RIVALITA Wines was founded in 2014 on a simple, high level premise – make premium, small lot wines using grapes harvested from well-known vineyards in Napa and Sonoma counties. Sounds easy, right? To some degree it was, but for the most part, it very much was a learning process every step of the way, and we were lucky that we had incredibly smart and thoughtful guidance from myriad of people across the wine industry and beyond, not to mention an exceptionally talented winemaking staff, wine management and advisors, a loyal group of investors, and our wine club members.
Some of the most compelling guidance we received was from Green Business Bureau. Our goal was to be a green business and embrace sustainability to be both eco-friendly and operationally efficient. While there are several green groups and sustainability certification options in wine country, none of them made sense for RIVALITA Wines because we don’t own a vineyard or a building of our own. Green Business Bureau clearly showed us that they had a solution for our business. They helped us see that while we, ourselves, couldn’t certify as an organic vineyard since we didn’t own land, by purchasing fruit from organic vineyards, we had a story to tell. And while we didn’t have our own building to certify as LEED, we could certify our business and winemaking operation and the decisions we make to run our business. They showed us that by taking comprehensive yet manageable steps, we would be doing the right things for our winery, our industry, our members, and our environment.
As a small, independent business, we evaluated and justified green certification based on answers to a few critical questions. First, does it help us tell our story? Second, does it help us stand apart from the rest of the wines on the market? Third, does it demonstrate commitment and leadership in the industry? Fourth, does it promote sustainability and encourage better farming and stewardship practices? And last, what is the impact of NOT certifying the business? Once we answered those questions, the decision to join Green Business Bureau made perfect sense. We leveraged the online tools they provide to take on new green initiatives and we’re pleased and proud to be a certified Platinum Member.
Learn more about the RIVALITA story and their terrific wines at: http://www.rivalitawines.com/
RIVALITA Wines, a GBB Platinum Member, makes premium, small lot wines using grapes harvested from well-known vineyards in Napa and Sonoma counties.
RIVALITA has earned GBB Platinum Status
Click on RIVALITA’s Platinum GBB Seal to see all of the greening initiatives the business has completed in their efforts to become a green business leader in the wine making industry.
