Category: Featured Post

December 6, 2022

Bonterra Organic Estates Named Green Company of the Year 2022 by The Drinks Business

Beverage industry’s only global green-specific awards honor the company’s commitment to regenerative organic farming, responsible business practices and environmental stewardship.

HOPLAND, Calif., December 6, 2022 – Bonterra Organic Estates®, a certified B Corporation, has been honored as Green Company of the Year by the drinks business magazine. This recognition highlights the company’s acceleration of longstanding impact initiatives over the last 12 months, from achieving Regenerative Organic Certification® for all of its estate vineyards and winery, to formally changing the organization’s name from Fetzer Vineyards to Bonterra Organic Estates in order to more clearly emphasize its guiding values.

The drinks business Green Awards are the world’s largest program raising awareness of sustainability and mission-driven companies in the beverage trade, and the only set of green-specific awards that encompass the global beverage industry. These awards recognize and reward the brands and individuals who hold a green agenda at the very heart of their businesses, and demonstrate tangible results. Winners are determined by an independent panel of sustainability and drinks industry experts. The Green Company of the Year Award, awarded to Bonterra Organic Estates this year, salutes a beverage company that has both improved its own direct environmental impact through changes to business practices, and promoted this effectively to a wider audience.

“Wine and agriculture are on the front lines of the climate crisis, which means we are uniquely positioned to pioneer best practices that help cultivate a better future for all,” said Giancarlo Bianchetti, CEO of Bonterra Organic Estates. “We are deeply gratified by this recognition of our efforts by industry peers, and will continue working to improve our environmental impact further—and, hopefully, to inspire other companies around the world to do the same.”

This Green Company of the Year Award is the capstone of an eventful twelve months in Bonterra Organic Estates’ history. In December 2021, the winery secured Regenerative Organic Certification for all of its Mendocino County, California vineyards and winery. Bonterra Organic Estates achieved Silver-level certification by demonstrating adherence to rigorous standards across the program’s applicable pillars—soil health and social fairness—and committing to ongoing improvement. In late 2021, the company’s popular Bonterra brand also achieved Climate Neutral certification after measuring, reducing, and offsetting a full 100% of greenhouse gas emissions from production and delivery of the wines. To help educate and bring consumers along on its Climate Neutral journey, the company deployed a national marketing campaign around Climate Neutral wine, including full-page ads in the New York Times and Los Angeles Times.

Earlier this year, Bonterra Organic Estates also formally committed to the Science-Based Target initiative, a global partnership that empowers ambitious climate action in the private sector by helping organizations set and achieve emissions reduction and decarbonization targets grounded in the best available scientific evidence. Additionally, as a result of Bonterra Organic Estates’ ambitious and broad-ranging environmental efforts, B Lab, the global nonprofit network that certifies and mobilizes B Corporations, named the company a “Best for the World” in the Environment category this year – an award reserved for the top 5% of similarly sized global B Corps for positive environmental impact.  Finally, and most visibly, in August the company officially changed its name from Fetzer Vineyards to Bonterra Organic Estates in order to highlight its forward-thinking regenerative organic commitments.

Bonterra Organic Estates has long led its industry in modeling planet-friendly business practices and continues to advocate for climate-smart policies at the state and national levels. In 2015, then-Fetzer Vineyards became the first recipient of the California Green Medal Leader award, which recognized the winery’s longstanding sustainability commitments and leadership in the California wine industry. In 2017, the company was the only winery in the world to be commended at COP23 by the United Nations Climate Change secretariat, which recognized the winery’s work toward a climate positive future with a Lighthouse “Momentum for Change” Climate Solutions Award. In 2020, the company declared a climate emergency and committed to achieving climate-positive operations by 2030.

©2022 Bonterra Organic Estates, Mendocino County, California USA

October 4, 2022

Bonterra Organic Estates Joins Science Based Targets Initiative, Refining Climate Commitments with World’s Best Available Methodology

HOPLAND, Calif., October 4, 2022 – Bonterra Organic Estates®,  a pioneering leader in regenerative organic winegrowing, today announced a formal commitment to refine its climate goals through the Science-Based Targets initiative (SBTi). Building on a long history of pacesetting regenerative business initiatives, Bonterra Organic Estates’ participation in SBTi’s program assures the setting of meaningful emission targets consistent with Paris Climate Agreement commitments, and provides the company with a scientifically rigorous, third-party-verified roadmap to achieve those goals.

SBTi empowers ambitious climate action in the private sector by helping organizations set and achieve emission reduction targets grounded in the best available scientific evidence regarding the climate crisis. It is a partnership between various organizations including the United Nations Global Compact, CDP, World Resources Institute and the World Wide Fund for Nature.

“By committing to SBTi standards, we are establishing parameters to set transparent, accountable and objectively validated goals for reducing our greenhouse gas emissions,” said Jess Baum, director of regenerative development and sustainability for Bonterra Organic Estates. “These standards give us a roadmap that is grounded in global best practices.”

This commitment comes at a time when much of the world is focused on combating climate change through formal policies and laws. In the United States, the newly adopted Inflation Reduction Act will supercharge climate action through a variety of policies and investments. With the understanding that business plays a critical role in leading systemic change, purpose-driven companies across the globe are accelerating efforts and setting tangible goals to reverse the effects of industrialization.

