Livermore vineyard uses insects and other environmentally friendly methods to grow grapes

LIVERMORE VALLEY — Red and white aren't the only colors on the minds of Livermore winemakers Linda and Earl Ault, owners of Alameda County's only certified "green" winery.

Friday marked the one-year anniversary of Cedar Mountain Winery's certification by the county's Green Business Program — a distinction the couple loves to share.

A handout about the winery features a picture of Earl Ault sipping wine with a steel-colored cat on his lap. The caption underneath reads, "I am the steward of the land, using integrated pest management to grow the grapes that make exceptional wines. Gray Riesling, (our) cat, is part of our natural rodent control."

Alameda County currently is home to about 450 certified green businesses. Only one of those, Cedar Mountain, is a winery, said Pamela Evans, coordinator of the county's 13-year-old Green Business Program.

In the larger Bay Area, there are only about 50 green wineries — mostly in Napa and Sonoma, she said.

To be certified, all businesses must meet set standards in energy conservation, environmental law compliance, water conservation, waste reduction and pollution prevention, Evans said.

But what exactly does it take to "go green" in the wine business?

A brainy background doesn't hurt.

The Aults, both retired Lawrence Livermore Laboratory physicists, have owned their 20-acre vineyard off Tesla Road for about 20 years. Since 2001, they have been working to make the 2,000-case winery as eco-friendly as possible — using ladybugs instead of pesticides, moving their fermenters indoors to cut down on energy costs, and engineering the winery's wastewater system so that none runs off the property, the Aults said.

"We like to say the only thing that leaves the winery is a bottle in peoples' hands," Linda joked.

Many of their practices come from the San Francisco-based Wine Institute's Sustainable Winegrowing Program guide — a 6-year-old environmental handbook for winegrowers. It offers suggestions on erosion prevention, cleaning, wastewater management and a host of other topics.

The Aults pushed to have their recyclables picked up from the winery, which is in unincorporated Alameda County and would not normally have pickup service. They also invested in a high-pressure washer for barrel cleaning that drastically cut water usage.

"In some ways it's more expensive because you have to pay (several thousand dollars) initially for the equipment — but we're saving on water," Earl said.

Not all the winery's green practices are costly, and some even save money. "A lot of it is just common sense," said Linda.

Converting Cedar Mountain's print newsletter to an e-mail-only version has saved paper and also helped save $5,000 on postage, the Aults said.

No harsh cleaning products are used in the winery — only eco-friendly ones such as Simple Green. Also, Linda has another rule for her employees:

"No member of my staff is allowed to use bottled water. I got them all (reusable) water bottles and put their names on them," she said.

Most recently, the winery received a Natural Resources Conservation Service grant to build two owl boxes and perches on their property. Local Boy Scouts helped build the structures, which hopefully will draw rodent-killing owls. Another grant helped the Aults cover their vineyard with live plants to reduce soil erosion.

Green businesses reap few perks other than their own peace of mind, said Evans, of Alameda County.

"It's mainly a marketing tool for businesses that want to distinguish themselves as more environmentally friendly," she said.

"It doesn't take much effort," said Linda, who hopes to get other Livermore Valley wineries onboard.

"It's good PR," she added. "And it makes us feel good."