Stepping up its commitment to sustainability, Cuvaison Estate Wines today announced it will support the replanting of cork oak forests in threatened habitats in Portugal.
Cuvaison said it will work with ReCORK America and its corporate sponsor, Amorim of Portugal, to plant up to 1,000 trees by April 30, 2009. During the same period, ReCORK is calling on consumers to recycle used wine corks at 26 participating Whole Foods Markets in Northern California. Consumers can also turn in corks at Cuvaison's tasting rooms in Calistoga and the Carneros District in Napa Valley.
"We've been aggressively pursuing ways to make our operations as sustainable as possible," Cuvaison President Jay Schuppert said. "Now, in broadening our relationship with ReCORK, we're excited to extend our efforts globally. Cork oak replanting provides tangible environmental benefits, but just as importantly it teaches people inside and outside our industry about the important role cork oak forests - and natural corks - play in the ecosystem."
Cork oak forests are noted for their remarkable biodiversity - according to the World Wildlife Fund, plant diversity can reach 135 species per square meter. In addition, cork oak landscapes store carbon, reducing greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, a phenomenon heightened as the trees grow especially vigorously in their early years.
Unlike plastic or metal screwcap closures, natural cork is ideal for reuse. It can easily be recycled and turned into flooring tile, building insulation, shoe soles, fishing rod handles, bulletin boards and even soil conditioner.
"After joining in to support ReCORK on recycling corks, Jay Schuppert and Cuvaison Estate Wines were looking for additional ways to grow this effort," said ReCORK Program Manager, Roger Archey. "And when you think about it, replanting cork oak forests - where the process begins - is the perfect bookend to our efforts to extend the life of these natural products."
Cuvaison is a leader in winery sustainability. In 2007, the winery flipped the switch on a solar system that produces 95 percent of its Carneros winery's electrical needs and reduces its carbon footprint by some 360,000 pounds a year. In addition, according to Winemaker Steve Rogstad, Cuvaison continues to conserve soil and minimize the use of synthetic and carbon-based inputs in its farming. The winery is member of the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance, was an inaugural participant in the Napa Valley Vintners' Napa Green program, and is a certified Bay Area Green Business.
The Whole Foods Markets participating in the cork recycling program are in Berkeley, Campbell, Cupertino, Fresno, Los Altos, Los Gatos, Mill Valley, Monterey, Napa, Oakland, Palo Alto, Petaluma, Redwood City, Reno (Nev.), Roseville, Sacramento, San Francisco (3), San Mateo, San Rafael, San Ramon, Santa Rosa, Sebastopol, Sonoma and Walnut Creek.
ReCORK America is a recycling program sponsored by Amorim of Portugal, the world's largest producer of natural cork wine closures, and their U.S. affiliates, Portocork America and Amorim Cork America. For more information about ReCORK America, visit their Web site at http://www.recorkamerica.com/. Additional information about cork forest preservation can be found at http://www.savemiguel.com/.
Terlato Wines International has a global portfolio of 50 brands from a host of world-class wine producers and presently markets more than one out of eight bottles of wine over sold in America. Terlato, with more 90+ ratings than any wine company in the world, is the flagship company of the Terlato Wine Group, the parent company of several independent businesses specializing in the marketing and production of exceptional wines. Owned and operated by the Terlato family, the Group also includes the family's winery investments and partnerships in some of the world's most esteemed wine regions, including: Napa Valley; Sonoma County; Santa Barbara County; Victoria, Australia; the Rhone Valley in France; Somontano, Spain and Montalcino, Italy.
The Terlato Wines International portfolio of brands includes: Napa Valley: Brandlin, Chimney Rock, Cuvaison Estate Wines, Luke Donald Collection, Markham Vineyards, Rutherford Hill, Tangley Oaks, Terlato Family Vineyards and Two Hands - Napa Valley; Sonoma County: Alderbrook, Hanna, Rochioli and Terlato Family Vineyards; Santa Barbara County: Sanford and Tangley Oaks; California Appellation: Glass Mountain and Seven Daughters; Oregon: Sokol Blosser; Italy: Baglio di Pianetto, Ca' del Bosco, Ca' Marcanda (Gaja Toscana), Florio Martinez Marsala, Gaja, Il Poggione, Kettmeir, MAZZONI (Toscana), Santa Margherita, Tiramisu, Torresella and Distillatori Nonino (Grappa); France: Champagne Bollinger, M. Chapoutier, Chateau des Laurets (Rothschild), Domaine Chanson, Josmeyer, Langlois-Chateau and Mischief and Mayhem; Australia: Domaine Terlato & Chapoutier, Domaine Tournon and Two Hands; Argentina: Tamari; Canada: Peller Estates Icewine; Greece: Boutari; New Zealand: Wairau River; South Africa: Cirrus, Guardian Peak, Engelbrecht-Els, Ernie Els Signature and Rust En Vrede; Spain: Olvena; Switzerland: Xellent Swiss Vodka.; Japan: Shimizu-No-Mai Sake.
