2023 Robert Parker Green Emblem Awards Announced
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RP Digital
- 13 Oct 2023 | News & Views
The 2023 Robert Parker Green Emblem selection has been unveiled, celebrating an environmentally friendly evolution in the way of perceiving and producing wine. Since its launch in 2020, the Robert Parker Green Emblem has been awarded to 50 wineries—including the 11 new wineries selected for the award in 2023—considered at the forefront of sustainable practices.
The Robert Parker Green Emblem was created to celebrate all the efforts and sustainable initiatives of wine producers and accompany a positive change within the industry. The Green Emblem, a prestigious annual distinction, is a way to acknowledge and endorse wineries that go above and beyond to embrace environmentally friendly practices throughout their viticulture, winemaking and organizational processes.
The Robert Parker Wine Advocate team awards the Green Emblem to a wine producer to acknowledge that there are people and practices of outstanding sustainability achievements at the establishment’s core.
Once a winery is awarded this distinction, all of its wines are eligible to carry the Robert Parker Green Emblem going forward, until changes at the winery may result in the distinction being rescinded. To award the Green Emblem, the Robert Parker Wine Advocate team considers sustainability as a holistic approach: viticulture and winemaking themselves (farming techniques, soil health, biodiversity…), organization and facility (sources used, waste management, packaging policy, carbon footprint…) and ambassadorial role (wineries committed to share their approach to their communities, fostering a sustainable culture…).
“At the heart of the Green Emblem is a belief in the power of sustainable practices to shape the future of winemaking. The Robert Parker Green Emblem is our way of recognizing and applauding wineries that go the extra mile in adopting environmentally friendly methods throughout their processes, commending them to the broader wine community. We believe these efforts not only can be done without compromising taste and quality but can even enhance those attributes we hold most dear,” commented Joe Czerwinski, Robert Parker Wine Advocate Editor-in-Chief.
This year’s 11 Green Emblem recipients come from various countries, including France, Germany, Italy, Portugal, Spain, Chile, Argentina and Australia. In France, Domaine Guillemot-Michel has established itself as a pioneer of organic and biodynamic farming, along with Château Mangot near Bordeaux.
In Italy, the winery Petrolo stood out with Luca Sanjust’s efforts to make the Valdarno di Sopra DOC in Tuscany the first certified-organic wine appellation in Europe. In Campania, it isn’t surprising to see solar panels and biogas plants around the San Salvatore 1988 domaine. Giuseppe Pagano, affectionately named “Peppino,” and his team have succeeded in becoming autonomous with renewable energy. Winegrowers from Germany still pursue a sustainable journey. At Weingut Clemens Busch, in Mosel, father and son Clemens and Johannes Busch work on promoting more sustainable and socially acceptable agriculture. For example, they harvest manually and use very low quantities of sulfur. Frank John has established a climate-neutral winery through voluntary compensation of unavoidable greenhouse gas emissions, and it also supports the Slow Food Initiative.
In Portugal, Filipa Pato uses pigs to aerate and fertilize soil. This winery is certified biodynamic and organic. Here, nature is the key word; zero chemicals are used to increase their production. Pingus, in the Spanish region of Castilla Leon, founded by Danish winemaker Peter “Ping” Sisseck, received a similar recognition with the use of cows around their vineyard.
Across the ocean in South America, Chile is home to Emiliana, the largest biodynamic winery in the world. In Patagonia, Chacra works with cover crops, and Piero Incisa della Rocchetta’s organic and biodynamic approach is delivering results, with balanced plants after 20 years of respectful viticulture. They also have a social approach with their partners by creating a real little village around their vineyard, to share their vision.
In South Australia, another beautiful surprise is Yangarra Estate Vineyard. Apart from being biodynamic and organic, there’s a whole cyclical and thoughtful management. This domaine has a more global approach to sustainability, by protecting the fauna and flora around the fields.
All 50 Robert Parker Green Emblem recipients from the past three years are listed below (you can also read more about each recipient here). The 11 new wineries awarded the Green Emblem in 2023 are indicated with the word ”new” next to the name. The wines from any Green Emblem recipient can be found by using the "Green Emblem” search filter on RobertParker.com.
Australia (3)
Henschke
Cullen Wines
Yangarra Estate Vineyard (new)
Argentina (1)
Chacra (new)
Austria (2)
HM Lang
Ernst Triebaumer
Chile (1)
Emiliana (new)
France (13)
Château Cheval Blanc
Château Mangot (new)
Château Maris
Domaine Bruno Lorenzon
Domaine Guillemot-Michel (new)
Domaine Leroy
Domaine Vincent Dancer
Gabin et Félix Richoux
Gerard Bertrand
Jean-François Ganevat
Larmandier-Bernier
Louis Roederer
Valentin Zusslin
Germany (3)
Weingut Clemens Busch (new)
Weingut Odinstal
Frank John (new)
Italy (8)
Alois Lageder
Arianna Occhipinti
Avignonesi
E. Pira e Figli - Chiara Boschis
Petrolo (new)
San Salvatore 1988 (new)
Salcheto
Tenuta Regaleali Tasca d’Almerita
New-Zealand (1)
Millton
Portugal (3)
Filipa Pato (new)
Herdade do Esporão
Julia Kemper Wines
South Africa (3)
Backsberg
Reyneke
Sadie Family
Spain (3)
Descendientes de José Palacios
Pingus (new)
Recaredo
United States (9)
Brick House
The Eyrie Vineyards
Hedges Family Estate
Horsepower Vineyards
Littorai
Raen Winery
Ridge
Spottswoode
Tablas Creek