3 Sustainable Wineries That Will Get You Tipsy While Preserving the Land
Wine is great. But sustainable wine? Sustainable wine is tops! Sustainable and organically grown grapes provide a taste that’s out of this world and result in a beverage that’s refreshing, good for the environment and the land, and relatively beneficial for your bod. (In moderation, of course, but whatever…)
Now, if you love wine as much as I do, you most likely want to learn about a few sustainable wineries. So, we’ve rounded up three wineries that respect the land and the grapes they grow.
1. Spottswoode Winery in St Helena, Calif.
Spottswoode is one of Napa Valley’s most environmentally conscious wineries. It has been in operation for years. Since 1985, Spottswoode Estate Vineyard in Napa Valley has grown organic grapes. By 1992, Mary Novak, Spottswoode’s owner, and Tony Soter, the winery’s founding winemaker, transformed their winery into the second estate vineyard in Napa Valley to earn CCOF organic certification.
In addition to growing organic grapes, the vineyard also contributes one percent of its gross revenue every year to organizations that share its environmental values. The vineyard also features:
- Solar arrays: one at the winery, vineyard, and on the estate’s historic home.
- The vineyard also “plans to invest further in this renewable energy source in 2015 and 2016, with the ultimate goal of offsetting 100 percent of Spottswoode’s agricultural and business-related energy needs.”
- The vineyard now cultivates Biodynamically, too.
2. 3 Horse Ranch Vineyards in Eagle, Idaho
Three Horse Ranch’s motto is that “great wine starts with great soil” and we completely agree. The winery uses natural growing methods to cultivate healthy grapes while keeping the surrounding environment pristine. The winery takes care of weeds and pests by using natural methods, such as maintaining a population of beneficial insects, hand pruning and picking fruit, and hand hoeing weeds.
3. Frey Vineyards in Redwood Valley, Calif.
Frey Vineyards is the leader when it comes to sustainable, organic wine. The family-owned and operated vineyard has been dedicated to sustainable wine creation for over 30 years. The wine is organic, contains no added sulfites, and is Biodynamic (it features Biodynamic grape growing and a farm). The winery uses sustainable growing methods to benefit the environment, too. Other sustainable aspects of the winery include hosting organic gardens, a dedication to wildlife, bio-diversity and forest protection, and the winery keeps honeybees. The vineyard also is dedicated to watching its carbon footprint (it’s partially solar powered).
Consult the following sites if you’re looking for sustainable wineries to visit in your area:
Long Island Sustainable Winegrowing
California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance
Also: If you are at all flummoxed by all the dialogue out there concerning wine (like what’s Biodynamic vs. organic vs. sustainable, check out this helpful piece by Cooking Stoned.
Related on Organic Authority
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Vineyard image from Shutterstock
