11 Strategies to Safeguard and Sustain California’s Renowned Wine Region

When visiting California’s Napa Valley, you might immediately think of red or white wines, but there's also a rising trend towards eco-consciousness. Recently, winemakers, locals, and community leaders have collaborated to create innovative sustainability initiatives throughout the valley. On a broader scale, this translates to enhanced sustainability efforts across the region. In practical terms, visitors can now explore a variety of eco-friendly experiences, whether that’s savoring biodynamic wines or simply enjoying the breathtaking scenery of lush hills adorned with majestic oak trees.

This dedication to sustainability—a key element that makes visiting this region so fulfilling—has deep roots. In 1968, the winemakers and community leaders of Napa Valley established the nation’s first Agriculture Preserve, safeguarding over 32,000 acres. Subsequently, in 1991, regulations were implemented, including the Hillside Farming Ordinance and the Stream Setback Ordinance, to further enhance environmental protection.

Currently, nearly 90 percent of Napa County enjoys permanent or significant protection from development. Vintners have willingly relinquished private lands, including vineyard spaces, to work together in restoring extensive areas along the Napa River. Additionally, Napa Green’s winery and vineyard initiatives provide a path for comprehensive third-party certification, adhering to stringent soil-to-bottle standards that promote sustainable winemaking and grape cultivation.

In 2021, Napa Green emerged as the first sustainable winegrowing initiative worldwide to completely overhaul vineyard certification standards, emphasizing climate action, regenerative carbon farming, and social equity. Moreover, the hospitality sector is actively working on a program to create a Napa Green lodging certification, applying a rigorous model of continuous improvement.

It appears that everything in Napa Valley is flourishing in green, making it the perfect moment to savor its numerous treasures for yourself. To spark ideas for an eco-friendly adventure, read on for an overview of sustainability initiatives that are just as delightful to experience as they are advantageous to Napa and its residents.

Southern Valley

Located in Carneros, at the northern edge of San Pablo Bay where Napa and Sonoma counties converge, Carneros Resort & Spa offers more than just stylish accommodations amid the vineyards, with its spacious cottages and vacation homes. It is also a proud member of Beyond Green, a program that mandates participants to fulfill over 50 sustainability criteria in line with global standards for sustainable tourism. Furthermore, the housekeeping team gathers and recycles used soap, donating it to Clean the World, which sanitizes and redistributes it to regions lacking easy access to soap.

For those seeking accommodations that reduce their travel impact, DoubleTree by Hilton is a LEED-Gold certified hotel located in American Canyon, the southernmost city in Napa County. The hotel operates entirely on energy generated from solar panels on its roof, and the on-site Spa Gaia exclusively uses organic products, many of which are locally sourced.

The Westin Verasa, a proud member of the California Green Business network, offers rooms equipped with oxidizers, low-flow showerheads, and composting services for guests wishing to stay in Napa. The hotel has also removed plastic straws and has embraced bio-fuel recycling, high-efficiency LED lighting, and other eco-friendly practices.

For a dining experience in downtown Napa, visit the Dutch Door restaurant, which operates as a zero-plastic takeout cafe, utilizing compostable containers, utensils, and cups. Approximately half of the cafe’s offerings are vegan.

Central Valley

In Yountville, you can visit Bardessono Hotel & Spa, which stands as one of only 14 LEED-Platinum certified hotels in the United States and one of 85 worldwide. This chic resort enhances its eco-friendliness through features like concrete floors that reduce summer cooling needs, on-demand filtered water bottle service, and motion-sensor lighting that automatically turns off when rooms are unoccupied, conserving energy.

Honig Winery, located in Rutherford, practices organic and biodynamic farming on its estate vineyards. To gain deeper insights, consider joining the 90-minute Eco-Tour and Tasting Experience. Participants travel in a six-person electric cart through the vineyard, gaining a close-up view of the vines, soil, and resident bees. The tour culminates with a tasting of estate-produced wines.

Also situated in Rutherford, Cakebread Cellars has championed sustainability since their first vintage in 1973. Their eco-friendly vineyard practices include monitoring soil moisture to guide irrigation, composting, integrated pest management, and low-impact farming techniques. Cakebread has also established a green parking lot featuring permeable pavement and bio-swales to filter runoff water.

Further up the road, on the outskirts of St. Helena, Meadowood Napa Valley has been actively engaged in reforesting its grounds with native species like coast redwoods and native oaks. So far, members of the Meadowood hospitality and landscaping teams have hand-planted over 2,000 oak and redwood trees.

Up-Valley

At the northern tip of the Napa Valley, nature truly takes center stage. Mount St. Helena looms majestically above, serving as a testament to the area’s ancient volcanic history. (Interestingly, this is also where author Robert Louis Stevenson spent a summer; a state park on the mountain is named in his honor.)

Cade Winery, located on Howell Mountain in Angwin, exemplifies Napa Valley’s commitment to sustainability. Since opening in 2009, it has proudly held the California Certified Organic Farmers designation and was the first winery to earn the prestigious LEED-Gold certification.

In Calistoga, Indian Springs Resort has centered its entire brand around a natural asset: water. Four thermal geysers on-site provide a continuous flow of mineral water, while a blend of this water with local volcanic ash creates the renowned mud for their signature mud baths. Additionally, the Mount View Hotel & Spa in Calistoga donates half of its profits to charitable causes, including those that promote access to clean water in developing regions across the globe.

These are just a few ways to seamlessly weave eco-friendliness into your Napa Valley getaway—enjoying the stunning scenery is a rewarding experience in itself.