Green Works

Vino Noceto is committed to using vineyard and wine production practices that
are efficient, effective and environmentally sound. Over the next few months, we
will be presenting different topics on how Noceto is practicing the three R's.

Have a Question?

Give us a call or
send an e-mail:
209-245-6556
toll free 877-4NOCETO
fax 209-245-3446
e-mail
vino@noceto.com

directions to the winery

Reuse, Recyle and Reduce

Noceto has been actively participating in
sustainable practices for many years:

Sustained agricultural and winemaking – We’re
part of the Wine Institute program and practice
sustainable farming.

Solar power usage – Noceto participates in the
Green-e program. Currently 100% of the winery,
90+% of the well (irrigation) and about 50% of
the Tasting Room energy needs are provided by
solar power.

In the works...concurrence from the Water
Quality Control Board to use the winery “effluent”
for vineyard and olive orchard irrigation. Noceto
has 120 producing olive trees which need 40
gallons of water each per week, plus another 110
young and 150 new olive trees. Not having to
pump 40,000 gallons a year from our well saves
on electricity as well as leaves that water in the
aquifer. Also, the olive trees are voracious users
of nitrogen. A significant amount of the nitrogen
in the effluent is available to the trees. This saves on fertilizer and application costs.

Vino Noceto Wins Prestigious State Recycling Award

(reprinted from the Plymouth Colony Monthly Newsletter)

Vino Noceto, a small, family operated vineyard, winery, and orchard in the
Shenandoah Valley, has been named one of the winners of the state's Waste
Reduction Awards Program (also known as the WRAP Award).

The WRAP Awards Program, established in 1993 by the California Integrated
Waste Management Board, recognizes California businesses that have made
outstanding efforts to reduce waste and send less garbage to our landfills. Any
California business that has taken effective measures to reduce the amount of
waste it generates may apply.

As generators of nearly half of all of California's waste, California businesses can
undertake some very simple measures to reduce and divert the amount of waste
they send to the landfill each year and avoid millions of dollars of disposal costs.

Vino Noceto has successfully addressed several of the highest waste and environ-
mental impact opportunities in its operations. By-products of the vineyard and
orchard management and winemaking processes are collected and composted
into a nutrient-rich soil amendment.

Owner Jim Gullett, a member of the Plymouth Area Economic Development
Committee and Plymouth-Foothills Rotary Club, estimates that over 500 tons of
winery by-products have been recycled into compost since opening Vino Noceto's
winery in 1999. In excess of 58 tons of the compost is worked back into the soil
of local vineyards and the Vino Noceto orchard annually. He further states,
"Additions of this fiber and organic matter are important for preservation of our
fragile, Amador soils."

Disposal of these by-products through conventional methods would cost Vino
Noceto at least $7,000 annually, not inconsequential for a small business. This is
in addition to a photovoltaic solar panel system that provides over 85% of the
winery's electrical needs, thus saving Vino Noceto more than $20,000 annually.

Congratulations to Vino Noceto on winning the 2007 WRAP Award and operating
their business in an environmentally friendly and efficient manner.