July 23, 2010

We are now past the 4^th of July, but what a Fourth it was! Thanks again to all who helped Beth, Blair and Vicki, Troy and Rae surprise me with a new motorcycle for my birthday!  Blair also did a FANTASTIC job with the fireworks this year! And thanks to all those that helped him! It was a great weekend – especially for me, and yes, I’ve already taken it out cruisin’!

For those of you who have been patiently waiting, our summer sipper “Afterthought” has just been released to the shelf and is waiting for you!  If you thought last year’s Afterthought was good…..!

Several of you have asked about our “Carbon Footprint” at Le Cave. As it happens, we have always worked at sustainability here. All of our organic material from mowing and trimming vines is replaced into the soil for fertilizer. Our ash from fireplaces, wood stoves and campfires is tilled into soil. All by-products from the tank room, including grape skins and pulp are composted and used as mulch around trees and vines. 

Beth has always recycled any wine bottles used internally, and I am always digging soda and beer cans out of the trash.  It is about this that I can’t wait to tell you today.

Recycling wine bottles is a big deal. It saves natural resources in so many ways. The first is by not using lots of electricity in melting sand into glass. Gas savings happen when we recycle instead of having yet more bottles shipped from all over the country. Finally, it saves space in our landfills if we recycle. Recycling is a touch process for all of us here at Le Cave. We use a three-stage process to remove labels, clean, sanitize and store the bottles.

This year, I would like to include you in our recycling program by asking you to return your wine bottles to us for processing. We will give you 50 cents off your next wine purchase when you do – that’s not per bottle – that’s per purchase. It’s like a 50 cent deposit, only we don’t charge you for it – we pay you instead to help our environment.  You bring in bottles, pick out your wine for the day, we’ll ring it up MINUS 50 cents for your efforts. Return as many as you want. It is not valid on same day purchases on the tasting deck, because you were going to leave your empty bottle here anyhow, right?

Do your part to save our planet by helping us do our part. Go “Green” with Le Cave Vineyards!

- Larry White

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