CCOF Grants Certified Status to Properties in Spring Mountain, Mt. Veeder and Carneros
St. Helena, Napa Valley, Sept. 16, 2021 — Newton Vineyard is proud to announce that California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF) has granted certified organic status to Newton’s three estate vineyards. Newton’s historic Spring Mountain Estate received certification in July 2020, while the Mt. Veeder and Carneros vineyards were certified in late July 2021.
Working in harmony with nature has been core to Newton Vineyard’s ethos since the estate’s founding in 1977. The winery’s philosophy of “Nature by Design” recognizes its responsibility to protect and respect the properties under its care. Growing healthy vineyards that can naturally thrive and adapt—and thus provide exceptional fruit—is an integral part of this philosophy.
“The organic certification ties in very well with our respect for nature and our approach to winemaking,” notes Head of Winemaking Andrew Holve. “With organic farming we will have vines that, with time, will become more and more part of the local environment, stronger and more resilient. This will produce fruit that expresses even more of the distinctiveness of our mountain terroir, which delivers a lively balance of bright freshness and ripe Napa fruit.”
Newton began to farm using organic practices four years ago as a way to enhance the symbiosis between the vine and the land. “As we have transitioned to organic viticulture, we have seen a positive impact on the biodiversity of our soils and fauna,” says Viticulturist Laura Deyermond, noting the benefits of compost and green manure applications, flowering cover crops, nesting habitat for predator insects and pollinators, and reduced sediment runoff. “By increasing the biodiversity of the land surrounding our vineyards we instill resiliency in the habitat as well as our vineyard.”
Newton also participates in the Napa Green Certified Land and Winery program and Land Smart, and is committed to the concept of regenerative farming, which focuses on soil health so that the vines can make the best quality grapes. Although the Spring Mountain Estate was impacted by the 2020 Glass Fire, its certification is unaffected as fire is considered a natural occurrence.
“Because every choice we make in the vineyard has a lasting impact, we have to think on a long-term basis,” says Deyermond. “Our commitment to organic and regenerative farming reflects our promise to the next generations that this land will still be healthy and making exquisite wines for years to come.”
About Newton Vineyard:
Newton Vineyard was founded in 1977 by English businessman Peter Newton, an eclectic innovator with a pioneering spirit and a deep respect for nature. Peter’s ambitious quest was to create wines that embrace contrasts, delivering a classic freshness and precision while inviting the supple ripeness that Napa’s climate offers. Peter left the valley floor to plant new vineyards on Spring Mountain’s steep hillsides, whose volcanic, well-draining soils would deliver a distinctive Cabernet Sauvignon expression. He also explored Carneros, where the influence of the sea would shape a multidimensional Chardonnay. To unlock the terroir’s full potential, Peter turned to a time-honored Burgundian technique: Unfiltered winemaking. Released in 1990, Newton’s iconic Unfiltered Chardonnay became the first Napa Valley wine to indicate this method on the label. Committed to sustainable practices from the beginning, Newton aims to express nature with precision, pursuing a natural, patient approach in the vineyards and winery. Part of the LVMH portfolio since 2001, Newton continues to champion mountain vineyards and their unfiltered, truthful terroir expression.
