Sustainability
A family farming for over 100 years does so only through constant reinvestment in the environment and the people that support it. Knowledge and abilities evolve over time. Constant improvement means always trying new things and keeping what works. Excellent examples of this methodology are the Fish Friendly Farming and Napa Green programs, which began over a decade ago. Tom Gamble was privileged to be a part of their original drafting. These voluntary programs satisfy the most stringent requirements in the most environmentally conscious state – California.
Napa Valley Vintners
How can we go beyond organic? How can we positively impact our lands? How can our actions improve the entire watershed, the arterial system upon which our ecosystem depends? Questions like these and many more are what fuel and inspire Wine Country’s movement towards more sustainable practices. There is always more to do, but to start, these programs are yielding exciting and measurable results.
Fish Friendly Farming
Through years of cooperative effort amongst landowners and government agencies, the efforts by farmers and wineries via Fish Friendly and Napa Green are now lauded all the way to the Nation’s capital. More than half of our watershed, The Napa River, is under active restorative efforts and the remainder is forthcoming. Salmon are once again spawning along all 30 plus miles of the River and wildlife has increased dramatically. Our main aquifers are also stable. These community efforts have led to the most intact river system and watershed in the Bay Area.
Napa Green Vineyard
At Gamble Family Vineyards we do a great deal to help with those efforts. We elect to forego till practices whenever feasible, turning the areas between the vines into carbon sequestration and complexes of micro nutrients. We conscientiously encourage thousands of native plants, from grasses to trees, to thrive and replace invasive species. Beneficial insect and wildlife habitat programs abound on our properties. We’ve also implemented frost protection initiatives that have helped reduce our related water and energy use, and will continue to do so for years to come.
Napa Green Winery
At our winery, 100% of our water is recycled, 100% of our grape skins, stems, seeds are composted after harvest and 100% of our winemaking liquid waste is recycled. In the initial design of the winery we made conscientious decisions that reduced our energy needs by at least 30%. Additionally, with an end goal of 100%, at this time 50% of our remaining energy needs are renewable.
Napa Ag Preserve
Gamble Family Vineyards continuously strives to focus on sustainability and conservation. We are proud to note that the greatest of our community’s environmental successes was the passing of the Ag Preserve 50 years ago, which precluded urban development. Without this measure, none of the above would have been possible. Your support of our wines nourishes our families and sustains our lands. Thank you.