Sustainability

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For the past 40 years, the Chappellets have been dedicated stewards of their land, working to honor the natural integrity of Napa Valley’s Pritchard Hill. In practice, this stewardship has manifested itself as a committed focus on sustainable, organic and green practices, both in the vineyard and the winery. In addition, Chappellet’s socially responsible approach to winegrowing and winemaking champions conservation, recycling, alternative energy sources and ethical business practices. Because this information is increasingly important to the wine buying public it is important that we share Chappellet’s environmentally conscious philosophy with a wider audience, while backing it up with specifics. The following offers a select overview of key initiatives:

• For the 2007 vintage, Chappellet switched to a lighter, domestically produced, and substantially more eco-friendly bottle for its Pritchard Hill Estate Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon. Not only do these bottles travel 7,000 fewer miles to Chappellet than the previous imported bottles, but because they are 2/3 lbs. lighter, they take much less energy to produce. In turn, a standard truckload filled with Pritchard Hill Estate Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon will weigh almost 10,000 lbs. less, dramatically reducing the gas and carbon footprint of shipping the wine.

• The Chappellets have long been advocates of more environmentally conscious farming methods. Beginning in the early 1980s (long before the term sustainable was ever used), Chappellet was one of the first wineries to plant cover crops as a method for soil conservation and erosion prevention.

• Chappellet’s early adoption of practices such as no-till farming has evolved into a comprehensive program of sustainable techniques used to eliminate the use of synthetic chemicals. These techniques include the use of cover crops, bird boxes, on-site composting and organic fertilizers.

•  In 2008 Chappellet unveiled an ambitious solar project. Comprised of 960 individual solar modules capable of producing approximately 280,000 kilowatt hours per year, this 20,000-square-foot solar photovoltaic system generates enough energy to offset 100 percent of the winery’s PG&E bill. Over a 30-year period it will have the amazing environmental benefit of reducing greenhouse gases by 4,513,275 lbs. In practical terms this is the equivalent to planting over 40,000 trees.

• Ninety percent of the grapes grown on the estate vineyards come from blocks that are farmed using organic methods.  The majority of the estate is CCOF certified.

• The Chappellets have remained committed to maintaining the natural integrity of Pritchard Hill. Only a modest 16 percent of the property is under vine, the rest remains uncultivated.

• Chappellet has an extensive on-site composting program. The winery produces approximately 400,000 pounds of compost each year from pomace and other organic material.

• There are ten bird boxes in the vineyard as homes to barn owls, kestrels, sparrow hawks and bluebirds. These welcome residents help to naturally keep gopher, mole, vole and insect populations in check.

• The mechanical equipment used in the vineyards runs on 50 percent biodiesel.

• Chappellet is committed to water conservation. Only run-off water captured and saved in the winery’s own reservoir is used for irrigation.

• Chappellet has an extensive recycling program that includes all metal, glass, plastic and cardboard. This program also includes all materials from the vineyard and the winery, as well as from the personal residences of the Chappellet family members living on Pritchard Hill.