Susssssssstainable Solutions

Every April we take some time to educate our fans on our ongoing commitment to sustainable practices in the wine industry. While it is nearly impossible to be a perfectly sustainable producer, our mission is ongoing and remains a priority to us. As we learn more about our planet and our impact on it, we find more and more ways to tip the scales green. Along with practical solutions to sustain our vineyards with low-to-no environmental impact, there are also some more "creative" solutions that we are always curious to explore! 

Sustainability is a team effort! It takes all of ussssssss.....

We rely heavily on our team to share their knowledge and think outside of their day-to-day duties on ways to improve the company, and a prime example of this lies with our all-star receptionist Cody Mullen. You may recognize Cody from our website chat pop-up or from the last time you gave us a call to reserve a tasting. What you may not know about Cody is that this man loves snakes! Cody's love for these reptiles began over a decade ago, but it wasn't until recently that he decided to take a simple hobby to the next level. You see, Cody realized there was something sssspecial about these creatures, and after working with dozens of slithery friends over the years, he's built relationships that go far beyond a typical household pet. "Snakes are just so darn incredible. They live up to 30 years or more depending on the species, and they are capable of so much more than they get credit for. That's why I brought my idea for snakes in the vineyard to Bill and Chris earlier this year." shares Cody. 

Snakes... in the vineyard? 

It was a tough sell, but over the last few months Bill and Chris came around to the idea and we've since been working with Cody on a very special project! Since his focus as a snake handler has been on the behavioral training and cajoling of snakes, he can harness their instincts to provide a natural solution in the vineyard: PEST CONTROL. Their need to feed is powerful, and creating our proprietary "snake apartments" filled with primarily avian-feeding species every 10 or so vines gives us the power to maintain a 24/7 labor force that is virtually free and completely natural. Mullen says, "Essentially we're putting these beautiful beasts in the vines to eat their dinner, which would otherwise be eating our tasty grapes." Where other regions of the world control these issues in less exciting ways, snakes in the vineyard provide ample opportunity to "excite" our fans and our vineyard team while they're in the field. Founder Chris recently shared remarks on the effort. "Like most people, I'm terrified of snakes. But I have a lot of respect for what Cody's doing in the vineyard with his animals. I'm thinking this may be a natural pest control program that we can start building out and offering to our winery peers in Texas and beyond. Snakes are the future!" 

GOTCHA!

Happy April Fool's Day! We hope you enjoyed this little joke, and that you'll remain with us this month as we shine a light on the REAL steps we've taken and are prioritizing next to benefit our world and reduce our carbon footprint.

While reptiles will not be involved, Cody does actually exist and would be happy to give you some of the names of his fake snakes the next time you call us to reserve an experience at our properties.

We love our fans!! Thank you for sharing a laugh with us. 

Written by Kelsey Kramer