Jess Jackson and Barbara R. Banke, co-proprietors of Jackson Family Wines, have pledged $3 million to the University of California, Davis, for the construction of the Jess S. Jackson Sustainable Winery Building.
This gift was announced in January at UC Davis as several hundred friends, supporters and alumni gathered to celebrate the grand opening of the campus’s new environmentally sophisticated winery, brewery and food-processing complex.
The planned Jess S. Jackson Sustainable Winery Building will play a key role in maximizing the sustainable features of the complex, which is the only such facility in the world to receive official LEED Platinum certification – the highest environmental rating awarded by the U.S. Green Building Council. (LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design.)
Among all existing LEED Platinum buildings, the complex is one of the most extensive in its use of rainwater and on-site energy. Rainwater is being captured, stored and used for landscaping and toilets. Another of its unique features is a system for capturing carbon dioxide from all wine fermentations.
The new building made possible by the gift from Jess Jackson and Barbara Banke will house the technology that will enable the teaching and research winery to demonstrate how a winery can operate on rainwater when it captures, filters and reuses that water many times. The planned building also will house equipment needed to sequester the carbon dioxide captured from the winery’s fermentation system, thus preventing damage to the atmosphere. This will make it the first winery to have a net zero carbon footprint, meaning that it captures at least as much carbon dioxide as it produces.
“Viticulture is one of California’s greenest industries and a vital part of the state’s economy. Stewardship of the land, conservationism and responsible development are the future of the industry and the founding principles at Jackson Family Wines,” says Barbara Banke. “We are so pleased to be a part of the development of the experimental winery and vineyards for two main reasons: we are helping to advance the science of sustainable viticulture specifically, and agriculture generally, and we are contributing to the education of our next generation of winemakers. Both Jess and I are deeply proud that this groundbreaking building will carry his name.”
“UC Davis is extremely grateful to Jess and Barbara, not only for their generous financial support but also, for their vote of confidence in our teaching and research programs,” said Andrew Waterhouse, chair of the Department of Viticulture and Enology.
“Their leadership within the wine industry has played a key role in making the new winery a reality, and we look forward to working with them as we plan for the new building,” said Neal Van Alfen, dean of UC Davis’ College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.
Van Alfen noted that the couple earlier helped lead a group of winery partners in securing the funds necessary to design and construct UC Davis’ new winery, brewery and foods complex to meet LEED Platinum standards. And in October, the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences honored them as “Friends of the College” with a 2010 Award of Distinction.
“Jess and Barbara are visionaries who have helped shape the California wine industry as we know it today,” said Roger Boulton, an enology professor and the Stephen Sinclair Scott Endowed Chair in Enology. “Their long commitment to sustainable practices in their vineyards and wineries are simply extraordinary, and we are proud to have them as founding partners in the LEED Platinum winery at UC Davis.”
The university is now soliciting bids for an architectural firm for the sustainable winery building. Planning and design for the new building are expected to take one year, followed by one year for construction.
About Jess Jackson and Barbara Banke
Jess Jackson and Barbara Banke are among the world’s most successful family wine makers and have been industry leaders in sustainable agricultural practice. They are co-proprietors of Jackson Family Wines, which produces some of the world’s most beloved wines, including Kendall- Jackson, La Crema, Cambria and Stonestreet wineries. Jackson Family Wines recently received official recognition as a California Certified Sustainable Winegrower for all of its vineyards and winery facilities. This is a first for a winery group of its size.
Media Contact: Caroline Shaw SVP Communications, Jackson Family Wines 707-547-4757 Direct caroline.shaw@jacksonfamilywines.com