Eco-Friendly Wines

These days wine consumers concerned about the environment find it easier to do their part to reduce the pollution, carbon footprint, greenhouse gas emissions and fuel consumption associated with their wine purchases. More wineries and vineyards are employing various sustainable practices every day. These can include organic/biodynamic viticulture and practices that promote social equity, community involvement, energy efficiency, pest management, air quality, water quality and conservation. There even is a healthy debate going on over which is greener: cork or screw cap, bottle or box. But that’s another column for another time.In recognition of the increasing emphasis on the Green Economy and in honor of the just passed Earth Day, here are a few winery efforts that have caught my attention recently.

Fetzer arguably is the pioneer of sustainable practices and business social responsibility in Califonia’s wine industry. A wide range of programs aimed at sustainability in the vineyard, the winery and the throughout the corporation, today include a large solar array, lighter weight glass in wine bottles, a zero waste recycling and waste management, energy and water conservation, community involvement, and outreach in the wine industry to share best practices. Its Bonterra wines are produced from organic grapes and occasionally biodynamic grapes. One of the leaders of the Fetzer program for most of its years, Paul Dolan now has carried that ethic with him to Parducci Wine Cellars. Some examples of what he and his partners are doing at Parducci: a commitment to business social responsibility, reclaiming 100% of the water used in the cellars, using 100% green power and earth-friendly packaging, and sharing ideas with the industry through The Green Winegrowing Handbook. In recognition of such work Parducci has received awards for becoming the nation’s first carbon neutral winery and for its work on climate change issues.

Oregon’s wine industry as a whole has been in the foerfront of sustainable practices and Cooper Mountain Vineyards has been a leader especially in biodynamic and organic wines. Its vineyards have attained organic and Biodynamic certification and the winery is certified organic for operations and processing. And is the first U.S. winery to gain label approval for a no-sulfite-added wine under the new National Organic Program standards. Cooper Mountain also understands that the wine industry is one of the first industries that will be affected by global warming. Consequently, the winery is working to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions to zero by early 2009.

Value brand Glen Ellen recently replaced its 187 ml single serving glass bottles with 250 ml Tetra Paks, a convenient carton that protects freshness and eliminates the possibility of cork taint and offer significant energy savings in production, transportation and storage, reducing greenhouse gases and saving fuel. Easy to open and reseal, portable, lightweight, and resistant to breakage, they are perfect for picnics and parties. Cuvaison in the Napa Valley has long been a leader in sustainability. Its Carneros winery now uses a solar system and they minimize the use of synthetic and carbon-based inputs in its farming. Now the company is working with ReCORK America to plant up to 1,000 corks in threatened habitats of Portugal’s cork oak forests. For more information about ReCORK America, especially their program focused on obtaining used and surplus corks from winery tasting rooms, bottling lines, retailers, restaurants, and quality assurance laboratories, visit their Web site at www.recorkamerica.com.

J. Lohr Vineyards recently unveiled a huge solar tracking array designed to offset 75% of the winery’s energy usage at its Paso Robles operations. This is added to the company’s program of sustainable winegrowing and winemaking practices, including utilization of organic soil amendments, limited use of chemicals, erosion control, water conservation, extensive pomace composting and materials recycling. Check out wines from the Niven family – Baileyana, Tangent, and Edna Valley Vineyard – whose Paragon and Firepeak vineyards, both in the Edna Valley on California's South Central Coast, recently earned the Sustainability in Practice certification for their collective commitment to environmental stewardship, economic viability, and equitable treatment of employees. Areas addressed to earn the certification include biodiversity, social equity, community involvement, energy efficiency, pest management, air quality, water quality and conservation, and practices that reduce risk. Cap your evening with Terra Bella ($23), the world’s first certified organic Port, developed by Fonseca, one of the most esteemed Port houses and one of the first to develop organic viticultural methods in the Douro.