Sustainability
Eliminating barriers between vineyards and quality wine
Vineyards and Winery
Passion & Stewardship
At Plata, we believe that great wines start in great vineyards, and the concept of terrior is at the core of our winemaking philosophy. Our massive collection of estate vineyards spans many of the most prestigious winegrowing regions on the planet, and our sustainable approach to viticulture ensures a clear sense of place in every bottle of wine we produce. We invite you to learn more about the synergy between environmental stewardship and wine quality.
Responsible Irrigation
Judicious irrigation will not only preserve natural aquifers but also enhance wine quality. Grapevines require variable amounts of water throughout the growing season. Matching irrigation applications with stage of growth will enhance phenolic development, resulting in wines with greater color and complexity.
- Developing a thorough understanding of topography and soil characteristics prior to planting, then pairing irrigation systems to site requirements.
- Selecting drought resistant rootstocks to minimize vine water demand.
- Monitoring soil moisture and vine water status then tailoring irrigation allotments to meet vine requirements.
Integrated Pest Management (IPM)
Using broad-spectrum pesticides to control pests can have deleterious effects on important biological components of terrior. Choosing softer tactics to control pests will reduce the risk of disrupting natural relationships within sensitive vineyard ecosystems. Components of our IPM strategy include:
- Removing leaves from grapevines to prevent fungus.
- Cultivating vine-rows to control weeds.
- Installing owl boxes and raptor perches to control rodents.
Respecting the Environment
We work continuously to maintain a harmonious balance between our vineyards and the surrounding ecosystem. We are rewarded for our attention to nature with strong populations of beneficial organisms which migrate back and forth between our vineyards and the surrounding lands. Our support of neighboring ecosystems include:
- Dedicating portions of each vineyard property to natural habitat.
- Conducting vineyard work in a manner respectful of the plants and animals present in surrounding ecosystems.
- Preventing the proliferation of invasive species.
Healthy Soils
Healthy soils are a foundation for healthy grapevines. Optimizing vine health elicits natural pest defenses and promotes resilience to drought. Resilient vines maintain the durability required to carry crops late into the growing season, offering extended hangtime and ensuring optimal ripeness. Methods we use to build healthy soils include:
- Planting cover-crops to increase soil organic matter.
- Composting to bolster microbial life and enhance soil fertility.
- Minimizing tillage to preserve soil structure.
To demonstrate our commitment to stewardship we maintain sustainable certification for each of our vineyards. For more information on sustainable certification please visit the following links:
Looking To The Future
Sustainable Practices
We work according to sustainable practices across all our vineyards, including such programs as water and energy conservation, soil restoration, erosion control, and other environmentally friendly efforts.
As we look to the future, we will continue to test and implement the latest sustainability practices. By doing so, we not only improve our community around us, we ensure great wines in the glass.
Carbon Efficient Packaging – we continually look for ways to reduce our carbon footprint. When it comes to packaging, we opt for lightweight glass and boxes, which produce less waste and lighter shipping weights using less fuel.
We purchase domestic glass produced less than 50 miles from our bottling facility. Using domestic glass instead of imported glass helps us reduce our carbon footprint related to shipping glass.
We work with our supplier to ensure our glass has the highest recycled content available, exceeding the Federal standard. Our glass supplier is ISO 14001 certified and the plant supplying our glass received the ENERGY STAR Plant Certification for superior energy performance in 2019.
Our wine cartons and labels use the maximum amount of recycled paper our suppliers can provide.
