A Feel Good Buzz: Earth-friendly and Sustainable Vineyards for your Next Wine Country Trip

Whether its organic wine, using recycling systems or renewable energy, all these wine companies give back to the environment.

Clif Family Winery

Established in 2004 by Gary Erickson and Kit Crawford, Clif has cultivated a dedicated following for its organic wines and specialty foods in Napa Valley. Since its inception, the winery has remained committed to sustainable practices like the usage of eco-friendly shipping and packaging materials, and 100% renewable electricity in their operations. This dedication has culminated in the achievement of B Corp Certification, Napa Green Vineyards certification for their Certified Organic vineyard.

Photo: Courtesy of Clif Family

Etude Winery

At Etude, water, energy, waste are all optimized for a green outcome. Recycled water from the Carneros Pipeline Project is used for landscape irrigation and fire suppression, reducing groundwater reliance, while solar panels on-site cut energy costs and generate revenue through renewable energy credits. The compost and recycling programs minimize waste sent to landfills, and the employee-tended vegetable garden supplies fresh produce for families and donates over 3,000 pounds yearly to Community Action of Napa Valley.

Top places to go in Napa to enoy for sustainable wines.

Photo: Courtesy of Etude Winery

HALL Family Wines

Globally recognized for their quality and award-winning products, HALL stands out not only for their exceptional wines, but also for their commitment to responsible entrepreneurship. Through the WE CARE program, they demonstrate dedication across four pillars: community, arts, responsible business practices and entrepreneurship. Sustainability achievements include LEED Gold certifications for their production and tasting facilities, as well as certification of 12 Estate Vineyards as Sustainable by the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance (CSWA).

Photo: Courtesy of Hall Wines

Sterling Vineyards

Based in Calistoga, Sterling prioritizes sustainability through renewable energy plans and wildfire mitigation efforts. With a shift towards 100% renewable electricity and the installation of solar arrays, Sterling Vineyards aims to reduce its environmental footprint while enhancing operational efficiency. Their innovative use of kegs for wine distribution reduces the need for traditional glass bottles, further lowering carbon emissions. Additionally, in response to the threat of wildfires, they have implemented proactive measures such as grazing sheep to manage vegetation and removing dead trees to mitigate fire risk.

Photo: Courtesy of Sterling Vineyards


Kasia Pawlowska

Kasia Pawlowska loves words. A native of Poland, Kasia moved to the States when she was seven. The San Francisco State University creative writing graduate went on to write for publications like the San Francisco Bay Guardian and KQED Arts among others prior to joining the Marin Magazine staff. Topics Kasia has covered include travel, trends, mushroom hunting, an award-winning series on social media addiction and loads of other random things. When she’s not busy blogging or researching and writing articles, she’s either at home writing postcards and reading or going to shows. Recently, Kasia has been trying to branch out and diversify, ie: use different emojis. Her quest for the perfect chip is never-ending.