Andy Beckstoffer, recently elected to the Culinary Institute of America’s Vintners Hall of Fame, has contributed two new conservation easements totaling 92 acres to the Napa County Land Trust.
The two new easements are part of the Beckstoffer Georges III Vineyard, which produces fruit for such award-winning Cabernet Sauvignon wines as Schrader GIII, Zahtila and 12C.
“What makes Napa Valley unique is the quality of the grapes we grow here,” says Beckstoffer. “We have to preserve that, because if we fall short, these wines will disappear. We can’t let that happen.”
Over the past few years, Beckstoffer, a member of the board of directors of the Land Trust, has established a total of nine conservation easements with the Land Trust of Napa County, totaling more than 419 acres.
“I would like to see all the great heritage vineyards in the Napa Valley placed under these conservation easements,” says Beckstoffer. Over the years, he has followed that process for a total of nine different easements:
* 47 acres of the Missouri Hopper Vineyard
* 48 acres of Carneros Creek
* 48 acres of Georges III
* 45 acres of the To-Kalon Vineyard
* 58 acres of the Las Amigas Vineyard
* Another 45 acres of To-Kalon
* The additional easements on parts of the Georges III Vineyard for 41, 48 and 44 acres
For Joel Tranmer, CEO of the Napa County Land Trust, these easements stand as clear examples of Beckstoffer’s leadership in this area.
“Andy is making a statement here about private land ownership. He is committed to agricultural preservation,” said Tranmer. “I believe that will be his legacy – as a preservationist as much as a grower of world-class grapes.”
