Domaine Carneros’ Celebrates Sustainability Highlights for Earth Day 2021

Carneros, CA – April 19, 2021–. CEO of Domaine Carneros Remi Cohen is toasting the upcoming Earth Day on April 22nd with a glass of sparkling wine crafted from their Carneros AVA estate vineyards which have been cultivated sustainably for decades. Since its founding in 1987, the winery has put sustainable efforts at the forefront, ensuring their impact on the land is minimalistic.

The best business practices instituted by long time former CEO Eileen Crane carry on today under Cohen's watchful eye.   Each year, the winery goes through an assessment and audit as part of its Certified California Sustainable Winegrowing certification.  With the matrix of benefiting the environment, employees, and the community, the winery implements the following measures towards continuous improvement:

Re-use and recycling

• Through composting, recycling and re-use, over 90% of solid waste is diverted from landfills.
• Two thirds of the winery’s water is reclaimed and re-used. 
• A decade-long packaging reuse program, whereby cases and inserts are reused for in house purposes, has saved the winery on average $75,000 a year.

Sustainability Practices

• The winery practices Integrated Pest Management using natural controls for vineyard pests such as  boxes to attract owls which feed on voles and using cover crops that attract beneficial insects to control insect pests.
• Grape pomace from harvest is used to feed local cattle in a region of California with historic ties to the dairy business.
• In 2003 the winery installed the largest solar collection system of any winery in the world.  Today, a new microgrid system being installed this summer will provide the winery with 85% of its energy needs and will be self-sustaining in the event of a power outage.

Commitment to Employees

• The winery has strong principles of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and its staff is a reflection of diverse ages, ethnicities, orientations.
• The winery practices open book management, inspiring all employees to be a part of a collective success.

                                                 The winery has been awarded several prestigious honors from the state of California and other well respected organizations. In 2020 the winery and Crane received the Napa Climate NOW! award in 2020 as a Climate Champion in the Business Category with Dave Kearney-Brown, chairperson of county-wide climate non-profit, stating “Its deep commitment to sustainability, and a broad range of initiatives— all of which help lower its carbon footprint — make Domaine Carneros an exemplary business and a climate champion in the region.”

The winery received the California Green Medal Business Award in 2019 for "demonstrating smart business through efficiencies, cost savings, and innovation from implementing sustainable practices." Only four wineries are awarded the medal each year so the honor is quite significant given the number of wineries in the state.

Domaine Carneros has been a Bay Area Green Business since 2014, Fish Friendly Farming certified since 2015, Napa Green Land & Winery since 2014 and Certified California Sustainable Winegrowing since 2015.  

Looking towards the future, CEO Remi Cohen reiterated the foundations of the winery's philosophy which she is carrying forward, "Domaine Carneros has always been a leader in thoughtful winemaking and vineyard management, looking towards regenerative practices.  As we meet new climate challenges, the winery will always look to be a leader with a light footprint."

ABOUT DOMAINE CARNEROS  
Founded in 1987, Domaine Carneros reflects the hallmark of its founder, Champagne Taittinger, in creating a vision of terroir-driven sparkling wine and preserving the quality tenets of the traditional method production.  Located entirely within the Carneros AVA, between Napa and Sonoma counties, the six estate vineyards total approximately 400 acres with 125 acres planted to Chardonnay, 225 acres planted to Pinot Noir, with the remaining acres currently in development. The winery focuses on making ultra-premium Carneros sparkling wines largely estate grown and limited production Pinot Noirs. 

Domaine Carneros' château has become a landmark and symbol of the region. The architecture and interior design were inspired by the 18^th century Château de la Marquetterie, the historic Taittinger family residence in the Champagne region.  For information, images and interviews please contact Kimberly Noelle Charles of Charles Communications Associates at kcharles@charlescomm.com or 415-730-0064.