Through rigorous analysis, SBTi ensures that a company limits its carbon budget in line with what is needed to limit warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius, which the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has identified as the critical threshold for avoiding the worst impacts of climate change. Participants in SBTi’s program must commit to swiftly reducing emissions, as objectively assessed through best available methodologies, and publicly report their progress each year. Bonterra Organic Estates is among the first wineries to join more than 3,000 visionary, committed companies including Patagonia, Danone, and Microsoft.

This commitment is the latest development in Bonterra Organic Estates’ long history as a purpose-driven business. In 2015 it was the first recipient of the California Green Medal Leader award, which recognized the winery’s longstanding commitments to sustainable practices and leadership in the California wine industry. In 2017, it was the only winery in the world to be commended at COP23 by the United Nations Climate Change secretariat, which recognized the winery’s work toward a climate positive future.

In 2020, the company declared a climate emergency, and committed to accelerating its efforts to inspire, achieve and model responsible business practices. Since then, the winery’s two largest brands, Bonterra® and Fetzer®, have both achieved Climate Neutral Certified status, and the company continues to advocate for climate-smart policies at the state and national levels regarding clean energy, healthy soils and regenerative agriculture.

“The climate crisis is a global problem, and it is already impacting our lives and the lives of future generations,” said Giancarlo Bianchetti, CEO of Bonterra Organic Estates. “As a company committed to purpose, we welcome the third-party rigor SBTi brings to our impact planning. We know its methodology is reflected in the very real need for immediate action that will pave the way to a better tomorrow.”

©2022 Bonterra Organic Estates, Mendocino County, California USA

August 2, 2022

Fetzer Vineyards Adopts the Operating Name Change of Bonterra Organic Estates

Fetzer Vineyards, one of the leading organic wineries in the U.S., announced today that it is adopting the operating name of Bonterra Organic Estates, effective immediately.

The name Bonterra Organic Estates affirms the company’s commitment to regenerative organic farming, responsible business practices and environmental stewardship. The new name applies to the company’s corporate identity, as well as its Mendocino County, Calif., vineyard holdings and winery. Bonterra Organic Estates will encompass the company’s California wine brands including Fetzer®, 1000 Stories®, and  Bonterra®, among others.

“Bonterra Organic Estates communicates the ethos of our California-based business and aligns with our dedication to regenerative organic farming,” said Giancarlo Bianchetti, CEO of Bonterra Organic Estates. “We are embarking on a new chapter, in which we trailblaze advancements in regenerative organic practices while honoring the deep roots of the Fetzer family legacy.”

The Fetzer family founded Fetzer Vineyards in 1968 and pioneered California’s regenerative organic viticulture movement, which prioritizes the health of the vineyard ecosystem and combats climate change. The Fetzer brand remains unchanged, continuing this legacy and offering a smart option for consumers at the popular price point.

Bonterra was born out of the Fetzer Vineyards winery in the late 1980s. Today it is one of the fastest-growing premium wine brands in the United States, thanks to the greater awareness of—and consumer demand for— wines made with organic grapes. Bonterra Organic Estates embraces regenerative organic viticulture, practicing it exclusively on all 960 acres of its estate vineyards in Mendocino County, Calif.

“In elevating the Bonterra name, we are building on our decades of environmental stewardship coupled with the innovative leadership style and business acumen of our parent company, Viña Concha y Toro,” Bianchetti added. “Our promise, as Bonterra Organic Estates, is to continue to prioritize the environment as this best serves our community, customers, and future generations.”

To learn more about Bonterra Organic Estates, visit www.bonterra.com.

ABOUT BONTERRA ORGANIC ESTATES  
As a Certified B Corporation, Bonterra Organic Estates is grounded in the transformational goals of regenerative business. Since its founding, the winery has been driven by excellence, innovation and longstanding commitments to the environment and responsible business practices. With a focus on crafting wines made from organic and Regenerative Organic Certified™ grapes, Bonterra Organic Estates produces leading wine brands from its facility in Mendocino County, California, including category leader Bonterra (named the 2016 Wine Enthusiast American Winery of the Year); sustainability standout Fetzer; and 1000 Stories, California’s original Bourbon barrel-aged wine.

July 26, 2022

Bourbon Barrel-Aged Wine Pioneer 1000 Stories Introduces Distinctive American Barrel-Aged Pinot Noir and Chardonnay

Newly Appointed Master Winemaker Sebastian Donoso Sets A New Course For The Future Of 1000 Stories

1000 Stories, the winery that boldly pioneered bourbon barrel-aged wines, is writing a new chapter debuting wines aged in virgin American oak starting with American Barrel-Aged Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. This comes at a time when Pinot Noir and Chardonnay are driving growth in the Ultra Premium wine category—growing 3.4% and 2.1% year on year respectively.1

1000 Stories has also appointed celebrated winemaker Sebastian Donoso to lead its winemaking operations, ushering in a new era for the brand. This marks the passing of the torch from 1000 Stories founding winemaker Bob Blue who retired in June. Blue is known for breaking the winemaking status quo when he began aging Zinfandel in bourbon barrels to create 1000 Stories in 2014.

“1000 Stories has always been about deliberately matching variety to oak – what’s possible when you explore that connection as a conscious element of flavor, rather than as a characteristic to de-emphasize, like in more traditional winemaking,” said Donoso. “Making these wines pushes me to be more experimental and bolder in my craft.”

Donoso works with coopers who source the American oak from eastern Minnesota and season barrels outdoors for 24 months. The barrels are then toasted to a specific toast level intended to bring out desired aroma and flavor characteristics, while also respecting the fruit. After Donoso selects premium lots from California vineyards and vinifies the grapes, the final blends are then aged in the American oak barrels, which adds a depth of flavor and creaminess to the wine’s mouth feel, alongside notes of vanilla, coconut oil, allspice, dried herbs and earth. The end result distinguishes these wines from their counterparts that are more often aged in French oak, creating a distinctively new drinking experience.

