Sustainability Archives - Dr. Liz Thach, MW

How Napa And Sonoma Vineyards Are Going Beyond Sustainability To Embrace Climate-Positive Goals

Climate positive (carbon negative) goals in Napa and Sonoma vineyards. PHOTO CREDIT: GETTY California wineries have long been leaders in environmentally friendly practices, because they recognized early on that wine grapes are one of the most susceptible crops to global warming. Indeed by 2019, 99% of Sonoma County vineyards were certified sustainable and 94% of Napa vineyards and wineries achieved certification under the Napa Green program. However, now both counties have established even more aggressive goals to reduce their carbon footprint and become climate positive – which is beyond carbon neutral, with negative emission reductions. The sustainability certifications the vineyards achieved [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2021-10-18T17:50:21-07:00October 18, 2021|

Famous Tuscan Winery Releases New Vintage with Focus on Sustainability

In April, world-renowned Ornellaia Winery in Tuscany, Italy, released its Grand Vin, Ornellaia Bolgheri DOC Superiore 2017. The name “Solare”, “radiant” in English, was chosen to define this vintage – unusual frost, heat and drought extremes, which nonetheless resulted in an elegant wine of bold personality. Ornellaia Solare 2017. Credit: Ornellaia How Does Ornellaia Solare Taste? Estate Director Axel Heinz remarked about the surprisingly harmonious wine crafted by winemakers’ gentle handling of slightly younger grapes. Solare has characteristic notes of liquorice and blackberries with velvety tannins, yet rich acidity and roundness with “Mediterranean sumptuousness”. From an Unpredictable, Extreme Climate A stark contrast [...]

By Fiona Fang|2021-01-30T21:49:55-08:00May 21, 2020|

Learning About Champagne Riddling at Field Trip to Domaine Carneros

Old wooden riddling racks were set-up around the second floor room of Domaine Carneros, overlooking the winery below. CEO, Eileen Crane, handed everyone a glowing flute of Domaine Carneros Ultra Brut to enjoy as she explained how the riddling process works. "The traditional method was to turn each bottle in the riddling rack by a set amount each day until all of the yeast from the second fermentation in bottle fell to the top lip of the bottle. In this way, it could be frozen and then easily ejected." There were oohhs and aahhs from the thirty SSU wine business [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2021-02-01T19:55:11-08:00March 22, 2017|