PROACTIVE FARMING,
SOIL HEALTH & BIODIVERSITY
Registration opens
Breakfast hour with Sponsor Scavenger Hunt
Official Welcome: Charles Krug’s Peter Mondavi Jr., Napa Green’s Anna Brittain, and Napa Green Board Member, Will Drayton
RISE Leadership Award TEDTalk
Break
Asking the Critical Questions Forum: Is Regenerative Ag Our Future?
Catered lunch & Wine
Thank you to our exclusive event sponsor Lallemand Plant Care.
Lallemand group decided in 2006 to put its knowledge and technological assets in microbiology and fermentation for the agricultural world. And so was born the Lallemand Plant Care business unit, which has since grown significantly through the acquisition of companies specializing in plant bio protection and bio fertilization.
Two parallel workshops. Choose 1.
This workshop will elucidate the critical importance of soil health and biodiversity, beginning with Dr. Nick Madden of Vineyard Soil Technologies, and leading expert in “reading” your vineyard’s underground brain and understanding and leveraging soil analysis, providing the foundation for informed vineyard management and development. Charlie Dubbe will walkthrough how Agrology’s predictive technology takes monitoring to the next level, tracking real-time soil carbon fluxes and multiple data inputs across air, canopy, and soil – delivering actionable insights and predictive alerts for challenges from frost to heat waves to smoke taint. Eric Mayer of Napachar will share the value of flame-cap kilns to provide low-smoke and low-emissions wood waste processing AND develop biochar, offering a dual climate solution: cleanly processing pulled vines and fuel thinning while creating a powerful soil amendment that stores carbon for centuries while improving water retention and nutrient delivery.
Action Opportunities:
Dr. Nicholaus Madden is a soil scientist who started working part-time for Vineyard Soil Technologies in 2013 and joined full-time in October 2017. Nicholaus has a Bachelor of Science degree in Hydrology, a M.S. in International Development, with an emphasis in Agronomy, and a Ph.D. in Biogeochemistry. Nicholaus was a U.S. Peace Corps volunteer from 1997 to 1999, and served as an Agricultural Extensionist in Honduras focusing on soil conservation. After receiving his Ph.D. in 2010, Nicholaus worked for seven years managing USAID (United States Agency for International Development) agriculture projects in the Middle East and Central Asia for UC Davis. Before joining Vineyard Soil Technologies, Nicholaus was Chief-of-Party for a USAID project in Afghanistan focused on rebuilding the Afghan agriculture extension system.
At Agrology, Charlie leads regenerative partnerships and business development. With real-time, continuous soil respiration and carbon flux monitoring, Agrology allows the soil to speak, facilitating a more robust dialogue between farmers and their soil microbiomes. This empowers farmers to tie their practices to real-world soil health outcomes, and optimize their regenerative programs within their unique context. When not thinking about plants or soil life, you are likely to find Charlie surfing, kayaking, or hiking in the mountains around his home in Santa Cruz, CA.
Two parallel workshops. Choose 1.
During RISE 2023, Napa Green raised funds to provide matching grants for growers & vintners to implement regenerative and climate smart practices. Join Chimney Rock Winemaker Elizabeth Vianna and Walsh Vineyard Management CEO Tim Rodgers as they share insights and outcomes of trialing three herbicide-free approaches: sheep grazing, undervine mowing, and weed knife technology. Vianna will share thoughts on the importance of phasing out herbicides for soil health, terroir, and ultimately wine quality.
Leveraging nature-based solutions is critical to reducing or eliminating synthetic pesticides. Also joining the workshop is agroecologist Tommy Fenster, sharing the results of recent research on the environmental and economic benefits of vineyard sheep integration, and Dr. Matthew Johnson, Professor at Cal Poly Humboldt, sharing ongoing research on how bluebirds and owls support natural pest management.
A native of São Paulo, Elizabeth Vianna spent her early years on a bi-cultural journey moving from Brazil to the United States and back again several times. These early years of travel led her to appreciate and continuously explore what connects us as humans across different cultures such as food, wine, music and art.
Vianna was named to the position of Assistant Winemaker at Chimney Rock in January 2002, and advanced to the position of Head Winemaker in April 2005. In 2011 she was promoted to General Manager of Chimney Rock, and she continues in her role as Head Winemaker at the Stags Leap District estate winery. During her tenure at Chimney Rock, she has consistently produced wines that have been highly rated among critics and highly valued among consumers.
