Feature | California Bountiful
Bottling the future
Silver Oak Cellars, with locations in Napa and Sonoma counties, is recognized for its sustainability efforts, which have earned the company LEED certifications, or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. This aerial shot shows solar panels at its Alexander Valley winery in Healdsburg. The solar panels provide nearly all the winery’s energy needs. GROUNDBREAKING CONSTRUCTION AND ECO-FRIENDLY FARMING PROPEL SILVER OAK CELLARS FORWARD By Manola Secaira
environmental impacts of winemaking. Haley Duncan, whose grandfather co-founded Silver Oak and opened the Napa Valley location in the 1970s, has been the architect of that effort. As an undergraduate, she worked toward a degree in environmental studies and found a passion for sustainability. She wasn’t sure where her studies would lead her. By the time she graduated in 2013, she had a newfound vision that would allow winemaking and sustainability to intersect. Her uncle, David Duncan, Silver Oak’s CEO at the time, had expressed interest in designing and building a sustainable winery after visiting a brewery
said Justin Hirigoyen, vice president of wine growing for Silver Oak. “But they help us do it in a way that is responsible, that is good for the people, for the place.” Sustainability in winemaking has made big strides during the past decade. A 2025 report from the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance found about 70% of the state’s winegrape acreage has been certified to a sustainability program, and more than 90% of the state’s wine was produced in a certified sustainable winery. The report also noted steady, continuing progress as more growers adopt and expand their sustainability efforts. At Silver Oak, that progress has included experimenting with new ways to reduce the
At a typical winery, producing a single gallon of wine can require around 10 gallons of water. At Silver Oak Cellars, the family-owned winery has brought that number closer to one. With locations in Napa and Sonoma counties, Silver Oak has found a way to whittle down its water use with technology. A membrane bioreactor purifies wastewater from the winemaking process by biologically breaking it down and filtering it. The same technology has been used by some cities to treat municipal wastewater. But at a winery, the approach is considered novel. It’s part of Silver Oak’s mission to make its wine as sustainably as possible. “These tools ultimately help us craft great wines,”
See WINERY, Page 8
Fall 2026 | California Bountiful 7
Powered by FlippingBook