As Rosé Season Heats Up, Learn About This Winery's Crusade To Elevate Natural Cork

On earth day 2024 I want to ask a pointed question: were you aware that each time you pull a natural cork from a bottle, you're helping to combat the global climate crisis? I want you to read that line again and let it sink in. Now let's zero in on the amazing work being done by RAEN Winery , based in the Sonoma Coast of California and owned by brothers Carlo & Dante Mondavi (yes, that Mondavi lineage.) The winery enters its 9th year of The Monarch Challenge , an initiative set to, " enlighten, encourage and connect our communities to farm and live in unison with nature and give back to the delicate circle of life ."

Contrary to the narratives floating out in the wine world, cork production actually boosts the function of one of the earth's 36 biodiversity hotspots. The cork oak forests are just as essential for capturing carbon emissions as the Amazon Rainforest, African Savanna and 33 other biodiversity hotspots on Earth. Cork closures produced for the wine industry fuel this beneficial activity, taking place across 2.2M acres of cork oak forest in the Mediterranean Basin. Cork oak trees are literally the unsung heroes of ozone preservation, as harvested cork oak trees absorb 3-5 times more CO2 than unharvested trees . Their bark is harvested without ever having to cut down the tree itself, which debunks the rumor you may have heard that the harvest harms or even kills the trees. As cork oak trees live for more than 200 years, and it takes between 9-12 years for a cork oak tree to regrow its bark thick enough for harvest, so think of all the carbon captured in between each of the 15 harvests yielded from a single tree! The amazing work being done by Amorim in their native country of Portugal as well as in Northern California continues to push the limits of the cork industry with millions of dollars invested in research and development. Their contributions cannot go unnoticed, and the collaboration with RAEN & The Monarch Challenge highlight the importance of the work being done in their cork oak forests and labs.

I had the chance to ask Carlo Mondavi, Owner of RAEN Winery and Pedro Fernandes, General Manager at Amorim Cork America about their collaboration for The Monarch Challenge:

MK: How did the RAEN Monarch Challenge collaboration come about?

CARLO MONDAVI: The Monarch Challenge began as a movement to migrate away from harmful chemicals in agriculture like herbicides which harm our soils, waterways, our planets biodiversity and humanity as we know it... we now know what to do and the challenge is about doing those things that protect planet and humanity alike. The Monarch Challenge is a team effort with fellow activists, partners and winegrowers. Amorim has been such an incredible partner with us in The Monarch Challenge since day one. It takes this kind of team effort to impact change and make progress forward.

MK: Why is the RAEN's Monarch Challenge so perfectly aligned with Amorim's ethos?

PEDRO FERNANDES: At Amorim, our focus is promoting and protecting the natural resource of cork, which is directly related to The Monarch Challenge’s goal of restoring biodiversity to our planet. Many people don’t realize that the cork in their wine bottle is actually from the bark of a cork oak tree, which is expertly harvested about every nine years over the course of the tree’s 200-year lifespan. It is never cut down. Most of these trees exist in forests located exclusively in the Mediterranean Basin, which are home to more than 37 species of mammals, 160 species of birds and 24 species of reptiles and amphibians. These 2.2 million hectares of cork oak forests are recognized as one of the Earth’s 36 Biodiversity Hotspots, on par with the Amazon Rainforest, and serve as a barrier to desertification by improving organic matter in the soil and helping to regulate the hydrological cycles.
The wine industry fuels the cork industry, and makes the progression and preservation of the cork oak forest viable by contributing to the maintenance of forests and the populations that depend on them.

MK: Are there any wine closures more sustainable than a 100% natural cork?

PEDRO FERNANDES: No, natural cork continues to be the most sustainable wine closure there is. For every 1 ton of cork harvested from the forest 73 tons of CO2 are sequestered from the atmosphere.This is a resource that renews itself in 9 year cycles with minimal to no human intervention. When you think of any alternative closure today that is sourced from mining activities or oil drilling I don’t believe that you need extensive understanding of sustainability metrics to comprehend that a natural, self renewable resource like cork is a much more sustainable solution.

MK: How effective is Amorim cork at offsetting carbon footprint?

PEDRO FERNANDES: Amorim has dedicated the past 154 years of business to the research and development of cork, bridging sustainability with technology. Taking into account the CO2 consumed by cork oaks, analyses of the manufacturing and distribution cycles of Amorim corks show that cork closures generate a significant retention of CO2. For example, a single cork in a bottle of RAEN’s Monarch Challenge Rosé is equivalent to 395g of CO2, which can contribute to the offset of CO2 emissions associated with the production of wine. How cool is it that at a time when most industries are aiming to become carbon neutral, we offer a product that is capable of offsetting carbon emissions and is already beyond the target of neutrality to begin with ?

MK: Please set the record straight: is there a shortage of natural cork?

PEDRO FERNANDES: Not at all. According to recent forecasts, there’s enough cork in Portugal alone to meet market demand for the next 100 years. Given the importance of the cork oak forests for our global ecosystem—combating climate change, satisfying an increased demand for sustainable and renewable resources in alcoholic beverages, as well as other industries application—Amorim has invested in creating a forestry division, forestry research and planting more cork oak forests.

The 2023 Monarch Challenge Rosé is a unique, coastal blend coming from a special vineyard block of beautiful, old vine Grenache, married with our RAEN Pinot Noir lots, all hailing from organically farmed vineyards in line with the Monarch Challenge's goal of a cleaner, healthier, more brilliant planet. Vibrant aromas of fresh summer apricot, sun-kissed white peach, wild raspberry, and red grapefruit burst from the glass. On the palate, this coastal wine is incredibly lifted and bright, exuding flavors of stone fruit, flower petal, crushed rock and lemon zest, all held together with a racy acidity and a bright, lingering, mineral finish.

Vineyards: North Coast

Composition: 70% Grenache, 30% Pinot Noir

Farming: Organic, regenerative, and biodynamic practices Winemaking: Whole bunch pressed on a delicate press cycle Native fermentations in stainless steel, neutral oak & concrete vessels

Winemaker: Melanie McIntyre

Winegrower/Founder: Carlo Mondavi

550 cases produced

Click here to purchase a bottle of 2023 The Monarch Challenge Rosé