A staunch advocate for sustainability and the legacy of the Napa Valley, she has long served as board member and twice as President of the Stags Leap District Winegrowers Association. Today she serves as a board member of the Napa Valley Vintners and is also a member of the inaugural cohort of the 2021 Napa Valley Vintners Leadership Program.
As one of the few Latina winemakers in Napa Valley she is a strong advocate for women and minorities in the wine industry and formalized her mentorship with Batonnage, a non-profit organization in 2023 When she is not walking vineyards or making wine, you will find her immersed in music or hiking with her husband and Labrador Molly somewhere in the Bay Area.
Since 2017 Tommy has been conducting research quantifying the potential ecosystems services provided by regenerative agriculture, with carbon sequestration, biodiversity, and the impact of regenerative management on profitability key aspects of his research. His background spans field experience from working with over 100 different farming operations to advanced modeling and producer/stakeholder engagement. Tommy earned his MS in Biology from Cal State East Bay in 2021, working as a researcher with the Ecdysis Foundation, the Oikawa Lab at Cal State East Bay, and the Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. His research focused on regenerative management in commercial almonds orchards and using eddy covariance to compare carbon fluxes in working rangelands with and without compost applications. Tommy is currently a PhD Candidate (graduating 2025) in the Horticulture and Agronomy Program at UC Davis, working as a researcher with the Gaudin Agroecology Lab and the Ecdysis Foundation. The goal of his PhD research is to rigorously evaluate the environmental and economic outcomes of integrating sheep grazing on commercial vineyards with different management legacies along the conventional-regenerative gradient.
Featuring Chris Renfro, Founder of The Two Eighty Project
Join visionary Chris Renfro for an inspiring exploration of how viticulture can transform communities and create pathways to wine industry inclusion. Through The Two Eighty Project, Renfro is reimagining San Francisco’s relationship with urban agriculture and wine, turning public spaces into hubs of opportunity and learning. Discover how their Viticulture Fellowship Program, in partnership with Steve Matthiasson and UC Davis, is opening doors for underrepresented communities through hands-on education and paid apprenticeships. Learn how this groundbreaking model connects sustainable farming practices with social equity, demonstrating how the wine industry can grow stronger by growing more inclusive.
Action Opportunities:
In 2019, Christopher and Jannea founded The Two Eighty Project to increase equity and diversity within the wine industry — and access to the spaces occupied by it. They began their work at Alemany Farms, a public park in San Francisco, originally dedicated to giving inner-city individuals the space to practice urban community gardening. As the nature of the space, industry, and city have grown increasingly exclusive, it’s become increasingly urgent to reclaim and revitalize them for the local community.
The Two Eighty Project is dedicated to building a sustainable food and wine community that nourishes every member of the local economy and ecosystem.
Join three leading voices sharing comprehensive evidence for regenerative agriculture’s ability to improve soil health, farm resilience, and store carbon. Dr. Jonathan Lundgren reveals insights from the unprecedented 1000 Farms Initiative, which has already documented regenerative outcomes across more than 1,280 farms since 2022, and shares farm-level results, including economics and net profitability, back to agricultural communities to inspire change. Dr. Kimberly Nicholas will share the results of a recently published study that quantified soil carbon sequestration rates across seven key regenerative practices in vineyards and croplands, finding that all seven practices effectively increased carbon sequestration, and that stacking these practices may further enhance carbon storage. Caine Thompson brings it home with remarkable results from Robert Hall Winery’s side-by-side trial of regenerative and conventional viticulture, from higher soil water content to dramatic reductions in peak canopy temperature to improved wine quality. Together, these leaders demonstrate how regenerative practices are yielding measurable benefits, including financial benefits.
Action Opportunities:
For the past 15 years, Ben has been designing and implementing regenerative farming systems in a variety of ecosystems. A New Englander by birth, Ben fell in love with agriculture in the verdant fields of northern California in high school. Ever since, Ben has been managing farms, improving soils, and educating the next crop of environmental stewards with a holistic view of farming with natural systems. No stranger to Napa, he previously lived on Mt Veeder, where he fell in love with the oak and madrone woodlands and made friends with the local ravens. When Ben is not helping Napa’s vineyards adopt 21st century practices, he is spending time with his impressive wife and two wild children in the woods and on the water. Ben currently occupies Nisenan Territory and is a proud alumnus of Sterling College in Northeast Vermont, where he received a BA in Sustainable Agriculture.
