In a valley approximately 30 miles long and five miles wide, there are now nearly 500 wineries. The majority of them are small and family-owned and more than one-quarter are certified Napa Green.
Of the more than 45,000 acres/18,200 hectares planted to vineyard in Napa Valley, more than 45% are certified Napa Green Land. Napa Valley’s vintners are committed to stewarding the land and its resources so the next generation can continue the winemaking tradition.
Napa Green Certified Participants
From Soil to Bottle
An Environmental Certification Program for Napa Valley Wineries and Vineyards
As you visit and taste your way through the Napa Valley, keep in mind that you are in one of the most environmentally progressive wine regions in the world.
Many of the Napa Valley's most iconic wineries pride themselves not only on having exceptional winemakers and grape growers, but on being environmental leaders. From soil to bottle, Napa Green Certified vintners make a long series of thoughtful decisions that steward the land and conserve resources – all while producing extraordinary wines.
Becoming Napa Green certified
- Vintners choose a type of rootstock, vineyard layout and planting area based on what is best for the soil and the vine. Each decision made reflects a commitment to minimizing water usage and protecting the watershed while maximizing grape quality.
- Next, cover crops are planted in the vineyard to enhance soil fertility and water-holding capacity while simultaneously preventing erosion. The mixture of seed used for a cover crop is carefully chosen to maximize benefits for the soil and vine.
- As grapes grow in the warm Napa Valley sun, vineyard managers utilize natural predators such as blue birds and owls to keep the ecosystem in balance, requiring less intervention to manage pests and disease.
- Skilled workers tend the vines throughout the growing season, carefully pruning and monitoring the crop. At harvest, grapes are picked in the early morning hours to avoid the afternoon sun. This preserves their quality.
- When fruit reaches the winery, winemakers must decide several things: how they will crush the grapes, how they will ferment the juice and how the resulting wine will be stored to age. In a Napa Green winery, water and energy usage and waste are minimized during this process.
- As a wine ages, members of the cellar crew and winemaking team will monitor it to ensure it is developing the flavors, aromatics and mouthfeel desired. After spending months in tanks and barrels, the wine will be bottled.
A glass of Napa Green wine is a reflection of the people, energy, climate and ecology of the Napa Valley. From the bluebirds and ladybugs that help keep a vineyard in balance to the employee that leads a winery's recycling efforts, each glass of Napa Green wine represents the intention and commitment to land stewardship and consistent quality that the Napa Valley is known for.