Our Sustainability Commitment
Sustainability drives our interactions with the environment and our community. It guides our vineyard and winery operations as we work to decrease our environmental impact while steadily improving the quality of our wines. It is seen in our packaging selected to reduce our CO2 emissions. It is also evident in our fair wages and safe and respectful workplace.
Vineyard Management
In the development of our Dundee Hills vineyard, we have been careful to preserve important stands of Oregon White Oak and Douglas Fir woodland. These provide essential habitats for the many species of wildlife that share the Dundee Hills with us.
We have also undertaken large-scale efforts to restore heritage Oak Savannah, and re-establish native Willamette Valley prairie. The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife and Yamhill Country Soil and Water Conservation Department have both provided us with technical advice and financial assistance in recognition of the importance of this work. We are also pleased to be named to the Willamette Valley Birding Trail, additional recognition of the diverse and valuable wildlife habitat preserved at Winter’s Hill.
As a result of the good stewardship of our land, Winter’s Hill Estate has been certified by SalmonSafe and LIVE since 1999.
The Winery
Our winery is two levels, built into the hillside, which allows us to use gravity to transfer the fresh grapes into the press or fermentation tanks. Double insulated, 18 inch thick walls maintain even temperatures for the wine in winter and summer, while also reducing our use of energy.
An open floor plan with large doors gives us a flexible workspace, with good ventilation for health and safety. Non-skid floors, with a gentle slope and good drains, help with the constant clean-up that is part of any winemaker’s daily work.
Reusable Bottles
These bottles can be refilled up to 50 times and offer emission reductions of up to 85% compared to single-use bottles! Refillable bottles don’t affect the quality or ageability of our wine – just our impact on the environment.
The bottles are manufactured in North America by O-I Glass utilizing above-industry-average recycled content.
That’s ok, recycle it with your other glass. It’s understandable to worry about the bottles that don’t get reused, but remember, we’re improving on a system where NONE of the bottles are reused.
Let’s start by collecting and reusing the bottles sold in Oregon, then build out from there.
In the meantime, be an ambassador for reuse in your community! Ask for reusable dishes at your local cafe or local restaurants and follow zero-waste groups in your area.
Yes! As long as you bring the bottles to Winter’s Hill or another of the Revino collection locations, they will get washed and delivered to a winery to be refilled.
Not at this time, but Winter’s Hill Estate and many Oregon wineries support including wine bottles in the bottle bill. The Bottle Bill is due for renewal in the upcoming legislative session, so pay attention and let your representatives know how you feel.
If you want to learn more and make your voice heard, Zero Waste McMinnville, Waste-Free Advocates and Upstream are great resources to learn more about increasing reuse and reducing waste.
Yes, Revino has state-of-the-art equipment to remove the label, clean and sanitize the bottle, and check for any cracks or defects. In other parts of the world, bottles have been washed and reused for decades, so they didn’t need to invent new technology.
Yes! We want to thank you for doing your part to bring the bottles back to be reused. The system only works if we work together.
No thanks :)
Wine Pouches
Wine pouches are generally made of multiple layers of plastic, foil, and other materials to protect the wine from light, oxygen, and external odors, all of which can affect its quality.
This recyclable packaging weighs less than glass bottles, resulting in lower transportation costs and a reduced carbon footprint.
