Making a difference.
Brooks Wine is the living legacy of Jimi Brooks and, in all we do, we endeavor to uphold his beliefs in caring for each other and the land. From Biodynamic® farming on the estate to planting trees around the globe, from looking after the people of Brooks to making sustainable choices that impact all of us, these commitments live on in the work we do each day.
Brooks’ Impact at a Glance
Almost 60,000 trees planted! Brooks has partnered with Ecologi to plant trees with every order, every club anniversary, and at special moments throughout the year!
As a member of 1% for the Planet since 2019, Brooks donates 1% of our annual revenues to support the environmental efforts of Kiss the Ground. We’ve even created a wine just for them!
We continue to meet B Corp’s high standards of performance, accountability, and transparency on factors from employee benefits and charitable giving to supply chain practices and input materials.
As a Demeter Certified Biodynamic® vineyard and winery, we go beyond the elimination of the use of herbicides, pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, or fungicides. We model low intervention practices in our winemaking, too.
We’re empowering collective climate action with Ecologi
In 2021, Brooks Wine partnered with Ecologi to make protecting our planet easy and meaningful. Plus, we plant trees for every order and upon your wine club anniversaries! Our forest is just under 60,000 trees since inception! We encourage you to read more about Ecologi’s work here.
As a climate positive business, each month we offset carbon for all employees who commute to work, as well as any Brooks air travel.
Did you know that one mangrove seeds up to four new shoots? Plus, they provide a safe haven for wildlife and reduce soil erosion. The benefit multiplies.
By responsibly planting the right trees in the right places, Ecologi projects have an incredible, positive impact on local individuals, communities, and Governments.
We put people and planet over profit with 1% for the Planet
As a Business Member of 1% for the Planet since 2019, we direct no less than one percent of our annual revenue toward collective fundraising that works to protect the future of the planet. Arising from this commitment is a lasting partnership with Kiss The Ground, whose programming and advocacy supports a future for regenerative agriculture.
In 2022, 25% of our donations include crafting a custom wine as in 2021 and 75% will sponsor the Earth Month episode on stewardship of Grow What You Know.
In 2021, 100% of our donations went to creating custom wines for Kiss The Ground Board Members, Donors and fundraising events. When ordered from us, 25% of the revenue goes to Kiss The Ground.
In 2020, 50% of our donations helped develop the Regenerative Home Gardening Course, 30% supported the efforts of B Lab and Demeter, and 20% supported the general operating funds.
We’re making business a force for good with B Corp
Becoming B Corp certified is an ongoing commitment to transforming our business practices to benefit people, community, and planet. Brooks received our first certification in 2019 and we are currently in the process of being re-certified. Here are some the achievements we are most proud of:
“Treat others with dignity and kindness.” Our governance and community practices are a reflection of our core values, as we strive to do the best we can for all Brooks stakeholders.
- 77% of the managerial team identify as women.
- Over 65% of our expenses (excluding labor) are with local, independent suppliers.
- The average tenure of our relationships with suppliers is well over 60 months with the longest being 300 months!
- Social and environmental KPIs are incorporated into decision-making at every level of the company
- We have a written code of ethics, a whistleblower policy, and internal financial controls.
- We are officially an Oregon Benefit Corporation, which means that we must consider all stakeholders when making company decisions.
“Look after your people and they’ll look after you.” We wouldn’t be able to make a difference were it not for our workers and our customers, so we place their wellbeing at the heart of our business choices.
- 80% of our full-time team members are paid a living wage or better. Living wage is 50% higher than minimum wage.
- 100% of health, dental, and vision insurance premiums for full-time team members are paid by the Company
- 401K plan pays full match greater than 5%
- Brooks encourages personal development by supporting professional growth and training initiatives.
- We have robust customer service policies that include product guarantees, and third-party quality certifications. formal quality control mechanisms, customer service feedback/complaint mechanisms.
- We have mechanisms to capture customer satisfaction and are transparent with the public sharing these results.
“Be good to the land and the harvest it bears.” Along with our Biodynamic Principles, we continually seek to improve the vitality of our land and implement more sustainable practices.
- 84% of our waste is recycled! We have a company-wide recovery and recycling program including paper, cardboard, glass, metal and composting.
- By using lighter glass and eliminating tin capsules, our packaging has less overall environmental impact than common industry alternatives.
- Our vineyard is dry-farmed.
- Our gardens supply food for our hospitality program.
- The majority of our productive area uses a no-till, direct seed, or other non tillage systems.
- Greater than 10% of our total effective land base set aside as a biodiversity reserve including land for insectaries, hedgerows, flowering cover crops, and perennial plantings.
We are healing the planet with Demeter.
The land is the secret ingredient that makes Brooks a special place. Caring for it is our deepest honor and our most important job. We continually strive improve the land with every vintage creating more vitality and biodiversity year-on-year. We carry through our biodynamic principles into the winery making wines that are free of additions and a true reflection of the terroir they come from. Brooks has been committed to biodynamic farming and winemaking since 2002, and became Demeter® certified in both the vineyard and the winery in 2013.
Commitment to Biodiversity
We utilize strategies that emphasize prevention of disease and insect control including botanical species diversity, predator habitats, balanced crop nutrition, cover crop rotation, and maintaining colonies of honey bees on site.
Commitment to the Land
A distinguishing feature of Biodynamic agriculture is the use of nine preparations made from herbs, mineral substances and animal manures that are utilized in field sprays and compost inoculants applied in minute doses much like homeopathic remedies for humans.
Processing Criteria
In the winery, we do not make additions of acid or sugar and we do not fine our wines. Our approach is to be as low intervention as possible.
Our labels are approved by Demeter before they are printed and adhered to the wine bottle.
For more details on what it takes to be a Biodynamic vineyard, be sure to read our articles here.
We are carrying on Jimi’s legacy with You.
Peace, bread, land, wine. Words you’ll see on our bottles and across the brand. In ways big and small, we continue to embrace Jimi‘s strong commitment to Biodynamic farming, his gentle approach to winemaking and his excitement for the expression of Pinot Noir and Riesling in the Willamette Valley.
Treat others with dignity and kindness.
Be a good friend.
Toast good friends, whether here or passed.
Travel the world.
Learn lessons from other cultures, and bring them home.
Be good to the land and the harvest it bears.
Enjoy every moment and live every day like a Red Letter Day.
We couldn’t make a difference without your support.
Thank you.