“We’re thrilled to share our unique approach to these beloved wine varietals with consumers,” said Tiffany Tran, senior brand manager for 1000 Stories. “At 1000 Stories we have always pushed winemaking boundaries and continue to do so with our new American Barrel-Aged wines. We’re offering an unexpected take on Pinot Noir and Chardonnay and a special wine drinking experience.”

Born from a profound respect for the natural world and an innate curiosity about what lies beyond our own four walls, 1000 Stories wines are a celebration of the world around us and an homage to the importance of our country’s natural abundance. The newly launched American Barrel-Aged Pinot Noir and Chardonnay represent the winery’s forward thinking commitment to innovation and provide a glimpse into the future of the brand.

To kick start that future, the debut of the 1000 Stories American Barrel-Aged Pinot Noir and Chardonnay will usher in a new look that will debut across the entire portfolio. This new design is inspired by vintage spirits bottles and proudly continues to feature the brand’s emblematic bison icon—a nod to the American symbol that’s a cultural representation of wildness and freedom in the natural world.

The 750ml Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, priced at $19.99, will be available in August and October respectively, and the entire 1000 Stories collection in new packaging will begin shipping to retailers nationwide in October. Wine enthusiasts can sample the new American Barrel-Aged Pinot Noir and other wines from 1000 Stories at the Outside Lands music festival running August 5-7, 2022 in San Francisco. Learn more about the collection and 1000 Stories at http://www.1000storieswines.com

About 1000 Stories 

Expertly crafted by Master Winemaker Sebastian Donoso, 1000 Stories brings an expressive and bold take to wines. Starting with bourbon barrels and expanding to American oak, the nuance and character of each wine is brought to life through our barrel aging process. Named an IMPACT “Hot Prospect” brand three years in a row for its trailblazing portfolio, 1000 Stories consistently garners point scores of 90 or above from celebrated publications. The collection includes the new American Barrel-Aged Pinot Noir and Chardonnay along with the Bourbon Barrel-Aged Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon and Red Blend. Each bottle conveys our curiosity about the world around us and ongoing commitment to sparking that curiosity in all of us. To learn more, visit www.1000storieswines.com

1“Source: IRI L52 weeks ending 7-22-2022 Ultra Premium $15–$19.99 Total US – MULO + C”

July 13, 2022

Bonterra Organic Estates Recognized as a 2022 B Corp “Best for the World” for Exceptional Impact on the Environment

Company’s longstanding commitment to regenerative agriculture and climate-friendly business practices lands it in the top five percent of global B Corps in the Environment impact area.

Bonterra Organic Estates, a Certified B Corporation and leader in responsible business practices, has been named a 2022 Best for the World™ B Corp™ in recognition of its exceptionally positive impact on the environment. This recognition celebrates Bonterra Organic Estates’ longtime regenerative business operations and puts the company in the top five percent of similarly sized global B Corps for positive environmental impact.

The Best for the World recognition is administered by B Lab, the global nonprofit network that certifies and mobilizes B Corps, which are businesses that meet high standards of positive social and environmental performance, accountability, and transparency. B Lab annually grants the Best for the World distinction to Certified B Corps whose verified B Impact Scores in the five impact areas evaluated in the B Impact Assessment — community, customers, environment, governance, and workers — rank in the top five percent of all B Corps in their size group.

After being recognized as a Best for the World “Changemaker” in 2018 and 2019 for making the most positive improvements to their overall impact, Bonterra Organic Estates, then known as Fetzer Vineyards, achieved an “Outstanding” New B Corp Score of 130 during its recertification in 2021, a notable 37% increase from its previous score. Now, the company adds the 2022 “Best for the World” in the Environment impact area designation to its accomplishments.

“Bonterra Organic Estates has championed regenerative organic agriculture and responsible business practices since our founding, and we are honored to be in this position of leadership within the global B Corp community,” said Giancarlo Bianchetti, CEO of Bonterra Organic Estates. “Looking ahead, we plan to build on this momentum and will continue to develop forward-thinking initiatives, both within the environment impact area and beyond.”

In 2020, the winery declared a climate emergency and committed to achieving climate-positive operations by 2030. The winery is now more than halfway to its goal thanks to significant emissions reductions efforts and pioneering Climate Neutral Certification, which it achieved for its two largest brands, Bonterra and Fetzer, in 2021.

Additionally, Bonterra Organic Estates is presently the largest winery in the world to achieve Regenerative Organic Certification™ (ROC™), having secured Silver-level certification for all of its estate vineyards and winery in 2021. Prioritizing soil health, biodiversity, and the well-being of animals, workers, and the climate itself, this approach aims to repair a damaged planet and create a better future for all.

“With regenerative organic agriculture, farmers have the opportunity to be global superheroes. These practices make measurable, positive differences in the health and resilience of our environment and communities,” said Joseph Brinkley, director of regenerative farming for Bonterra Organic Estates. “The Best for the World designation shines a spotlight on these efforts, and will help us continue to share best practices with others.”

