BRIT's International Sustainable Winegrowing Award
LangeTwins multigenerational philosophy to sustainable winegrowing shows its commitment and a passion for getting things right in all facets of its wine organization,” said Will McClatchey, BRIT’s vice president of research.
Fort Worth, TX (PRWEB) July 22, 2014
The Botanical Research Institute of Texas of Texas (BRIT®) is pleased to announce that LangeTwins Family Winery and Vineyards of Lodi, California has won the platinum medal in BRIT’s 2014 International Award of Excellence in Sustainable Winegrowing competition. LangeTwins topped the field this year based on the winery’s on-going programs that address the three elements of sustainability - environment, economic, and social -- as well as wine taste. Five additional wineries, two from France, two from Italy, and one from the U.S., have also won awards based on their strong sustainable programs.
Founded in 2006, LangeTwins Family Winery and Vineyard farms over 8,500 acres in both the Lodi and Clarksburg Appellations. LangeTwins prides itself on being a multi-generational family farm, committed to preserving the land and business for its future family members. Their guiding mantra, “To be generational, we must be sustainable” helps them apply lessons learned from past generations that help influence a cleaner, greener business. Features of the winery’s sustainability include wildlife habitats, water conservation programs, renewable energy production, integrated pest management, and the willingness to share best practices and challenges with other wineries. The awarded wine was LangeTwins Family Winery and Vineyards’ Estate Cabernet 2010.
“LangeTwins multigenerational philosophy to sustainable winegrowing shows its commitment and a passion for getting things right in all facets of its wine organization,” said Will McClatchey, BRIT’s vice president of research. “Their devotion to sustainability enhances their land and their community and produces an outstanding Estate Cabernet.”
“Being recognized with BRIT’s 2014 International Award of Excellence in Sustainable Winegrowing is tribute to the family’s vision of operating a sustainable business,” said Randall Lange, co-founder, LangeTwines Winery and Vineyards. “It’s a wonderful milestone in our quest for continuous improvement. We are very honored.”
“As the only international sustainable winegrowing award of its kind, I am continually amazed with the applications we receive each year,” McClatchey stated. “As word of our competition spreads around the world, it is fascinating to see the application of sustainable programs using historical, scientific, and just plain common sense approaches to land management, wine production, and distribution. Creativity is in full bloom in the world’s sustainable vineyards.”
Additional BRIT sustainable awards went to:
Les Vignerons de Buzet of France won a gold medal. Buzet submitted its Oniric Cabernet Sauvignon 2012. Of special note, Buzet is the first wine organization to win awards in consecutive BRIT competitions. In 2013 Buzet won a silver medal and in 2014 moved up to second place with its gold medal.
Ampelidae of France won a silver medal. Ampelidae submitted its Fié Gris, 2012.
Tenuta Oppida Aminea - Muratori of Italy won a bronze medal. Oppida Aminea submitted its SIMBIOTICO 2011.
Azienda Agricola Maltese also of Italy won a bronze medal – Perricone 2013.
Red Caboose Winery of the USA won a bronze medal and submitted its La Reina 2009 Tempranillo.
When submitting for the competition, wineries are asked to provide an assessment of their organization's accomplishments in sustainable winegrowing, winemaking, and ecopreneural/social responsibility practices. They must describe their organization's conservation efforts in the field and in operations, how waste is avoided, how it is reclaimed, and how the winery extends conservation efforts to its customers. They also are required to submit a bottle of wine for a tasting by the judging committee.
Competition for BRIT’s 2014 international award began March 31, when wineries from around the world submitted applications documenting their sustainable programs relating to environmental, economic, and social aspects of grape growing, and wine production along with their wine samples.
Because the BRIT award is the only international award of its kind, it is of primary interest to wineries which care deeply about the environment and are taking a leading role in their community/region/country by implementing sustainable practices. Sustainable winegrowing programs are, by nature, ongoing so a key part of each program is its continual improvement process.
As a non-profit, international plant research and knowledge sharing organization, BRIT offers this award to help raise interest and awareness of the value plants bring to our lives and the need for biodiversity.
Presentation of the platinum award to LangeTwins Family Winery and Vineyards will be at BRIT’s eighth annual Fête du Vin Wine Dinner and Auction on Saturday, October 4, 2014, at the Fort Worth Club in downtown Fort Worth, Texas.
About the Botanical Research Institute of Texas
Founded in 1987, the Botanical Research Institute of Texas (BRIT) based in Fort Worth, Texas, is an international, scientific research and learning center focused on conservation, knowledge sharing, and studying the diversity of plant life. BRIT conducts extensive global research, including major projects in Texas, Europe, Peru, and the Pacific Islands. In the last 10 years, BRIT scientists have located and described scores of species previously unknown to science. BRIT's herbarium is among the largest in the United States and is the largest U.S. herbarium not part of a university, botanical garden, or broader natural history museum. In the spring of 2011, BRIT moved into its new, U.S. Green Building Council LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) platinum-certified headquarters located in the Fort Worth Cultural District. BRIT is open to the public Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on the first Saturday of each month from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Admission is free. For more information, visit http://www.brit.org.
