Spring has officially sprung and we’re seeing those May flowers pop up thanks to all those April showers!  

As temperatures begin to warm, life in the vineyard is starting to show activity. Our approach to Clean-Crafted™ wine is all about allowing the vineyard to express itself, and this starts now as the buds begin to poke out of the vine and show themselves for the first time in the growing season. Soon, these buds will turn into flowers, and as summer arrives, those flowers turn into teeny-tiny, green, beautiful grape clusters.  

Great wine is crafted in the vineyard, and for our Winery Team, the excitement in producing our amazingly delicious wines begins now! 

As we continue to spread the goodness of Clean-Crafted™ wine to all (21 and up, of course), we’re prioritizing taking care of each other and our planet all along the way. Scroll on to learn more!

Grower Spotlight: Tom Larson; Owner of Larson Family Winery

We’re excited to bring you more stories of the people behind the wine-making process because our forward-thinking farmers’ and producers’ practices place the good of mankind above all else.  

Meet Tom Larson, owner of the Larson Family Winery in Sonoma, CA and long-time partner to Scout & Cellar. The grapes from Larson's vineyards are a key part of some of our most beloved Clean-Crafted™ Chardonnays - Gallivant and Fieldhouse 301. Larson knows a thing (or two) about growing and nurturing this versatile varietal. “I’ve farmed grapes for more than 35 years,” Larson said. “And, we’re committed to farming all our grapes organically and sustainably.” Chardonnay is one of the most popular white wine varietals in the world – and according to Tom  – there’s a really good reason why. “It’s the versatility. You can make fresh, fruitful summer sippers, or you can make big, oaky, buttery styles. With Chardonnay grapes, it’s easy to create balanced wine good for any occasion.  

So, what goes into crafting a perfectly balanced Chardonnay? For starts, Larson refuses to use herbicides or pesticides. “We use cultural practices like extensive leaf removal to reduce pest pressure and the need for pest control via sprays,” Larson said. “We feel this enhances the flavor profile.” 

Combined with his commitment to highlighting a grape’s terroir in order to promote a fruit-forward flavor profile, Larson has established a brilliant equation to create a perfect Chardonnay. “We always try to highlight a vineyard’s location and make every wine with respect to the terroir,” Larson said. “Additionally, harvest decisions are made using ripening patterns and flavor development within the grape, instead of chemical analysis.”  

Interested in learning more about the love, care, and attention to detail that goes into every step of Clean-Crafted(TM) winemaking? Watch this short video! 

We're striving to be(e) 1% better for our planet. 

This year, we’re continuing our partnership with 1% for the Planet to support nonprofits that focus on bee conservation and research through sustainable farming practices. Through this program last year, we donated over $13,000 to The Bee Conservancy – a nonprofit committed to protecting bees, safeguarding the environment, and strengthening communities. 

Our donation helped The Bee Conservancy build 30 native bee houses across the country in underserved communities, enabling them to grow food, bolster local ecology and protect vital keystone species. 

We’re on an Epic Pursuit to help save the bees! And, with the help of 1% for the Planet, we’ll be donating 1% of all Epic Pursuit brand sales (yep – that includes our recent favorite, Epic Pursuit Tropical) to nonprofits that focus on bee conservation and research through sustainable farming practices.  

Learn about our partnership with 1% for the Planet here and spread the news about this buzzworthy cause by posting these sharable assets on social media! 

Here at Scout & Cellar, we’re committed to doing more than just making Clean-Crafted™ wine; it means advocating for and supporting regenerative farming practices, identifying more sustainable business practices and staying committed to them! Even though it's not always the easiest thing to do – it’s the right thing to do – and we’re sticking to it (like honey to a comb). 

Doing the Right Thing by Reducing our Shipping Waste 

In the first quarter of this year, we launched our new, industry-leading shipping boxes. These first-of-their-kind boxes will allow us to eliminate packaging pulp as a filler when shipping wines to your doorstep! 

Since we made the switch, here’s what happened:  

• We reduced our pulp needs by approximately 83 truckloads
• We reduced our fuel consumption by 846,000 gallons and our Greenhouse Gas emissions by 26 tons!
• We upped our recycling game. Our new boxes and inserts are 100% recyclable!  

The QR code changed the game (the second time around) 

Scout Circle, the only wine club that delivers Clean-Crafted™ wine right to your doorstep, offers exclusive access to grower stories, wine pairings and so much more. When you’re a Scout Circle member, you typically receive a booklet with each shipment. We’re committed to Doing Good for Our Future and, according to the Arbor Day Foundation, “As trees grow, they help stop climate change by removing carbon dioxide from the air, storing carbon in the trees and soil, and releasing oxygen into the atmosphere.” So, we’re excited to announce that, this quarter, we took the Scout Circle booklet digital and have saved 653,521 pages of paper so far – which is right around 14 trees! We’re hoping to save 19 trees by the end of the year!”