Protecting our most Precious Resource | April 22, 2020 (Earth Day) | By Christian Palmaz
Driving into Palmaz Vineyards takes our visitors roughly a mile through the puzzle like lower vineyard parcels until they reach the winery carved into Mt. George. Along the way, guests sometimes notice the small purple signs in the vineyards, “This area is irrigated with recycled water.” Although during our tours, we normally make only mention of the winery’s net-zero water consumptive design, it often takes a backseat to the more wine facing innovations seen throughout the winery. However on Earth Day, we’d like to take a moment and highlight how Palmaz Vineyards has gained this prestigious status of net-zero water consumption.
The Palmaz Winery is situated inside the delicate and important MST (Milliken-Sarco-Tulucay) groundwater subarea. Many years ago the MST was identified to be potentially in danger of overuse. Increasing demand from homes, golf courses, and vineyard irrigation tap directly into this water source while drought weather patterns didn’t help with replenishment. The Hagen Creek, which runs down from Mt. George through the Palmaz Estate, was identified as an important contributor to the MST during the development of the property.
