Sustainability at LaBelle Winery: Reducing Our Environmental Impact

• We use a post-and-beam style of construction that involves structurally insulated panel system (SIPS) paneling with a plywood-foam-plywood configuration, which is highly energy efficient.
• Our Wine Cellar is built into an embankment, maintaining a natural temperature of about 55 degrees Fahrenheit year-round, thanks to one-foot thick concrete walls.
• The building orientation is strategically situated with a southwest exposure for optimal energy efficiency.
• Our operable clerestory roof design is intended for summer cooling and improves our energy efficiency efforts.

Wine cellar practices:

• We employ specific water conservation methods, including high-pressure, low-volume nozzles for non-chemical well water pressure cleaning of tanks and the crush pad. This method uses 90% less water and 10% less energy than traditional cleaning methods.
• We compost all wine production biomass related to winemaking, including leaves, stems, and other byproducts. Each 500-gallon tank contains around 20 gallons of must.
• We use steam cleaning in the wine cellar to further reduce water usage.
• We use a lenticular wine filtering system that reduces filtration time and energy consumption. For example, 33,000 gallons would take 8-9 hours and require only one filtration over three filters, compared to 16 hours and three filtrations with traditional methods.

“Every decision we make, from vineyard to cellar, is a step towards a more sustainable and environmentally-conscious winemaking process.”

-Melaney Shepherd, Winemaker

CORKs & PACKAGING:

• We currently use Amorim XPUR corks, which have a negative carbon footprint, as well as Noma corks, a sustainable and breathable cork type.
• Our wine keg program is growing, significantly reducing our carbon footprint in terms of packaging. For every 5-gallon keg, we save on packaging equivalent to 26 bottles.

Vineyard Practices:

• We seasonally farm jalapeños on our property to make cooking wines and grow various vegetables for use in our Bistro restaurant. Our farm-to-fork approach ensures that our produce is fresh and locally sourced.
• All vine pruning trimmings are composted.
• We have preserved wetlands and a nature field on our property to encourage wildlife to dwell and thrive.
• We implement a water conservation program in our vineyard and never irrigate our vines, encouraging deep root growth and cultivating strong, resilient vines.

“At LaBelle Winery, sustainability is a core value, and we continue to innovate and implement practices that benefit our business and the environment. Thank you for supporting our commitment to sustainability!”

-Amy LaBelle

FUN FACTS!

• We produce between 70,000 and 75,000 gallons of wine every year, which is equivalent to 17,000 cases.
• We have 2,001 vines planted on three acres in Amherst, and an additional three acres in Derry.

About LaBelle Winery:

LaBelle Winery has provided guests with award-winning wines since its founding in 2005. Since 2012, when its flagship facility opened in Amherst, the winery has offered outstanding cuisine, entertainment and venues for private events and weddings. LaBelle’s Amherst location is home to the winery’s production facility, The Bistro restaurant, a tasting room and wine and gift shop.

LaBelle’s Derry location opened in 2021. The Derry property is home to Americus Restaurant, golf and mini-golf courses, an event center and a market offering prepared food and beverages. A tasting room and a sparkling wine production facility opened in Derry in May 2022. 

Along with award-winning wines, LaBelle has created a gourmet culinary product line called The Winemaker’s Kitchen. Products are currently available at both of the winery’s locations, and by 2024 will be available nationwide.

LaBelle Winery Amherst is located at 345 Route 101 in Amherst, New Hampshire.

LaBelle Winery Derry is located at 14 Route 111, Derry, New Hampshire.

Visit LaBelleWinery.com for directions and hours of operation. For questions email michelle@labellewinery.com