Dr. Lundgren is an agroecologist, Executive Director of Ecdysis Foundation, and CEO for Blue Dasher Farm. Lundgren’s research and education programs are helping applied science evolve in ways that foster the evolution of a regenerative food system. He regularly interacts with the public and farmers around the world regarding ecologically intensive farming and how biodiversity fuels the resilience and productivity of an agroecosystem and rural communities.
Caine Thompson, Head of Sustainability for O’Neill Vintners & Distillers and Managing Director of Robert Hall Winery has cemented his industry leadership in sustainable winegrowing and operations throughout his wine industry career.
In 2017, he joined Rabble Wine Company and as President (prior to O’Neill’s acquisition in 2021), he led the brand with the Earth in mind. Several of these sustainability programs he started continue at Rabble today through Caine’s direction at O’Neill (1% for the planet). He also initiates and implements green practices, leading the charge for sustainable certified for 200+ growers (15,000 acres) on behalf of the entire O’Neill organization. Since joining O’Neill Vintners & Distillers in October 2020, Caine has developed and launched a regenerative viticulture case study that will impact wine farming practices for years to come, which has now evolved to 1,000 in conversion to regenerative organic.
Lallemand group decided in 2006 to put its knowledge and technological assets in microbiology and fermentation for the agricultural world. And so was born the Lallemand Plant Care business unit, which has since grown significantly through the acquisition of companies specializing in plant bio protection and bio fertilization.
Agrology is a leading climate tech start-up and Public Benefit Corporation with a mission to help farmers adapt to and beat climate change with real-time analysis and predictive insights. The Agrology platform consists of climate and carbon monitoring systems, both based on ground-truth data and machine learning. The Agrology Climate Monitoring System delivers predictive insights and warnings, up to three days in advance, for wildfire smoke taint, extreme weather, soil conditions, pest and disease emergence, and irrigation. Agrology’s Carbon Monitoring System tracks soil carbon sequestration in real time, quickly detecting carbon loss via carbon dioxide emission events. Agrology customers include Braga Fresh, The Duckhorn Portfolio, Boisset Collection, Dana Estates, Emeritus Vineyards, Jordan Vineyards and Winery, Joseph Phelps Vineyards, Langtry Farms, Lawrence Vineyards, Mission Hill Family Estate Winery, Renteria Vineyard Management, Signorello Estate, Silver Oak Vineyards, and numerous specialty farms. Agrology is the winner of two highly selective National Science Foundation SBIR Awards, a 2023 WINnovation Award, and is a recipient of a USDA Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities grant. Agrology has offices in Alexandria, Virginia, and Sonoma, California, and can be found online at Agrology.ag.
Napa Recycling is the recycling, compost, and garbage service provider for the City of Napa and southern Napa County, as well as the operator of the award-winning Napa Recycling & Composting Facility. Recycling and composting help save resources, energy, and money. They keep materials out of the landfill, provide jobs, combat climate change, and “close the loop” through the creation of new products out of recycled materials. Through Napa’s convenient recycling, composting & waste reduction programs, we all work together towards the ultimate goal of Zero Waste.
Napa RCD empowers the community to voluntarily conserve, protect, and restore natural resources in a landscape that supports agriculture, urban areas, and wild lands. We provide technical assistance, educational programs, monitoring programs, and funding sources to help land managers meet their conservation goals.
Wild Farm Alliance was established by a national group of wildlands proponents and ecological farming advocates who share a concern for the land and its wild and human inhabitants.
In the year 2000, we came together to discuss how humans don’t have the right to farm nature out of existence, but rather the responsibility to be conservationists and stewards of that wildness.
Bringing wild connectivity across farming landscapes is the work of Wild Farm Alliance.
Napa Green is a global leader in sustainable winegrowing, setting the highest bar for sustainability and climate action in the wine industry. Napa Green facilitates systematic soil to bottle certification for wineries and vineyards, and provides the resources, tools and connections to continuously level up leadership. In 2021, Napa Green was the first sustainable winegrowing program in the world to redevelop Vineyard certification standards to focus on climate action, regenerative carbon farming, and social equity. In 2022, Napa Green and community partners launched a first of its kind, six-event Climate & Wine Symposium (Napa THRIVES now RISE) with over 65 speakers and 600 total guests.
