Paso Robles, Calif., December 2, 2024 – O’Neill Vintners & Distillers, a B Corp Certified company and leader in the wine industry, has achieved the prestigious Regenerative Organic Certification for its Paso Robles estate vineyard at Robert Hall Winery.
Regenerative Organic Certified®(ROC) sets the highest standard for agriculture, combining USDA Organic certification with benchmarks for soil health, animal welfare, and social fairness. Overseen by the nonprofit Regenerative Organic Alliance, ROC represents a transformative approach to farming that prioritizes ecosystem restoration and community well-being.
For Jeff O’Neill, Founder & CEO of O’Neill Vintners & Distillers, the achievement is a significant one, but still marks only the beginning. “Our mission is to continue scaling these practices globally, regenerating vineyards and making sustainable wines accessible and available.”
The 140-acre Paso Robles vineyard property represents a living case study for the wine community. In 2020, O’Neill launched a comparative trial to explore the effects of regenerative organic farming alongside conventional sustainable practices. The trial aimed to provide open and transparent insights into the impacts on soil health, water retention, carbon sequestration, yield, and wine quality—offering growers and the community a roadmap for converting to regenerative organic practices.
“Earning the ROC designation is a monumental achievement for O’Neill and a significant step in our commitment to regenerating our vineyards of tomorrow,” said Caine Thompson, Head of Sustainability for O’Neill Vintners & Distillers. “This sets a strong foundation to expand regenerative organic farming practices across more of our estate vineyards, enabling us to regenerate and restore our ecosystems and communities, while engaging with industry to embrace and accelerate this critical movement.” Further comments are in this video.
O’Neill’s leadership extends beyond the vineyard. Thompson, a global board member of the Regenerative Viticulture Foundation (RVF), collaborates with international experts to accelerate the adoption of regenerative viticulture practices at scale. Stephen Cronk, Chairman of the Regenerative Viticulture Foundation, lauded O’Neill’s transformative impact, “O’Neill’s leadership in regenerative farming at scale is nothing short of groundbreaking. Its commitment and transparent data sharing demonstrates that regenerative farming is not only feasible but offers a scalable solution to mitigate climate change and restore ecosystems globally.”
This certification is the latest in a long list of sustainability-focused achievements by the team at O’Neill Vintners & Distillers. Since 2021, O’Neill has earned the Green Medal Leader Award from the California Wine Institute, has become a Certified B Corporation, earned TRUE Zero Waste certification, and accomplished CCOF organic certification in its vineyards in Paso Robles and Ram’s Gate Winery in Sonoma. O’Neill not only joins an exclusive group of pioneers but also signals a seismic shift in how wine can be produced—with transparency, environmental stewardship, and long-term sustainability at its core. As the regenerative organic movement gains momentum, O’Neill Vintners & Distillers stands as a beacon for what’s possible when innovation meets bold action.
About O’Neill Vintners & Distillers
O’Neill Vintners & Distillers, a Certified B Corporation, was founded in 2004 by industry leader and entrepreneur Jeff O’Neill. For 20 years, the vertically integrated winery has produced premium wine and spirits throughout California and has a reputation for producing consumer-focused brands while being a leader in sustainability. O’Neill Vintners & Distillers received the Green Medal Leader Award in 2021 by the California Wine Institute, achieved B Corp Certification in 2022, and earned Regenerative Organic Certified® status in 2024. The company currently operates in Larkspur, Parlier, Sonoma, and Paso Robles, California, and has grown a national brands portfolio to include Line 39, Harken Chardonnay, Rabble Wines, Charles Woodson’s Intercept Wines, FitVine Wine, Robert Hall Winery, Allegro Cellars, Ram’s Gate Winery, Substance Wines and BrandyLab. For more information, please visit www.ONeillWine.com.
