258: Why Sustainable Winegrowing Matters with Anna Brittain of Napa Green

Which aspect of winemaking has the greatest impact on the environment? Are you curious about the difference between sustainable and organic winemaking? What are the six pillars of sustainable winegrowing leadership?

In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with sustainability expert Anna Brittain.

You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks

Highlights

How did Anna realize she wanted to dedicate her career to environmental work?

What drives Anna to work in climate action and sustainability within the wine industry?

What does it mean to be voted as “the most intriguing environmentalist”?

How did the global pandemic contribute to the worst moment in Anna’s wine career?

What was the impact of COVID-19 on consumer investment in sustainability and climate action?

What was it like to put together the first climate and wine symposium?

Is wine production bad for the environment?

What does it mean for the wine industry to be a leader in soil-to-bottle sustainability?

What are the biggest misconceptions about sustainability?

Why did Anna create the six pillars of sustainable winegrowing leadership?

How can you distinguish between sustainability, organic, and biodynamic practices?

Why are there so many different organic certifications in the US?

How can vineyards optimize irrigation systems and water use?

What does it take to start dry farming?

How can energy efficiency potentially produce cost savings for vineyards?

What do wineries need to think about when it comes to waste management and supply chain emissions?

Is it irresponsible for wineries to continue to use extremely heavy-weight bottles?

Key Takeaways

Anna provides an excellent global view of wine’s impact on the environment rather than just focusing narrowly or organic winemaking or sustainability.

She gave us a clear definition on the differences between sustainable and organic winemaking. I think most people might assume that wine made organically is also farmed sustainably, but that’s not always the case.

She also presents clear and compelling facts such as that 40-50% of the emissions from a winery operation come from packaging and distribution alone.

Join me on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube Live

Join the live-stream video of this conversation on Wed at 7 pm ET on Instagram Live Video, Facebook Live Video or YouTube Live Video.

I want to hear from you! What’s your opinion of what we’re discussing? What takeaways or tips do you love most from this chat? What questions do you have that we didn’t answer?

Want to know when we go live? Add this to your calendar: https://www.addevent.com/calendar/CB262621

About Anna Brittain

Anna Brittain has worked locally, nationally and internationally on environmental management and policy with organizations ranging from the environmental economics think tank Resources for the Future in Washington, DC to the International Union for Conservation of Nature in Hanoi, Vietnam. She has spent over 12 years facilitating and growing sustainability in the wine industry, with expertise in communications and certification standards.

To learn more, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/258.