Being Sustainable: Going Beyond Green in the Vineyard

Nearly a decade ago, our family made the decision to build a new winery in Clarksburg to help improve our winemaking process while using the latest sustainable practices. We believed then and have proven that it is possible to create high-quality wines while reducing the impact on the environment.

“From water to waste to power, we have combed through every inch of the winery to try to identify the best possible ways to operate our business in the most environmentally-friendly manner,” says Ryan Bogle, Vice President of Bogle Vineyards.

The winemaking process takes water and lots of it. We use high-efficiency nozzles along with water recapture and recirculation for tank cleaning. In addition, all water used on-site is reclaimed and reused for irrigation of on-site crops and landscaping. This is the equivalent of saving 19 million gallons per year.

Solid waste is another problem all companies face. We work with employees and our vendors to ensure we recycle 95% of the solid waste generated on site.

As it relates to power, we took a hard stance on reducing greenhouse gas emissions by installing a photovoltaic solar system, using green building materials and purchasing energy-efficient equipment.  These efforts mean that we’ve been able to reduce our carbon output by over 450,000 tons per year, or essentially taking 89,000 cars off the road.

And we’re not done yet. We are working on becoming 100% reliant on renewable energy to power our winemaking production facility by 2025, so that we can reduce our carbon output even further.

With evolving technology, we know we have much to learn. Our family continues to try and adopt new green techniques whenever possible. In the future, we are confident we will be able to do even more than we can dream of today.

Honored Guests Visit Bogle

In front of grapevines planted by Bogle Vineyards founders Warren and Chris Bogle, United States Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue held a town hall meeting with Northern California farmers last Friday, June 28th.

“As a family that has been farming in this region for six generations, it was a true honor to be able to host the Secretary,” says Jody Bogle. “Today, farmers face more roadblocks than ever before, so this opportunity to come together with fellow farmers and members of the administration to put our heads together was fantastic.”

Roadblocks such as tariffs, labor, water, and regulation were all topics of discussion at the town hall-style meeting, moderated by Congressman John Garamendi of California’s 3rd District and joined by Congressman Doug LaMalfa, of California’s 1st District.

As the last stop of Secretary Perdue’s Northern California tour, many attendees came from around the State to meet the Secretary and share their thoughts. Crops of all types were represented, from cherries and pears to rice and nuts.

“As a farm boy, I get jealous when I come out here,” Perdue said to the crowd. “The beauty of this land and the productivity of it and the agriculture and technology is amazing…there are a lot of people across the county and certainly in the world that don’t understand the importance of agriculture to California and the importance of California agriculture to America.”

“Our father and grandfather would have loved to have met him,” says Jody. “It was a pleasure to share a glass of wine with so many folks working hard and doing great things in the agriculture industry. We loved showcasing what Bogle is all about.”

Photo caption: From left: Ryan Bogle, Secretary Sonny Perdue, Jody Bogle, and Warren Bogle

The Greater Outdoors

Bogle Vineyards is proud to continue our partnership with American Rivers. In celebration of summer adventures and our commitment to sustainability, Bogle Vineyards has made a donation to support American Rivers’ mission to protect the rivers that help provide clean water, recreation and a connection to the greater outdoors.

Being located in the Sacramento River Delta we realize that clean, abundant water keeps our land fertile and alive. Protecting and conserving that water is just one facet of our sustainability program that we take very seriously here at the winery. Our partnership with American Rivers and our #GreaterOutdoors program promotes environmental sustainability and the protection of clean water supplies.

Want to join us in this commitment? Bogle and American Rivers will be hosting a River Clean-Up Day later this summer. More details will be published as we have them. Email us to let us know you are interested!

New Scores are In!

With two of the most prestigious wine competitions in the US sharing results, Bogle once again is pleased to share that our wines have been well received by judges!

With the exception of just a few of these wines, denoted with an *, they are all widely available at a local retailer near you! So you don’t have to take the judges’ word for it…pick up a bottle and let us know what YOU think!

California State Fair Wine Competition

2017 Phantom Chardonnay – Best of Class of Appellation – DOUBLE GOLD – 99 pts.

2017 Bogle Sauvignon Blanc – Best of Class of Appellation – DOUBLE GOLD – 99 pts.

*2016 Bogle Reserve Pinot Noir – GOLD – 95 pts.

2016 Bogle Essential Red – Silver – 91 pts.

2016 Bogle Old Vine Zinfandel – Silver – 91 pts.

2016 Bogle Pinot Noir – Silver – 91 pts.

2016 Bogle Petite Sirah – Silver – 91 pts.

Sunset International Wine Competition

2017 Bogle Chardonnay – Best of Class – GOLD – 93 pts.

2016 Bogle Essential Red – GOLD – 91 pts.

2016 Bogle Petite Sirah – GOLD – 91 pts.

2016 Bogle Cabernet Sauvignon – SILVER

*2018 Bogle Chenin Blanc – SILVER

2016 Bogle Merlot – SILVER

2017 Bogle Sauvignon Blanc – SILVER

Remarkable New Releases

Last month, Bogle Bandwagon club members were treated to two very unique wine releases. Now that our Wagoneers have had first crack at them, we are pleased to release them in our tasting room!

2018 Bogle Pinot Grigio, Clarksburg – Though we have grown Pinot Grigio for other wineries for years, we rarely put in the bottle under our own label. However, the grapes that came in for the 2018 vintage stood out above other years and really showcased the brilliant floral and citrus nature of the grape. Cold fermentation in stainless steel tanks preserved the grape’s natural character and allowed the fruit to sparkle and shine. This wine is crisp, lively and refreshing!  $13/bottle

2017 Bourbon Barrel-Aged Petite Sirah, Clarksburg – After our wine barrels have been used for 7 years, we frequently sell them to craft spirits companies who want to age their liquor in wine barrels. We thought, ‘Why not reverse the process…and age wine in a bourbon barrel?!?’ Used bourbon barrels were purchased, then filled with our Clarksburg Petite Sirah for 11 months. The result: magic. A rich, redolent wine with sweet berries, a touch of spice and heady aromas of whiskey, waffle cone and smoke. This wine brings together the best of two worlds: whiskey and wine…and does so beautifully!  $35/bottle

Both wines are available to purchase at our tasting room in Clarksburg. We can also take orders and ship, where legal.  Email us here, for more information!