In addition to regenerative organic agricultural practices, Bonterra Organic Estates’ comprehensive environmental management system addresses waste generation, energy usage, water usage, and carbon emissions. In 2014, it became the first winery to achieve platinum certification through TRUE Zero Waste. More than three-quarters of all the company’s product input materials come from recycled, reused, or certified sustainably produced sources, and byproducts of wine production are composted. Smart water meters throughout the winery’s Hopland, California campus allow for swift identification and resolution of leaks and water waste incidents in real time. The Hopland campus also relies 100% on renewable energy sources.

Long an industry leader in modeling planet-friendly business practices, Bonterra Organic Estates continues to advocate for climate-smart policies at the state and national levels. In 2015, the company became the first recipient of the California Green Medal Leader award, which recognized the winery’s longstanding sustainability commitments and leadership in the California wine industry. In 2017, Fetzer Vineyards was the only winery in the world to be commended at COP23 by the United Nations Climate Change secretariat, which recognized the winery’s work toward a climate positive future with a Lighthouse “Momentum for Change” Climate Solutions Award.

Jun 14, 2022

Bonterra® Enters Sparkling Canned Wine Category with Organically Crafted Bubbles

Acclaimed organic vintner unveils carbonated cans, furthering leadership in super premium wine

Bonterra Bubbles launch image

On the heels of its pacesetting Climate Neutral certification, Bonterra Organic Vineyards, the organically grown wine category leader,1 builds on its incredible growth trajectory and success with the release of Bonterra Bubbles. The new collection of refreshingly fizzy 250ml cans, dubbed Bonterra Bubbles, aims to meet consumer demand for two surging categories: organic products and RTD (ready-to-drink) offerings. Available nationwide, Bonterra Bubbles debuts with a California Rosé and Brut, priced at $4.99 per can. This innovation follows the brand’s 2019 release of still canned wine in four-packs, the first nationally available organically farmed wine in cans.

“With the increasing variety of consumption occasions, the release of Bonterra Bubbles expands how, when and where consumers can enjoy Bonterra,” said Hilary Butler, director of marketing for Bonterra. “This expansion into sparkling canned wines signals our continued commitment to deliver on consumer trends and values. Bonterra Bubbles offer the same great quality as our acclaimed 750ml portfolio and will certainly be a crowd pleaser.”

As consumers continue to reach for alternatively packaged beverages, canned wine is poised for success. By 2028, canned wine is expected to be a $571.8 million-dollar market, with the popularity of sparkling selections remaining a bright spot in the category.2 Meanwhile the market for natural and organic products continues to boom and is estimated to reach $400 billion by 2030,3 with the production of organic wine projected to grow 10.2% between 2022 and 2030.4

“Organic winemaking is all about balance, and these cans strike the perfect balance between good quality wine and a style that doesn’t take itself too seriously,” said Winemaker Jeff Cichocki. “The versatility that comes from the purity of fruit flavor, lively acidity and carbonation, opens the door for fun and sometimes unexpected pairings: crispy, panko-crusted onion rings are my go-to for our Rosé. At the end of the day, the only guideline when cracking open a can of Bonterra Bubbles is to simply enjoy it.”

Launching with non-vintage canned Rosé and a white blend Brut, Bonterra Bubbles invites consumers to enjoy the brand’s low-intervention, organically farmed wine with a playful twist and effervescent attitude. Cichocki crafts the wines exclusively with certified organic grapes grown in California, blending varieties such as Grenache, Mourvèdre and Malbec in the Rosé, and Viognier and French Colombard in the Brut to create fresh, fruit-driven selections. Following fermentation and aging in stainless steel tanks for ultimate freshness, Cichocki ensures the blends are full of flavor and low in alcohol—the Brut comes in at 12% ABV and the Rosé at 12.3% ABV—before the wines are carbonated to create crisp, sessionable sippers with a refreshing, clean finish.

To celebrate the launch, Bonterra plans to unveil Bubbles during the Aspen Food & Wine Classic running June 17-19, and has teamed up with multiple influencers and brand ambassadors to be some of the first to try it.

“We are thrilled to be able to bring Bonterra Bubbles to the mountains this year—to retailers, restaurant owners, and brand ambassadors,” said Butler. “Bubbles offers that effervescent, perfectly balanced sip you’ve come to expect from Bonterra. We’re so pleased to make it easier than ever to enjoy.”

Bonterra Bubbles is available at retailers nationwide and online. To learn more about Bonterra Bubbles, follow the brand on Instagram and Facebook @Bonterra or visit Bonterra.com.

ABOUT BONTERRA

Leading with the belief that wine making is a collaboration with the land, Bonterra has been farming organically since 1987. Inspired by the purity of organic fruit, Bonterra has a low-intervention approach to wine making—its winery is certified organic, sustainable, and TRUE Zero Waste and operates on 100% renewable energy. Organically farmed and masterfully made, the Bonterra Organic Vineyards collection epitomizes wines that are perfectly in tune with nature. In addition to a widely available selection of organically farmed wines that includes Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Rosé and Zinfandel, Bonterra crafts a trio of sought-after single-vineyard offerings from estate vineyards in Mendocino County.

Bonterra is the world’s first organically farmed wine brand to be Climate Neutral® certified, meaning it takes responsibility for its emissions across its entire business scope. As part of the largest Certified B Corp wine company in the world, Bonterra advocates for policies around regenerative agriculture, healthy soils and sustainable water practices. Bonterra was awarded the 2020 California Green Medal in the Environment category in recognition of its legacy of environmental stewardship and ongoing leadership in climate-smart wine growing. More at www.Bonterra.com.

