BUSINESS The year in California wine
Wine has always been a product of the elements. Just not quite like this.
As of this summer, Scheid Vineyards of south Monterey County powers its vast winemaking and bottling operation — which distributed Scheid Vineyards, District 7, Metz Road, VDR, Stokes’ Ghost, GIFFT, Ranch 32, and Ryder Estate nationally — entirely with wind.
Measured from the top of one of the 132-foot propellers, its massive new windmill stands 396 feet tall and is visible for miles, including from Highway 101 4 miles south of Greenfield. The 22-revolution-perminute behemoth went fully operational in August.
It’s the latest in a sweeping slate of eco-conscious decisions by Scheid. A full 4,000 acres of its estate vineyards are officially certified by the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance (CSWA). All of its wastewater is recycled. All the grape must is composted, drip irrigation covers the expanse, and more than 250 owl boxes provide homes to raptors ready to play exterminator, no chemicals needed.
“We have always been committed to sustainability,” says Scott Scheid, the family-owned winery’s president and CEO. “Installing this turbine is another facet of our desire to be good stewards of the environment.”
It’s also the latest example of the wider California wine industry’s abiding commitment to sustainability. More than 2,000 California wine grape growers and winemakers already participate in the CSWA program, representing nearly 70 percent of the state's wine acreage and 80 percent of case production. The deepening of that commitment and new consumer-facing recognition of those taking care of the Earth are two of the trends insiders observed this year in California. At right are six more: