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Building a fully regenerative organic farming system

Watch: Our Sustainability
Green Medal sustainability badge

Winner of the 2021
California Green Medal
Environment Award

Preserving our environment isn’t about lip service, it’s a lifestyle and our hard work has paid off.

In the summer of 2021, our efforts were recognized with the California Green Medal Environment Award, given to the vineyard or winery that best demonstrates Environmental Stewardship through maximized environmental benefits from implementing sustainable practices.

We’re honored to receive such a prestigious award, and it indicates that we’re on the right track in forging a better way through our sustainability efforts with Project Ovis.

PROJECT
OVIS

Project Ovis is the transformation of our 1,000-acre Lake County California mountain vineyard estate into a completely sustainable, regenerative organic farming system.  It is our reimagining of viticulture and winemaking to address the effects of climate change.  Our efforts are both holistic and dynamic, combining carbon sequestering practices with permaculture initiatives and energy efficiency applications. We are pioneering change and setting industry standards in an ongoing effort to improve the way we treat the planet and its swiftly dwindling resources.

This comprehensive closed-loop agriculture approach is extensive and encompasses:

Water conservation
Energy efficiency
Healthy soils
Pest management
Wildlife preservation
Solid waste management
Biodiversity
Clay Shannon herding the sheep Putting the flock to work on our home ranch in Lake County, California

We’re pioneering change and setting industry standards through our commitment to an earth‑first approach to farming and winemaking.

Dog sitting in the grass at the farm
Angie enjoying the sunset with wine
Clay Shannon and his sheep dog

Our operations are 100% Certified Sustainable, and by July of 2022 we’ll be one of the largest Certified Organic mountain-grown vineyards in the United States.

Project Ovis is both holistic and dynamic, combining carbon sequestering practices like no-tillage farming, with permaculture initiatives such as owl and bat boxes in addition to integrating livestock for cover crop control, weed control, fuel reduction, and soil fertilization.

It even extends to ensuring optimal working conditions for employees.

100% Sustainable Winemaking

Project Ovis initiatives include but are not limited to:

Row of vineyard crops
1/10 Eliminating all in-row cultivation of crops
Plant detail shot in the vineyard
2/10 Eliminating all herbicides and fossil fuel-based fertilizers and fungicides
Farming equipment handing on the wall
3/10 Utilizing only certified 100% organic farming materials
Compost pile of soil
4/10 Composting all organic waste into fertilizer and/or mulch
Grape detail shot handing on a vine
5/10 Using drought-tolerant rootstocks grafted to vinifera
Grape cluster detail shot
6/10 Incorporating grape varietals that require less water
Drip irrigation detail shot
7/10 Implementing drip irrigation and dry farming techniques
Barrel storage unit for wine
8/10 Decreasing wine bottle weight to reduce fuel usage for transport
Detail shot of cork pieces
9/10 Using 100% all-natural renewable cork
Beauty shot of a field with flowers
10/10 Reserving 60% of our property for unplanted wildlife corridors

Forging a
Better Way

Project Ovis is a constant work-in-progress and an ongoing effort to improve the way we treat the planet and its swiftly dwindling resources.

It’s a fully sustainable operation, but we’re far from satisfied because the problems that climate change poses are far from being solved.

It’s just the start of big things to come. But it’s a step in the right direction.

Clay Shannon signature

Combining great wines, respect for the environment, and world‑class terroir.

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