St. Helena, CA - Fans of Robert Keenan Winery will noti
ce a pleasant surprise when they pick up a bottle of this year’s “Summer Blend” Chardonnay. The label on the June 1 release is the winery’s first release bearing the words, “Solar Powered and Sustainably Farmed.”
The winery’s recently completed solar power system is the illustration of a sustainable business philosophy that owner Michael Keenan said goes back to his father Robert, who started the vineyard in 1974. Keenan noted, “My father taught me that preserving the environment and keeping the business going were inextricably linked.”
“What was amazing about the solar power option was that it allowed us to fulfill all of the responsibilities we have, to sustainable farming, to our customers, to our community, and to our business – and it was a surprisingly compelling business investment at the same time.”
Keenan Winery’s solar power system, which was designed and whose installation was managed by San Francisco-based Sunlight Electric, will generate 100% of the winery’s electricity needs, and each year reduces Keenan Winery’s carbon footprint by more than 37 tons of CO2, equivalent to the carbon captured annually by 10 acres of forest.“When you look at all the benefits – environmental, social, economic – this was a no-brainer for us,” added Keenan. “And it wasn’t difficult to do. The whole project, start to finish, was really turn-key.”
Before Robert Keenan passed away in 2006, he installed solar power for the family’s home and told his son that eventually the winery should be powered by solar as well. Michael Keenan adds, “Ultimately, it’s about what practices lead to quality – and preserving resources allow us to focus on the things that create quality.”
Keenan has long received wide recognition for its wines. Most recently, Wine & Spirits Magazine gave the winery’s 2003 Cabernet a 92-point score and Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate frequently scores Keenan wines 90-95 points.
SOURCE Robert Keenan Winery
via beverage online
