District 7 Monterey Chardonnay 2021

District 7 is a family-owned company in Monterey, using only estate-grown fruit. These vineyards, in a beautiful part of the California coast, offer an array of terroirs for the winemaking team to work with. Monterey, south of San Francisco, benefits from the cooling Pacific fogs that regulate the vineyards during the mornings, and emphasises the diurnal temperature differences, keeping the fruit fresh.

Environmental sustainability

The winery and estate vineyards are Certified Sustainable by the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance (CSWA), a statewide certification program that provides third-party verification of a winery’s commitment to sustainable winegrowing practices.

Water scarcity is a significant challenge in Monterey, and so District 7 have invested in a drip-irrigation system which uses technology that senses soil moisture and plant stress, so that water goes only where it is needed. The vineyards also make use us cover crops which provide nutrition to the soil, help prevent soil erosion, and discourage weeds. Local species are encouraged both to maximise biodiversity, but also for practical purposes. For example, there are over 250 owl boxes within the vineyard, whose inhabitants manage the local rodent population.

Social sustainability

The winery is 100% powered by renewable wind energy from an on-site wind turbine that harnesses the power of Salinas Valley’s inexhaustible winds to generate an impressive amount of clean energy. However, not only does this sustainable power source fuel wine production but it also supplies power to 125 homes in the local community.