La Crema, a family-owned winery with a long-standing commitment to sustainability and innovation, has received a prestigious honor: the Marie Claire Sustainability Award 2024 in the wine producer category. This recognition underscores La Crema’s dedication to responsible practices that benefit both the environment and the wine industry.
Ally Head, Sustainability Editor of Marie Claire UK, praised La Crema for its forward-thinking approach. “It’s great to see La Crema running its business in a forward-thinking and innovative way,” she said. “Wine growing and winemaking can produce a lot of waste, so its commitment to using cutting-edge practices to protect land, energy and water should be applauded. Its work on regenerative farming, carbon sequestration and solar power generation is also impressive.”
La Crema’s commitment to sustainability extends to every aspect of its operations. The winery actively engages in land conservation, leaving 60% of its estate vineyard properties unplanted to foster natural habitats and enhance biodiversity. Water conservation is another key focus. Through innovative technology such as UV lights for tank sanitization and a state-of-the-art barrel wash system that recycles water up to three times, La Crema saves over one million gallons of water annually.
The winery’s dedication to renewable energy is evident in its 3,000 solar panels that generate 1GWh of clean energy every year, offsetting 70% of its electricity usage. La Crema is also a leader in regenerative farming, collaborating with UC Davis and the California Department of Food & Agriculture to explore the link between healthy soils, carbon sequestration, and high-quality wine production. This collaboration is part of their ‘Rooted for Good: Roadmap to 2030’ initiative, which aims to achieve climate positivity by 2050.
“At La Crema, our philosophy of forward-thinking winegrowing and winemaking also extends to our commitment and responsibility in building a lasting, sustainable future, recognizing the importance of advocating for climate action across the global wine industry,” said Craig McAllister, La Crema Head Winemaker. “We are proud to be a trusted leader in producing the best luxury wines at scale that are sustainably made from the world’s preeminent growing regions.”
La Crema’s award from Marie Claire is a testament to their dedication to responsible and sustainable practices. The winery is setting an example for the entire wine industry, demonstrating that high-quality wine production and environmental stewardship can go hand in hand. For more information about La Crema and their sustainability efforts, visit their website at www.lacrema.com.
