SAN FRANCISCO—Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants has introduced Wines That Care during its hosted nightly wine hour at nearly 50 hotels nationwide. For guests in the mood to mix and mingle in the living room-style lobby with a glass of red or white, every savored sip will come from a featured winery of the month chosen for its dedication to the earth and local communities. Hand-picked by Kimpton’s wine director and master sommelier, Emily Wines, Wines That Care will offer pours from a different winery each month that has a unique story and genuine commitment to environmental preservation and sustainability. Featured wineries will include:
• Barefoot Wine (Modesto, Calif.): Each year more than 25,000 beaches in the United States are closed or posted as unhealthy. To remedy this, Barefoot Wine and Surfrider Foundation encourage local residents to volunteer at cleanup and restoration events across the country to help make these beaches “barefoot-friendly.”
• Hayes Ranch by Wente Vineyards (Livermore, Calif.): This 127-year old winery features a progressive Farming for the Future program that enhances the vitality of the soils, creates a balanced, sustainable ecology, minimizes water use and reduces non-organic wastes.
• Banrock Station (Australia): Named one of the world’s most powerful wine brands in the annual “Power 100” list of the world’s top wine and spirits brands, this company was recognized for its extensive commitment to global conservation with generous contributions to 60 projects worldwide including the preservation of native ducks in New Zealand, Flamingos in Kenya and the re-introduction of otters in Holland.
• Walnut Crest/Emiliana Vineyards (Chile): As the No. 1 seller of bottled wine in Chile, this winery was the first to earn the International Standard Organization 14001 certification, which acknowledges the vineyard’s high production standards and constant concern for the environment.
“Partnering with like-minded companies through Wines that Care allows us to provide guests with more than complimentary wine each night, but a way to support the environment and their communities when they stay at Kimpton,” said Emily Wines, director of wines and master sommelier, Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants. “Each bottle has been hand-picked not only for its flavor and quality, but for the story behind the grapes.”
Additionally, all Kimpton restaurants will offer open-to-the-public natural cork recycling throughout 2010 through a national partnership with Wente Vineyards and ReCork America. Travelers and community members are invited to bring used natural corks to any Kimpton restaurant in 2010 for recycling through ReCork America with the support of Wente Vineyards. To view a complete list of restaurant locations where corks can be donated, visit www.KimptonRestaurants.com or to learn more about Wines That Care, visit www.KimptonWineHour.com.