1 IRI L13 weeks ending 4-3-22. TTL US MULO + C
2 Grand View Research Market Analysis Report “Canned Wines Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Product (Sparkling, Fortified), By Distribution Channel (Supermarket & Hypermarket, Online), By Region (APAC, North America), And Segment Forecasts, 2021 – 2028,” Link: https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/canned-wines-market 
3 New Hope Network: Shara Rutberg, “Technology, J.E.D.I. are key to natural products’ growth, data show”, Mar. 9, 2022. Link: https://www.newhope.com/market-data-and-analysis/technology-jedi-are-key-natural-products-growth-data-show
4 Grand View Research Market Analysis Report “Organic Wine Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Type (Red Organic Wine, White Organic Wine), By Distribution Channel (On-trade, Off-trade), By Region, And Segment Forecasts, 2022 – 2030,” Link: https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/organic-wine-market-report?utm_source=prnewswire&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=fmcg_21-feb-22&utm_term=organic-wine-market-report&utm_content=rd1

Dec 13, 2021

Fetzer Vineyards Achieves Regenerative Organic Certification™ for Winery and 100% of Estate Vineyards

Vintner becomes the world’s largest ROC™-certified winegrower, obtaining rigorous credential for regenerative farming and social responsibility while elevating verified commitments to wine grounded in good

Fetzer Vineyards, the largest winery in the U.S. certified as a B Corporation and a leader in regenerative winegrowing, announced it has achieved Regenerative Organic Certification (ROC) for all of its Mendocino County vineyard holdings and winery. Fetzer Vineyards is the world’s largest winery to obtain ROC certification, and is the third winery to certify to the standard, which publicly debuted in 2020. Long at the vanguard of regenerative viticulture in California, Fetzer Vineyards continues to demonstrate the highest levels of adherence to responsible business and farming practices with this latest achievement.

ROC is a revolutionary new certification for food & beverage, textile and personal care industries that assures shoppers certified farms and products meet the highest standards environmentally, ethically and socially. Certified at the ROC Silver level, Fetzer Vineyards has demonstrated adherence to rigorous standards across the program’s applicable pillars – soil health and social fairness – and committed to ongoing improvement, a core requirement of ROC certification.

Established in 2017 by a group of farmers, business leaders, and experts in soil health, animal welfare and social fairness—including Dr. Bronner’s, Patagonia and the Rodale Institute—the nonprofit Regenerative Organic Alliance (ROA) aims to repair a damaged planet and empower farmers and eaters to create a better future through adoption of regenerative organic farming.

“ROC was created because regenerative organic agriculture has the potential to address many of today’s pressing problems, including the climate crisis, factory farming, and fractured rural economies,” said Elizabeth Whitlow, executive director of the ROA. “If we adopt regenerative organic practices on more farms, we’ll see improvements to soil health, the well-being of animals, farmers, workers, and the climate itself. I applaud Fetzer Vineyards’ achievement of ROC Silver, which is challenging for any farm and especially so given the size and scale of Fetzer Vineyards’ farming and winery operation,” she concluded.

With USDA Organic certification as a baseline, ROC recognizes the strong work already conducted by existing certification bodies and leverages this important work as part of the journey to Regenerative Organic Certification. Certification requires submission of a Regenerative Organic System Plan, an initial audit, ongoing annual audits and continued improvement.

“ROC aligns with and builds upon our existing approaches to soil health and worker fairness, and connects to and supports all 17 of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)—making this a truly comprehensive, rigorous and globally relevant standard,” notes Jess Baum, director of regenerative development and sustainability at Fetzer Vineyards. “Also vitally important is the ROA’s goal to protect the term ‘regenerative’ from greenwashing, which is essential if we are to be able to grow adoption of regenerative organic to address the climate crisis, and worker and community equity issues that are systemic in our food landscape. Simply put, the wellbeing of people, planet and communities is what’s at stake.”

Fetzer Vineyards first began farming organically in 1987, and in 2000 began farming according to Demeter US-certified Biodynamic® practices on select ranches. In 2020, the winery declared a climate emergency and committed to becoming climate positive in its operations by 2030. ROC certification across the winery and estate vineyards elevates these commitments and symbolizes the next chapter for the pacesetting vintner, committed to climate-smart practices that build resiliency both within and beyond winery’s doors.

“We need to diminish, if not entirely eliminate, the use of synthetic pesticides and fertilizers that raise our GHG emissions, harm our biodiversity, contaminate our air and waters, and damage our communities,” notes Joseph Brinkley, director of regenerative farming for Fetzer Vineyards, whose role includes advocating for healthy soils legislation and advancing the company’s position on climate policy generally. “The science supports the abundant connections between soil health and carbon storage, climate resiliency and healthy food systems—and regenerative organic farming is at the heart of this. At Fetzer Vineyards, we plan to continue building on what we’re doing at home, in our supply chain, and at the advocacy table to help advance a positive future for climate-smart agriculture, as we continue to drive scalable solutions to the climate crisis.”

To learn more about Fetzer Vineyards’ impact work, visit fetzervineyards.com/impact and follow @FetzerVineyards on LinkedIn for relevant updates.

ABOUT FETZER VINEYARDS
Fetzer Vineyards is an award-winning purveyor of multi-origin wines and spirits, selling in over 50 countries worldwide. Founded by Barney Fetzer in Mendocino County, CA, in 1968, and part of global powerhouse Viña Concha y Toro, Fetzer Vineyards today remains driven by excellence, innovation and longstanding commitments to the environment and responsible business practices. With a focus on crafting wines made from sustainable, organic and Biodynamic® grapes, Fetzer Vineyards is a leading U.S. marketer of wines, the nation’s primary importer of South American wines, and the United States’ largest Certified B Corporation winery—a testament to the company’s dedication to the transformational goals of regenerative business.

