Wine Grounded in Good: Fetzer Vineyards Details Its Regenerative Development Progress

July 15, 2019

Fetzer Vineyards, a leader in regenerative winegrowing, announces the release of Mapping the Road: Corporate Consciousness Report, highlighting its regenerative development progress and key milestones realized in 2017 and 2018. The world’s largest winery certified as a B Corporation, Fetzer Vineyards achieved significant reductions in energy and water use during the reporting period, surpassing its 2020 goals in both areas two years ahead of schedule, while maintaining industry-leading certifications for Zero Waste and CarbonNeutral® operations and making significant efficiency upgrades to production facilities. Setting the course for a more climate-resilient tomorrow, the vintner simultaneously initiated efforts to drive the more widespread adoption of regenerative agriculture in its supply chain and spoke up in state, national and international forums for more rigorous environmental policymaking.

Elevating Impact, Prioritizing Purpose

Working toward a 2030 commitment to net positive operations—synonymous with a positive corporate footprint—Fetzer Vineyards made meaningful progress on its journey in a variety of areas during the reporting period. In addition to supporting impactful water policy initiatives in California, the vintner achieved a 25% reduction in winery water use from its 2015 baseline, using just 2.75 gallons of water per gallon of wine produced. In 2018, Fetzer Vineyards met its 2020 energy efficiency goal early, realizing energy savings of 21% thanks to numerous efficiency upgrades and innovative, energy-savings projects. Beyond its doors, the vintner advocated for regenerative, climate-smart business practices at the global Climate Change Conference in Bonn, Germany, where Fetzer Vineyards was recognized by the United Nations with a “Momentum for Change” Climate Solutions Award.

Inside Mapping the Road

Mapping the Road builds on progress shared in Fetzer Vineyards’ first sustainability report, Road to Regeneration, which detailed historic milestones at the vintner and highlights from 2016. The 2017-2018 timeframe was a positive and productive period, as the vintner created further thoughtful impacts that open new possibilities on the road ahead, including the following:

• Standing Up for Soil: The winery commissioned a pioneering research study to measure soil organic carbon (SOC) in its regeneratively farmed vineyards, learning that sites farmed with organic and Biodynamic® methods stored 9.4% – 12.8% more SOC than conventionally farmed acreage. Results offer directional indication of the positive role regenerative agriculture can play in slowing climate change.
• Cultivating Efficiency: Fetzer Vineyards updated its legacy bottling lines to improve efficiency and environmental performance, decreasing the carbon footprint associated with bottling more than two million cases annually. Cutting-edge equipment allows the winery to operate its bottling system with bulk glass and unassembled cardboard cartons, which are more resource-efficient and flexible options in both manufacturing and transportation.
• Winemaking to Make a Difference: In 2017, Fetzer Vineyards amended its legal structure to become a benefit corporation in the State of California, committing to balancing impacts on ecosystems, stakeholders, communities, and profits as measures of business performance. Now held legally accountable for considering a broader range of business-related impacts, including the environment, the vintner formally measures success through both profit and purpose.

Looking Forward, Pressing On

Fetzer Vineyards understands that transforming the future requires not just small, incremental steps toward sustainability, but rather an ambitious framework—like regenerative development—applied to every part of its business. With the knowledge that the road will not always be easy, Fetzer Vineyards is poised to continue taking bold steps toward its vision of a regenerative, net positive company, and to be part of the movement to redefine what responsible business is all about.

Learn more about recent progress and read the 2017-2018 report at bit.ly/fetzer_susty19.

About Fetzer Vineyards

Celebrating over 50 years of acclaimed winegrowing, Fetzer Vineyards was founded in 1968 by Barney Fetzer in Mendocino County, California. An award-winning purveyor of wines and spirits spanning multiple origins and available in more than 50 countries worldwide, Fetzer Vineyards is a leader in sustainable business practices, organic winegrowing, and craftsmanship in the cellar.

In addition to robust offerings under the winery’s flagship Fetzer label, the winery also crafts the leading wine from organic grapes, Bonterra Organic Vineyards, named American Winery of the Year by Wine Enthusiast magazine in 2016. Other California offerings include Adorada, Anthony’s Hill, Jekel Vineyards, Sanctuary Wines and 1000 Stories, the original Bourbon barrel-aged wine. Part of global winery Viña Concha y Toro, Fetzer Vineyards imports iconic South American wines such as Chile’s most-acclaimed wine, Don Melchor, as well as the Cono Sur, Viña Maipo, Marques de Casa Concha, Casillero del Diablo and Frontera labels from Chile, in addition to Argentina’s Trivento Reserve. Recently, Fetzer Vineyards entered the ultra-luxury wine and spirits category by forging a partnership with Kentucky Peerless Distilling Co. to sell its historic craft rye whiskey and Bourbon.

Media Contact:

Courtney Cochran | Fetzer Vineyards | 415.728.4004 | courtney.cochran@fetzer.com

Read the Report