ClimateHound Pack: Wilridge Vineyard, Winery, & Distillery
At Wilridge Vineyard, Winery, & Distillery, taking care of the environment begins with the soil. Based on Naches Heights AVA in Washington’s Yakima Valley with four unique locations in the state, Wilridge has been handcrafting expressive wines since 1988 and small-batch spirits since 2016. Founded in Seattle, where it still operates the city’s oldest urban winery, Wilridge grew from the passion of environmental lawyer Paul Beveridge and a commitment to the planet has always been core to its mission. In 2007, Wilridge became the first certified Organic and Biodynamic vineyard and winery in the state of Washington. They have continued to use these methods to provide the estate-grown fruit used in its wine, brandy, and grappa. But that’s not where their environmental stewardship ends.
“We believe that it is our responsibility as stewards of this beautiful Naches Heights land to protect the planet as a whole,” says Paul. “We make every choice, from how we power our production to how we package our products, with environmental impact in mind. The ClimateHound platform gives us the tools to measure and understand those choices while surfacing key opportunities to continue improving. We are proud to become the first ClimateHound-certified Carbon Neutral winery in our state.”
Wilridge prioritizes renewable energy, generated by on-site solar panels, and energy efficiency, using LEDs, building insulation, and a cellar for cooling rather than a glycol chiller. Wine pouches and reusable kegs avoided more than 6,000 glass bottles in 2024 alone. And the glass bottles they do use are made to be lightweight and easy to transport, reducing waste and emissions. Reuse is a guiding principle, and everything from an old apple barn to pallets and bottles has found a new purpose at the Naches Heights location. The vineyard also offers visitors opportunities to deepen their own love of nature through access to the Cowiche Canyon Conservancy for hiking, 50 kilometers of mountain biking trails, and “parking” for 24 horses, as well as a natural climbing wall.
Through their work with ClimateHound on their 2024 carbon footprint, Wilridge is offsetting 266 metric tonnes of CO2e with carbon negative projects and helping over 250 people to cook more safely and efficiently while avoiding consumption of about 470,000 lbs of firewood. This reduces deforestation while mitigating greenhouse gas emissions. Read more about our clean cookstove project here.
“It’s inspiring to work with a winery that has been a leader in environmental action for decades,” says ClimateHound CEO Palmer Fox. “We’re proud to be the partner helping take their commitment to a new level, really digging into the data and documenting the impact of their practices. Wilridge has always been a pioneer, and that continues to this day through their ClimateHound carbon neutral certification.”