I’ve been a big fan of The Hess Collection for years and years. The wine made at the Napa Valley estate is superb, and the art collection of owner Donald Hess—a portion of which is on display at the winery—is extensive and amazing.
Now, according to long-time friend and colleague Jim Caudill, who heads up P.R. for the winery, there’s another reason to love The Hess Collection: its devotion to the planet.
According to Jim, the Land Trust of Napa County has received an $11,439 donation from The Hess Collection, generated by the winery’s participation in the 1% For The Planet environmental advocacy program.
1% For the Planet is a growing global movement of companies donating 1% of sales for local environmental programs. The Hess Collection is a long-time member, and has often selected the Land Trust as the beneficiary of this annual donation. The 380-acre Archer Taylor Preserve, a permanently protected wildlife habitat managed by the Land Trust, is located near the winery.
Each year, Hess designates 1% of sales from the Hess Collection Small Block Series of limited-release wines made available exclusively to Hess club members and visitors who purchase the wines for the program at the winery on Napa’s Mount Veeder. Since the effort began, the winery has donated more than $50,000 from the sales of the limited-production wines, along with other sustainability promotions.
“Our commitment to sustainability began when founder Donald Hess first came to Mount Veeder and Napa in the late 1970s,” explained Timothy Persson, Chief Executive Officer of The Hess Collection, who noted that the winery has earned certifications for both its vineyards and winery operations from the Napa Green, Fish Friendly Farming and California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance programs. “The Land Trust of Napa County shares our values, and we’re pleased to partner with them to preserve the character and precious green space of Napa County.”
Doug Parker, CEO of the Land Trust, said that he was grateful for the generous donation.
“The Hess Collection’s contribution is a great help toward permanently protecting the landscape of Napa County, and we are proud to be supported by and associated with Donald Hess, Timothy Persson and the entire team at The Hess Collection in this meaningful way.”
The Land Trust of Napa County is a community-based nonprofit dedicated to preserving the character of Napa by permanently protecting land. Established in 1976, today the Land Trust has grown to more than 1,700 active members and supporters. In its 36-year history, the Land Trust has completed more than 150 land conservation projects with landowners across the county, protecting more than 53,000 acres of land—more than 10% of Napa County.
