FREY VINEYARDS
Redwood Valley, Mendocino County, California
Products: Organic wine and Biodynamic wine
WHAT DO YOU LOVE ABOUT FREY VINEYARDS?
We are proud to be America’s first organic winery, making wine without added sulfites or other synthetic preservatives since 1980, and we have always been family-owned and operated. No-sulfites-added wines are preferred by a growing number of wine lovers today. Our wines are also vegan (made with no animal byproducts commonly used for fining), and gluten free (no gluten byproducts commonly used for fining or as barrel sealant). We are also a leader in organic grape growing in Mendocino County, California, which has more organic grapes produced today than any other county by percentage.
AS A WINERY, WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO OPERATE IN A SUSTAINABLE WAY?
For the quality of life and health of future generations, it is important to grow food and wine sustainably and organically. Many pesticides and synthetic fertilizers are suspected of increasing cancer rates in people and of harming bee populations that are vital for the pollination of many fruits and nuts. Organic farming eliminates the introduction of these chemicals into the environment and increases soil fertility by using alternative and traditional methods such as cover cropping. We are all temporary stewards of the Earth, and living sustainably is a natural duty.
“You can actually make a more interesting bottle of wine by letting nature have its way.”
BENZIGER FAMILY WINERY
Glen Ellen, Sonoma, California
Products: Sustainable, Organic, or Biodynamic wines
WHAT DO YOU LOVE ABOUT BENZIGER FAMILY WINERY?
All Benziger Family Wines communicate a sense of place and respect for the land, whether it’s a sustainable, organic, or biodynamic wine. We’re dedicated to producing wines that care for the environment and sharing that passion with everyone who opens a bottle of our wine or comes to visit us at the winery.
AS A WINERY, WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO OPERATE IN A SUSTAINABLE WAY?
We believe that not only the land, but also our wines have benefited from our sustainable and biodynamic practices. You can actually make a more interesting bottle of wine by letting nature have its way. Our sustainability programs emphasize environmentally sound growing methods, such as biodiversity, soil revitalization, and Integrated Pest Management (IPM), which help cultivate grapes with more character, flavors, and aromas with the goal of making better wines. We don’t just farm this way because we think caring for the land is the right thing to do, but it also happens to be the best way to make distinctive, authentic wines. By treating our vineyards the best way we know how, we’re making wines we’re really proud of.
LANGETWINS FAMILY WINERY AND VINEYARDS
Lodi, California
Products: Sustainable Wines
WHAT DO YOU LOVE ABOUT LANGETWINS FAMILY VINEYARDS?
I love that we are committed to our belief that to be generational, we must be sustainable. To us, this means sustainable practices are used in every aspect of our business, from the winery to the vineyards and everything in-between. We use sustainable farming practices that are environmentally friendly, economically viable, and socially equitable and we have extended that commitment into our winery and tasting room. Our efforts to be generational provide a purpose and direction to everything we do.
AS A WINERY, WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO OPERATE IN A SUSTAINABLE WAY?
For the twins, Randall and Bradford Lange, one simply cannot be a generational farm family without being sustainable. It’s how they were taught to farm and it’s how we farm the LangeTwins estate vineyards today. Unlike other farming practices, sustainable winegrowing is all-encompassing in its approach. We are not only concerned with the health of the vineyard, but its surrounding natural environment as well. As stewards of the land, the LangeTwins family has been a sustainable grower in the Lodi Appellation of California for five generations and we’re continually working to preserve the land for more generations to come.
COOPER MOUNTAIN VINEYARDS
Willamette Valley, Oregon
Products: Sustainable wine using biodynamic grapes
WHAT DO YOU LOVE ABOUT COOPER MOUNTAIN VINEYARDS?
We love that we get to authentically express the soils, climate, and beauty of Oregon through the lens of pinot noir, bottle it up, and send it out for the world to enjoy.
AS A WINERY, WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO OPERATE IN A SUSTAINABLE WAY?
Growing wine grapes is a long-term adventure. The responsible land stewardship that we practice today will make for higher quality wines for the next generation that oversees the winery.
