“From the very beginning, sustainability has always been a core value. We need to leave things in better shape than when we found them, and we do that by farming our vineyards and running our winery for many generations to come.”
Sustainability
Our mission at Corison Winery is to produce world-class Cabernet Sauvignon with integrity. One of our founding principles is to minimize negative impacts on the environment. We’re all in this together.
Kronos and Sunbasket Vineyards are certified organic by CCOF. Compost and cover crops promote flourishing soils which, in turn, nourish the vines. Sheep mow the cover crop in early spring, and their nutrient-rich droppings feed the vines and the microbial life in the soil. We till to manage weeds with our electric tractors.
Nesting boxes abound in the vineyards to encourage hungry birds to take up residence. Bluebirds and swallows consume harmful insects, including leafhoppers and mealybugs, and Barn Owls hunt four-legged varmints. We do not use any synthetic pesticides or herbicides.
With water being one of our biggest challenges in California, we encourage our mature vines to send roots deep into the soil to dry-farm when we can. Kronos Vineyard grows on St. George rootstock, which is known for its drought resistance. State-of-the-art water stress sensors and drip-irrigation help us optimize this precious resource when the vines do need water.
Mindful of our carbon footprint, solar panels on the winery roof produce all of our electricity. Cathy commutes to the winery and makes her vineyard rounds gasoline- and emissions-free by bicycle or electric car, and the winery offers charging stations for visitors. In addition to our electric tractors in the vineyard, we use an electric forklift at the winery.
William built passive night-cooling into the design of the winery with the cool night air drawn in through louvers on the ground floor and warm air vented to the outside through classic cupolas on the roof.
