Drink It Up:  An Interview With Parducci Wine Cellars

As the first carbon neutral winery in the United States and a Hospitality Sponsor of Good And Green™-The Green Marketing Conference, Parducci is committed to responsible land stewardship, sustainable viticulture and green business practices that yield superior grapes while protecting the environment. Founded in 1932 and bonded in 1933, Parducci is the oldest winery in Mendocino County and recently received the GEELA award from California’s Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger in the area of climate control. Their efforts to minimize the impact on the environment are many and Michelle Johnson, coordinator of event marketing for Parducci, recently spoke with Patti Minglin, editor of Good And Green™ E-ssentials, on how being a sustainability leader in the wine industry makes good business sense and what wines we can expect to taste this year doing Good And Green™.

Minglin: Can you give us a little background on how Parducci came to be?
Johnson: In 1912, sixteen-year-old Adolph Parducci and his family, new immigrants from Italy, settled in the Ukiah Valley of California’s Mendocino County, an area closely resembling their native Tuscany. Adolph purchased his first vineyard in 1921 and found success during Prohibition by developing a market for his grapes among home winemakers throughout the United States. In 1932, Adolph and his four sons built the original part of the Parducci winery adjacent to the vineyard and began producing their own wines. Even back then, they had an understanding and appreciation for the land they farmed, the grapes they grew and the wines they made.

In 2004, the grape-growing families of Tom and Tim Thornhill and Paul Dolan purchased the historic Parducci Wine Cellars.

Minglin: In addition to producing organic and sustainable wines, what other things are you doing to minimize your impact on the environment?
Johnson: Tom, Tim and Paul are driven by three mandates, in their lives and in business together: Respect for the environment, sustaining community and family, and a creative approach to business. Parducci is the first winery in the United States to achieve carbon neutral status. We have partnered with the California Climate Action Registry to calculate emissions of their greenhouse gases. The winery and vineyards then took measures to mitigate and offset those emissions. We buy grapes from local farmers, use sustainable farming practices including bio-diesel tractors in the vineyards and 100% green power as well as earth friendly packaging at the winery.

Minglin: What changes have you noticed in the wine industry—do you see more and more vineyards trying to incorporate organic practices?
Johnson: California is on the forefront of sustainability and the wine business is definitely a leader in that movement. While the California Sustainable Wine Alliance developed a self-assessment guide to help the wine and grape community better understand the complexity of “sustainability” in our industry, there is currently no legislation on the use of the term. Consumers need to evaluate wines claiming sustainability by looking for specific examples of how that company is pursuing environmental and social responsibility. You will soon begin seeing more specific labeling such as “carbon neutral,” “organically grown” or “biodynamic.”

Minglin: Can you explain the “Three E” strategy?
Johnson: E3 refers to the triple bottom line. This occurs when a company makes decisions that are environmentally sound, economically viable and socially equitable. Most businesses operate only with a financial return in mind, but this will not suffice in the future—especially considering the fragile state of both our environment and our society. We use the three Es [strategy] to help us build a sustainable business. A sustainable business should be a whole business, like a whole person. It must have integrity. It must have a moral centre. It must be connected to its values and the greater world. It must aspire to do what is right, not just for the bottom line, not just from a legal standpoint, but also from
a moral and ethical standpoint. It’s not only ac- countable, it’s responsible. Sustainability is an economic asset and a competitive advantage, as well as an imperative for healthy life on this planet. Sustainability is an economic asset and a competitive advantage, as well as imperative for healthy life on this planet.

Minglin: What new and exciting things are happening at Parducci and what can we expect to taste and see at Good And Green™?
Johnson: Sustainable Red and Sustainable White Wines.   These wines were created exclusively for Whole Foods by Parducci partner Paul Dolan and his winemaking team. These are quality wines at a value price of less than $15.00 a bottle.  Our Sustainable White will be one of Whole Foods’ “Top Ten Wines” for the month of November.  Sustainable White has crisp, clean aromas and flavors of citrus and melon--a perfect addition for your Thanksgiving dinner.  You can expect to see and taste these wines at the Good And Green™ as well as our Double Gold winning Parducci 06 Chardonnay and Parducci 06 Pinot Noir.

Minglin: Thank you, Michelle—I look forward to tasting your great wine during this year’s conference!