Join winemaker @evyncam at RISE Climate & Wine Symposium beginning April 29th - May 8th in Napa Valley!
Evyn is a winemaker for @unefemmewines, board member for @napagreen, mentor for @batonnage_forum & very involved in social & environmental sustainability. Join us at RISE 2025!
Is water the solution to heat stress?
As extreme heat events become more frequent and intense, the wine industry faces a critical dilemma in water management. At RISE Climate & Wine Symposium, we will explore the rising use of water to buffer heat stress and prevent crop loss.
Join the conversation April 29, 2025.
Ticket link in bio.
#wineindustry #climateandwine #climateandwinesymposium #vineyardmanagement #winesymposium
Why not? Join co founder @reyeswine.mw at RISE Climate & Wine Symposium beginning April 29th and running through May 8th!
#winebusiness #wineindustry #wine #masterofwine #sustainability #rise
Join us May 6th for a keynote address from Jermaine Stone, CEO of Cru Luv Wines and Author of "Wine Barz Vol. 1"
Twenty years ago, Jermaine Stone went from rapping to packing boxes in the shipping department at Zachy’s to becoming the first black commercial wine auctioneer. He has since been heralded as one of Wine Enthusiast’s 40 under 40. The Bronx native’s rise in the wine industry has been driven by one key mission: to challenge the narrative about and for black men in America. In founding Cru Luv Selections, an innovative creative agency based in NYC, Stone has found a space that can use marketing, brand partnerships, and content creation to connect wine and hip-hop cultures and bring wine to an audience that has traditionally been ignored. In 2023, Stone was featured in the New York Times, on Sway in the Morning, and in Us Weekly. He also became the star of the Tastemade original streaming series Street Somm, which has been nominated for both a James Beard Award and an Emmy Award.
Follow the link in our bio to purchase tickets and be a part of this amazing day!
Why RISE? Check in with @mkshepp of @spottswoodewinery to hear more 🔝
#rise #sustainability #winery #symposium #napa #napavalley #winebusiness #wineindustry
Today is the last day for early bird pricing! Get your tickets now!
You don’t want to miss the RISE Climate & Wine Sympoisum hosted by Napa Green at the Charles Krug Carriage House on April 29, April 30, May 1, May 6, May 7 and May 8.
Ticket link in bio.
The RISE Climate & Wine Symposium is a six-event series focused on accelerating sustainability and climate action in the wine industry, with a focus on regenerative practices and building resilient vineyards and ecosystems.
You don’t want to miss these leading speakers, cutting edge solutions to industry problems, impactful conversations and real results from growers and vintners.
Join us April 29, April 30, May 1, May 6, May 7 and May 8 at the historic Charles Krug Carriage House.
Get single day or six-day tickets at the link in our bio.
Slide for speakers ➡️
Can Wine Really Impact Climate Action? Can Forest & Creek Restoration Create Localized Climate Cooling? Join us on the final day of the RISE Climate & Wine Symposium to hear experts address these critical questions and learn why energy efficiency, water efficiency, supply chain management, biodiversity, and social equity are all critical components of climate action in the wine industry.
Don’t miss this exciting event on May 8, 2025 at the Charles Krug Carriage House.
🌱CLIMATE ACTION & REGENERATIVE AGRICULTURE DAY on May 8th! Our final day of RISE 2025 which encompasses all of our pillars of sustainability. Link in bio for tickets or head to www.risegreen.org!
Slide for Speakers ➡️
Unfortunately, wine cannot flow directly from the barrel to your glass. It takes a lot of materials and packaging to get that elegant wine bottle to your table. Wineries have significant purchasing power and can green their supply chain and shift to environmentally preferable products.
Join Cathy Corison & Grace Corison Martin in Conversation: Heritage & Horizon: A Mother-Daughter Vision for Wine’s Climate Future with Cathy Corison and Grace Corison Martin. Learn about reuse and upcycling opportunities, dive into how wineries can leverage their purchasing power to drive sustainability innovation, and hear experts weigh in on the critical question, Do Consumers Care about Sustainability & Climate Action?
Join the conversation May 7, 2025. Ticket link in bio.
Join us at RISE on May 7th for Supply Chain & Waste Prevention Day featuring @cathycorison & @gracecorisonmartin!
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