In addition to its flagship Fetzer label, the Fetzer Vineyards portfolio features Bonterra Organic Vineyards, the 2016 Wine Enthusiast American Winery of the Year; 1000 Stories, California’s original Bourbon barrel-aged wine; Casillero del Diablo, the #1 Chilean wine brand (750ml) in the U.S.; and Trivento Reserve, the #3 selling Malbec in the U.S. The Origins Collection—an esteemed portfolio of super-premium to super-luxury offerings centered on terroir-driven wines from Chile, Argentina and the U.S.—showcases South American icons Don Melchor and Trivento Eolo Malbec, alongside Bonterra’s single-vineyard, biodynamically farmed wines and the award-winning craft whiskies of Kentucky Peerless Distilling Co. Learn more at: www.fetzervineyards.com

Nov 17, 2021

Bonterra Becomes World’s First Organically Farmed, Climate Neutral Certified Wine

Green leader certifies for climate neutrality across all business scopes

Building on decades of wine industry leadership in regenerative farming, scientific research and responsible business, Bonterra Organic Vineyards announced today that it has achieved Climate Neutral certification for its entire business, and publicly published its climate footprint. The certification places Bonterra, the nation’s leading organic winery, at the vanguard of brands across industries choosing to disclose their emissions footprints, commit to near-term reduction targets, and communicate openly and transparently with consumers about their climate impact.

“Everything with a price tag comes with a cost to the planet,” said Rachel Newman, Vice President of Marketing for Bonterra. “The climate crisis demands that we act now and that we act boldly. Publicly sharing our emissions footprint and taking responsibility in a really clear, open way was important for us to do now—not in five, ten or thirty years.”

The time for action is now
The announcement comes on the heels of this year’s United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report on the climate crisis, which shows that a warmer future is unavoidable, and signals a pivotal step for a wine brand to demonstrate accountability to stakeholders, including consumers, communities and the environment.

In certifying as Climate Neutral, Bonterra disclosed that on average, a bottle of Bonterra wine (750ml) creates 3.4 pounds of carbon dioxide-equivalent emissions (CO2E);1 in comparison, an apple creates 0.09 lbs. CO2E, while a smartphone creates 131 lbs. CO2E.2 Sharing this information builds on Bonterra’s legacy of responsible practices, now elevating and contextualizing the likes of regenerative farming, 100% green power use at the winery, and advanced water stewardship within the framework of a reputable, product-level certification that consumers understand.

The new essential business metric
Bonterra worked with nonprofit organization Climate Neutral to account for all scopes of greenhouse gas emissions created in Bonterra wines’ journey, from cradle to consumer. In 2020, 37.2% of Bonterra’s emissions derived from packaging and materials, 25.2% from shipping, 16.5% from production, 16.1% from farming and grapes, and 5% from employee commuting and travel.3 Bonterra offset 110% of its footprint through responsible, third-party sourced, nature-based carbon credits. 4

Climate-regenerative projects supported include reforestation initiatives offering numerous co-benefits to climate-vulnerable communities. Supporting such projects allows Bonterra to take responsibility for the carbon it emits, and essentially amounts to a voluntary tax on Bonterra’s carbon pollution. In clearly communicating Bonterra’s climate footprint at the bottle level and sharing context to everyday goods in other product categories, the Bonterra team aims to help demystify the emissions intensity of its collection—and encourage others to do the same.

“Every company should be able to quantify how it’s adding to the climate crisis—just as every company understands its revenues and expenses. But most companies don’t, and even fewer are taking immediate action to eliminate their greenhouse gas emissions,” said Austin Whitman, CEO of Climate Neutral, which counts a growing roster of businesses, including Alter Eco, REI and Numi Tea, among the more than 300 brands that undergo the annual certification process.

“There’s an opportunity for consumers and brands to work together to redefine climate action as something ambitious, immediate, and ongoing,” Whitman explained. “As part of achieving its Climate Neutral certification, Bonterra has measured and compensated for its past emissions, and begun the essential work of reducing its emissions further, showing that the wine industry can play a key role in moving toward a net-zero world.”

Going further: Designing for a better future
Achieving Climate Neutral certification and committing to future reductions is a positive step toward a net-zero future, though the Bonterra team appreciates that key work lies ahead.

“Climate Neutral is a first step, allowing for brand-level and product-level transparency for consumers, and we acknowledge that carbon credits are not a long-term regenerative strategy,” said Jess Baum, Director of Regenerative Development & Sustainability for Bonterra. “In light of the climate crisis, we cannot let perfect become the enemy of good. Measuring and offsetting all carbon created from the vineyard to the shelf is a way for us to credibly take immediate action to address the crisis, while working simultaneously on improving our business.”

Baum encourages others to get started measuring and reducing their emissions. “I encourage everyone in our industry and beyond to take a closer look at their whole emissions footprint and identify the hot spots—the soonest-opportunity areas,” she said. “The only wrong way to do this is to do nothing at all. We all have a role to play, and working together, can make a difference.”

For more information about Bonterra and its commitment to Climate Neutral winegrowing, please visit www.bonterra.com/climate-neutral.

