Fifth generation family winegrowers lead the way in innovative ethical practices and sustainability programming
LIVERMORE VALLEY, Calif. /California Newswire/ — In honor of today’s Earth Day, Wente Vineyards is proud to share an updated series of green initiatives and programming, all of which reflect the winery’s longstanding (136 years and counting!) and ongoing commitment to sustainable winegrowing.
As of 2019, Wente Vineyards, America’s oldest, continuously operated family winery, is among only 2 percent of California wineries to have achieved the Certified California Sustainable Winegrowing (“CERTIFIED SUSTAINABLE”) designation for both its vineyard and winery. Any winegrowing operation hoping to attain the CERTIFIED SUSTAINABLE designation must meet a stringent set of criteria in order to preserve and protect their land, water, and air, but also demonstrate ethical leadership with how they treat their employees and local communities.
Wente Vineyards was one of 18 pilot wineries to achieve certification in 2010, and beginning with the 2017 vintage, the winery will include the official CERTIFIED SUSTAINABLE logo on all packaging to help increase demand for sustainable wines.
The Wente family’s sustainability philosophy dates back to 1883, but today’s fifth generation winegrowers Karl & Niki Wente have recently upgraded the winery, vineyard and tasting rooms to meet (and exceed) their family’s CERTIFIED SUSTAINABLE-inspired goals.
A comprehensive list of recent additions to the sustainability ‘menu’ at Wente Vineyards can be found HERE: https://www.charlescomm.com/Big-News/wente-vineyards-announces-2019-sustainability-report-card.html – or summarized below:
WATER USE EFFICIENCY
* BlueMorph UV light system implemented
* All production facility water re-used for (minimal) irrigation
* On-property water treatment pond
SOIL & NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT
* 1/3 processed grape tonnage spread back into vineyards for soil management
* Cover crops recycled into self-renewing organic fertilizer for bio-diversity & pest control
ENERGY EFFICIENCY
* STARS Filtration Unit (Selective Tartrate Removal System), reduces energy load during winery’s cold stabilization process
* Natural skylights & supplemental LED lights improve energy efficiency, replacing incandescent & halogen light fixtures
SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT
* In 2018, 77 percent of Wente Vineyards’ consumables waste was diverted from landfill and recycled
BENEFICIAL PESTS & BIODIVERSITY
* Native beneficial grasses & 100 head of cattle provide grass management & soil fertilization
* Aero falconry, owl boxes, raptor perches & electronic squawk boxes for starling, gopher & ground squirrel management
* On-site weather stations use UC Davis-developed mildew pressure models to pinpoint exactly where to spray, if at all
* Natural oils (clove, black pepper and cinnamon) smother mildew & control pests
COMMUNITY
* Award-winning Make Time(tm) initiative strengthens Wente Vineyards’ long-standing pledge of creating a culture of balance for its employees. Click here for a complete list of initiatives: https://www.charlescomm.com/Big-News/wente-vineyards-announces-2019-sustainability-report-card.html
* The Wente Foundation for Arts Education has raised over $5 million for local organizations to improve the quality of life for underserved local children.
About Wente Vineyards:
Founded in 1883, Wente Vineyards is the oldest continuously-operated, family-owned winery in the country, now owned and managed by the fourth and fifth generations of the Wente family. The winery draws from certified sustainable Estate vineyards in the Livermore Valley, San Francisco Bay and Arroyo Seco, Monterey appellations to create an outstanding portfolio of fine wines. Wente Vineyards is distributed in all 50 states and in over 70 countries worldwide.
In 2011, Wente Family Estates was named American Winery of the Year by Wine Enthusiast and a top 30 wine company by Wine Business Monthly. 2012 marked the 100th anniversary of the Wente family bringing Chardonnay cuttings to California from France. Today, the Wente clone of Chardonnay is the most widely planted in California.
Located just east of San Francisco in the historic Livermore Valley, Wente Vineyards is recognized as one of California’s premier wine country destinations. In 2018, the winery took a leadership role in its longstanding mission to inspire employees and guests to make time for what really matters, as realized through Wente Vineyards’ best practices, outstanding wines and wine country experiences. The property features wine tasting, world-class concerts, award-winning fine dining and championship golf. For more information, visit https://wentevineyards.com/.
For press inquiries and images, please contact Kimberly Noelle Charles or Rachel Chittick at Charles Communications Associates at press@charlescomm.com or 415.701.9463.
Learn More: https://wentevineyards.com/
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Originally published on CaliforniaNewswire.com — Wente Vineyards Announces its 2019 Sustainable Winegrowing Report Card for Earth Day