The environmental commitment is something that is being implanted, little by little, in the ideology of many of the organizations of our environment. But, even being the base, this ideology must take shape and give way to action. To take step towards the attainment of objectives, towards the implantation of measures that really help us to obtain an environmental benefit for us and for our environment.
The winery from Samaniego, Ostatu, has been responsible and consistent with this strong pillar of its philosophy. Although they have been clinging to this idea of environmental sustainability in all their processes for years, we can say that 2018 has become a year to highlight for this family winery. Since last September Ostatu already has all of the hass. in their property registered in ENEEK (Regulatory Board of Ecological Food industry in Basque Country).
Taking care of and being part of the landscape are premises of the past, present and future of this family attached to its territory and very aware of the impact that their work, both in the vineyard and in the winery, has for the community, for the environment where they live and work. A very important step for the declaration of intentions of the brothers Sáenz de Samaniego who consider that their work model is the one that will make it possible to continue improving the quality of what their wines show. Hence several of them are elaborations of unique plots, where the responsibility in the work in vineyard makes the difference. But, in the case of Ostatu, maintaining this environmental philosophy is not just a matter of how to work your vineyard.
Since 2012, in which they first undertook the study to reduce and compensate their carbon footprint, there are many tasks that have been developed in order to be a responsible organization. The reduction of the weight of the bottles, the homogenization of its labeling and packaging, the LED lighting or the replacement of the diesel boiler with one of biomass have been some of their major projects.
However, this autumn they have taken another step towards this environmental direction placing a self-consumption photovoltaic installation that will generate an annual solar energy equivalent to 32,600 kwh. From this project, carried out with Ekisolar, it is estimated that, after the generation of own energy (approximately 30% of the energy consumed), an annual reduction of CO2 emission to the atmosphere of 10,360kg will be possible, equivalent to the planting of 213.5 new trees.
Thus, together with the contracting of the remaining energy through the GOIENER renewable energy cooperative, the Samaniego winery is positioned as a reference in the care of the environment that surrounds them, in the conservation of heritage, biodiversity and the complexity of the territory formed by Rioja Alavesa vineyard. A fact that has made possible that, being a small family winery, its wines have opened and consolidated market in countries where environmental sensitivity is fundamental as Holland, Sweden or Norway.
