Farmers at heart
Call us tree-hugging, granola-eating earth lovers, if you must, but the truth is, we deeply care about this planet we all call home. Since purchasing the vineyards in 1984, the Ponte family has been mindful of sustainable farming practices and water usage. It’s this farming mentality of thriftiness, efficiency and respect for the land that has helped guide us and keep us on the path of being an eco-friendly business. Once the winery was built in 2003 we upped our game and made recycling and mindful water usage top priorities. Beginning in 2007 we began the transition to become a certified sustainable winery, all in an effort to reduce our environmental footprint so our planet will be a source of life for our future generations. Turns out, we weren’t the only ones.
Managing Partner Claudio Ponte drives the message of sustainability throughout the organization.
According to a study published in Family Business Review surveying nearly 400 California wineries, family owners who intend to pass down their businesses to the next generation are more likely to invest in sustainable practices than non-family business owners. In contrast, family owners who did not intend to pass down their businesses to family members were not more likely to adopt eco-certifications. Some of the reasons cited for these family-owned wineries to practice sustainability include recognizing the needs of future generations, sustainability makes sense economically, and eco-certifications potentially leading to better quality of products.
In her Huffington Post article surrounding this study, Ashley Verhines writes that family firms typically demonstrate higher levels of corporate social responsibility than non-family firms. This is right in line with Ponte’s value of supporting our local community; since opening, we feel we have a responsibility and a unique opportunity to influence positive change in our area. This is why we not only practice sustainability throughout our winery and hotel, but we seek to educate our associates, guests and Wine Club Members on how to do the same at home.
It’s all about the next generation. Juliet Ponte has grown up on the property. Future winemaker?
The land’s been good to us, and we want to share the fruits of our land with you, our families and countless generations to come. Thank you again for all of your support.
To read more about this study, click here.
To learn about our sustainable practices and what you can do at home to reduce your environmental footprint, click here.
–Erica Martinez
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