About Bonterra
Organically farmed and masterfully made, the Bonterra Organic Vineyards collection epitomizes wines that are perfectly in tune with nature. A celebration of the vitality derived from organic cultivation, the portfolio features wines coaxed from the earth by careful farming practices carried out on a dynamic network of estate and partner farms throughout California. In addition to a widely available selection of organically farmed wines that includes Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Equinox Red, Young Red and Rosé, Bonterra crafts a trio of sought-after single-vineyard offerings from estate Biodynamic® vineyards in Mendocino County.

Long before organic produce filled the shelves of neighborhood groceries, the dedicated team at Bonterra was committed to organic and regenerative farming because they passionately believe that farms teeming with biodiversity— encompassing vines, insects and wildlife, and healthy soils—yield organic grapes leading to better wines. Bonterra was awarded the 2020 California Green Medal in the Environment category in recognition of its legacy of environmental stewardship and ongoing leadership in climate-smart winegrowing. More at www.Bonterra.com.

©2021 Bonterra Organic Vineyards, Mendocino County, California USA.

                                                      
1 Per-bottle average, 750ml equivalent, Bonterra 2020 Carbon Footprint, climateneutral.org/brand/bonterra 
2 Collected from publicly available sources, carbon footprints for everyday items are not meant to be representative of an entire product category.
3 Source: Climate Neutral Brand Emissions Estimator (BEE), Bonterra Organic Vineyards 2020 carbon emissions, scopes 1-3; https://www.climateneutral.org/brand/bonterra.
4 Climate Neutral uses third-party verification to ensure carbon credits meet the ‘big six’ requirements: real, permanent, quantifiable, verifiable, enforceable, and additional. Learn more about third-party verification for projects Bonterra supports for mangrove restoration in Myanmar, forestry in Brazil, and logging modification in China.

Oct 29, 2021

Fetzer Vineyards Named a Top Importer of the Year by Wine & Spirits Magazine

Company is included among respected cohort of fine wine importers in the United States

Fetzer Vineyards, a leading marketer of multi-origin wines and spirits from the United States, Chile and Argentina, was named a top importer of 2021 by influential wine publication Wine & Spirits magazine. This is Fetzer Vineyards’ first inclusion on the esteemed “Importers of the Year” list, which appears in the publication’s Winter 2021 Issue. It follows the company’s 2018 addition to its portfolio of iconic South American brands Don Melchor, Marques de Casa Concha and Casillero del Diablo, as well as the wines of Bodega Trivento, the world’s leading Argentine wine brand.[1]

The Wine & Spirits editorial team characterizes U.S. importers included in its 2021 list as those who “stake their business on finding wines you’ll want to drink,” and notes that “these 11 importers found the most we want to drink out of all the wines we tasted last year.” The publication tastes thousands of wines each year in a rigorous blind tasting process, and its inclusion of Fetzer Vineyards on its list solidifies the company’s standing as one of the most respected importers in the U.S. In addition to the praise for its imported wines, Fetzer Vineyards is commended for “Best Buys” originating from its California portfolio, including Bonterra.

Concha y Toro, imported by Fetzer Vineyards and a Wine & Spirits Top 100 Winery of 2021, is also prominently featured in the Winter 2021 Issue. Profiled in “The Top 100 Premier Cru,” a feature highlighting the wineries that have appeared most frequently over the three and a half decades of the Top 100 list, Concha y Toro is the second-most-awarded winery among a global list of esteemed vintners.

“We are very proud to be included on this year’s Wine & Spirits Importers of the Year list, alongside great company,” said Giancarlo Bianchetti, CEO of Fetzer Vineyards. “We’ve achieved this milestone thanks to the combined efforts of many over numerous years of focused work. We share this tremendous recognition with our extended team including our suppliers and trade partners.”

About Fetzer Vineyards

Fetzer Vineyards is an award-winning purveyor of multi-origin wines and spirits, selling in over 50 countries worldwide. Founded by Barney Fetzer in Mendocino County, CA, in 1968, and part of global powerhouse Viña Concha y Toro, Fetzer Vineyards today remains driven by excellence, innovation and longstanding commitments to the environment and responsible business practices. With a focus on crafting wines made from sustainable, organic and Biodynamic® grapes, Fetzer Vineyards is a leading U.S. marketer of wines, the nation’s primary importer of South American wines, and the United States’ largest Certified B Corporation winery—a testament to the company’s dedication to the transformational goals of regenerative business.

In addition to its flagship Fetzer label, the Fetzer Vineyards portfolio features Bonterra Organic Vineyards, the 2016 Wine Enthusiast American Winery of the Year; 1000 Stories, California’s original Bourbon barrel-aged wine; Casillero del Diablo, the #1 Chilean wine brand (750ml) in the U.S.; and Trivento Reserve, the #3 selling Malbec in the U.S. The Origins Collection—an esteemed portfolio of super-premium to super-luxury offerings centered on terroir-driven wines from Chile, Argentina and the U.S.—showcases South American icons Don Melchor and Trivento Eolo Malbec, alongside Bonterra’s single-vineyard, biodynamically farmed wines and the award-winning craft whiskies of Kentucky Peerless Distilling Co. www.fetzervineyards.com.

