider donating to our small but mighty Team Green for Giving Season! 

Here is more from @regenwithsierra: 

“🎃 Happy Halloween Eve everyone! Today is my birthday, and I would be beyond thrilled if you would consider a donation to @napagreen to support a nonprofit focused on climate action in the wine industry 🍷🍾

@napagreen has the leading set of standards for sustainable practices, from soil to bottle. I am most proud of the work we do with winegrape growers to adopt regenerative agricultural practices in their vineyards. 

Please consider supporting us in our mission!  Click the link in bio for more! “
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Thank you for having us @visitnapavalley! We had a great time talking to visitors about the many sustainability practices our Napa Green wineries and vineyards employ! 

Stop into the Visit Napa Valley Visitor Center in Napa to learn more!
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