Geese on the bank of the river with trees and fields surrounding

Biodiversity
in farming

Farming our vineyards sustainably goes beyond sowing cover crops, protecting watersheds and following other certification guidelines. We believe that grapevines grow best when they’re surrounded by woodlands and reservoirs filled with birds—not a monoculture of vineyard after vineyard. By maintaining large swaths of natural habitat around and between our 18 estate vineyard blocks, we encourage beneficial insects and other natural predators, which decreases the threat of harmful pests in the vineyards and garden.

This biodiversity of the estate ecosystem must be respected and nurtured year-round. That is why only 125 acres of grapevines are sparsely planted across the rolling hills of the 1,200-acre Jordan Estate, and more than three-quarters of the land has been left wild. It’s also why we support two lakes, which provide far more benefits to the farm than irrigation water, thanks to the fish and insects that keep the birds and bats nourished. We also encourage pollinator populations with both seasonal and year-round beekeeping and created pollinator sanctuaries across the property in 2021. Our commitment to biodiversity is what makes Jordan not only a special place to grow grapes, but a special place to visit.

 

 

Row in the vineyard at Jordan Winery
Leaves and grape clusters

Sustainability in the vineyards

Our sustainable farming practices ensure that the biggest positive impact for the grapevines comes from the smallest human input. Each vineyard is closely monitored to ensure beneficial insects and animals are thriving, proper soil moisture and nutrient levels are obtained and vine balance is achieved. A diverse array of cover crops are sowed between the vineyard rows, each matched to a specific soil type to improve soil health and promote biodiversity. We apply compost to the vineyard soil twice a year—compost that we make onsite from grape stems, skins and other winemaking by-products, as well as landscape debris, cow manure and leftovers from the kitchen. Each winter, we return vine and tree prunings to the ground as natural compost. Organic fungicides are utilized to combat ailments when necessary.

Water conservation efforts include using wind machines instead of water for frost protection, adopting evapotranspiration emitters to improve the effectiveness of irrigation with less water, employing targeted irrigation and water-efficient pumps and irrigating grapevines with recycled winery water only when necessary. Multiple electronic devices monitor vineyard blocks and track weather from iPhones, iPads and computers, maximizing the efficiency of irrigation while minimizing the number of times vehicles must enter in the ecosystem. We also practice no-till farming where possible for less disturbance to the soil and less tractor emissions.

Hillside solar arrays at Jordan Winery

Climate Impact

As a sustainable wine producer, Jordan combines technology with an employee mindset to reduce, reuse and recycle. Roughly 75 percent of our electricity comes from the California sun—harnessed by our hillside solar arrays—and the balance from renewable resources through the Sonoma Clean Power program. Jordan’s electrical use has been carbon neutral since 2014.

View Solar Impact in Real Time

Each year, the energy generated from our hillside solar panels is equivalent to saving nearly 60,000 gallons of gasoline or planting nearly 14,000 trees. The Winery Chateau is fitted with energy-efficient “cool roofs,” refrigeration units, warehouse doors, pre-insulated COOL-FIT® piping systems, USES® Power Shaver technology, EV charging stations and LED lighting—all in the name of conserving energy.

Extensive wastewater reclamation systems have been built to reuse our processed water for landscape and vineyard irrigation. Recycling of various products, such as wine lees, cardboard, glass, plastic and aluminum, is a standard procedure, as is composting in winery kitchens. Efficient generators capture nitrogen from ambient air to reuse as an inert gas during wine bottling. Our herd of cattle graze on grass pastures across the ranch, which cuts back on the carbon emissions of tractors. In 2022, we installed two Enel X JuiceBox (9kW) standard chargers and Two Tesla Wall connectors (10kW) for our guests to utilize during their visit. Both are Level 2 EV Charging Stations outfitted with 25-foot cables. As an independent small business, we’re always looking for new ways to reduce our footprint.

Sign showing the green business certifications that Jordan Winery has earned

Sustainable certifications

Our commitment to environmental stewardship in all aspects of producing sustainable wine has allowed us to achieve numerous green business certifications. In addition to being a Certified California Sustainable Vineyard & Winery, Jordan has been a member of the Sonoma and Bay Area Green Business programs for two decades. All Jordan Estate vineyards are certified sustainable under the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance (CSWA), and all grower vineyards use sustainable or organic practices and undergo third-party auditing. We are also Fish Friendly Farming, Ranch Friendly Farming and Bee Friendly Farming certified. Learn more about our sustainability certifications and awards on our blog.