[1] IWSR Drinks Market Analysis, 2020: Bodega Trivento 2020 global sales

Oct 21, 2021

Fetzer Vineyards Announces “Outstanding” New B Corp Score of 130, Further Elevating Legacy of Purpose-Driven Business Practices

Longstanding commitments to regenerative agriculture and climate-smart practices land Fetzer Vineyards in the top 5% of companies of its size in the B Corp Environment category, and the “Outstanding” category for B Corps globally

HOPLAND, Calif., October 21, 2021 – Fetzer Vineyards, the largest winery certified as a B Corporation in the United States and a leader in regenerative winegrowing, today announced a milestone in the company’s longtime dedication to responsible business practices: a new B Corp score of 130. This new score, which reflects a remarkable 37% increase from the company’s previous score, puts Fetzer Vineyards in the “Outstanding” category for B Corps globally, an elite group of purpose-focused businesses verifiably recognized for using business as a force for good.

Fetzer Vineyards demonstrated especially remarkable growth in its B Corp Environment score during its B Corp recertification, building on performance last assessed in 2017. Thanks to the likes of organic and regenerative farming practices, climate-smart operations, resource conservation and more, Fetzer Vineyards’ tally of 75.4 Environment points puts it in the top five percent of Environment performance for a company of its size among global B Corps.

Fetzer Vineyards' New B Corp Score of 130

Fetzer Vineyards has long been a purpose-driven business, catalyzing change for good since its founding in 1968. It was the first recipient of the California Green Medal Leader award (2015), which recognized the winery’s legacy of pacesetting commitments to sustainable practices and leadership in the California wine industry. In 2017, Fetzer Vineyards was commended at COP23 by the United Nations Climate Change secretariat, which recognized the winery’s work toward a climate positive future with a Lighthouse “Momentum for Change” Climate Solutions Award, the only winery in the world to receive this honor.

Other leading achievements in 100% green energy use, zero waste certification and more have followed, along with early adoption among wineries of B Corp certification and best practices. Today, B Corps are widely recognized across industries for transparency and accountability.

“For more than 50 years we have continuously worked to improve both our environmental and social impact,” said Giancarlo Bianchetti, CEO of Fetzer Vineyards. “On the heels of declaring a Climate Emergency last year, it is imperative to demonstrate progress toward our goal of accelerating our efforts to do better for people, communities and planet. Our latest B Corp score reflects these efforts, and we will continue to advance our actions to build on this momentum.”

To qualify for B Corp certification, a company must complete the rigorous B Impact Assessment (BIA) and obtain a minimum of 80 points on its 200-point scale. Anyone may take the BIA, and the average company scores approximately 50 points, well below the threshold for certification. During the BIA, businesses are rigorously assessed and measured in five areas: workers, community, governance, environment and customers.

Fetzer Vineyards first became a Certified B Corp in 2015, achieving an initial score of 80.2. The winery increased its impact efforts and overall score to 95.1 on its second assessment, in 2017. In the years since, Fetzer Vineyards has continued to advance its efforts across an array of focus areas, with noteworthy progress in worker benefits; policy advocacy for social and environmental standards; ethical marketing; and climate-friendly business practices.

Today, there are more than 4,000 Certified B Corporations across 77 countries and 153 industries, unified by one common goal: transforming the global economy to benefit all people, communities and the planet.

“We are excited to be a part of this incredible community, and to build on progress as we develop and execute ambitious, forward-thinking initiatives that will help us achieve our goal of climate positive operations by 2030,” said Jess Baum, Director of Regenerative Development & Sustainability for Fetzer Vineyards. “The BIA gives us a great framework to ensure we’re looking at improvement across impact areas, and we are committed to diving deeper and doing better across our business as we move into our next chapter.”

Debut of Fetzer Vineyards’ new score follows a recent announcement from Viña Concha y Toro, Fetzer Vineyards’ Chilean-based holding company, which celebrated its own B Corp certification—along with certification for each of its winery holdings not previously certified. These include Fetzer Vineyards imports to the U.S. Concha y Toro, Viña Cono Sur and Bodega Trivento. Where consumers are concerned, it also crucially means that every single bottle of wine Fetzer Vineyards makes or markets now hails from a B Corp, rendering the company’s entire U.S. portfolio of wines from California, Chile and Argentina certifiably grounded in good.

To learn more about Fetzer Vineyards’ B Corp certification and impact work, visit fetzervineyards.com/impact and follow @FetzerVineyards on LinkedIn for relevant updates.

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ABOUT FETZER VINEYARDS
Fetzer Vineyards is an award-winning purveyor of multi-origin wines and spirits, selling in over 50 countries worldwide. Founded by Barney Fetzer in Mendocino County, CA, in 1968, and part of global powerhouse Viña Concha y Toro, Fetzer Vineyards today remains driven by excellence, innovation and longstanding commitments to the environment and responsible business practices. With a focus on crafting wines made from sustainable, organic and Biodynamic® grapes, Fetzer Vineyards is a Top-12 U.S. marketer of wines, the nation’s primary importer of South American wines, and the United States’ largest Certified B Corporation winery—a testament to the company’s dedication to the transformational goals of regenerative business.

In addition to its flagship Fetzer label, the Fetzer Vineyards portfolio features Bonterra Organic Vineyards, the 2016 Wine Enthusiast American Winery of the Year; 1000 Stories, California’s original Bourbon barrel-aged wine; Casillero del Diablo, the #1 Chilean wine brand (750ml) in the U.S.; and Trivento Reserve, the #3 selling Malbec in the U.S. The Origins Collection—an esteemed portfolio of super-premium to super-luxury offerings centered on terroir-driven wines from Chile, Argentina and the U.S.—showcases South American icons Don Melchor and Trivento Eolo Malbec, alongside Bonterra’s single-vineyard, biodynamically farmed wines and the award-winning craft whiskies of Kentucky Peerless Distilling Co. Learn more at: www.fetzervineyards.com