The RISE Climate & Wine Symposium Returns With Over 60 Speakers Across Six Half-Day Events

The RISE Climate & Wine Symposium is returning for the third time this April, sharing results and resources for Regeneration, Innovation, Sustainability, Empowerment. This unique six-event Symposium, organized around the Six Pillars of Sustainable Winegrowing Leadership, launched in 2022 and returned in 2023 with over 65 speakers and 750 total guests. From April 29-May 1 and May 6-8, RISE is showing out with another impressive lineup across the pillars of Water Efficiency & Savings (Apr 29); Energy Efficiency & Savings (Apr 30); Proactive Farming, Soil Health & Biodiversity (May 1); Social Justice, Diversity & Inclusion (May 6); Supply Chain & Waste Prevention (May 7); all feeding into the culminating Climate Action & Regenerative Agriculture event (May 8). Speakers are joining from four countries and seven states.

“When RISE was just a budding idea, Martin Reyes MW and I were insistent this be something new–going beyond education and inspiration to facilitate sustained change,” notes Anna Brittain, Executive Director of Napa Green. “Every day of RISE we call for commitments to action and impact, and in the less than three years since our first symposium, we’ve seen inspiring results, some of which are captured here. We can’t wait to support and see the results of RISE 2025.”

A sample of RISE results: Creation of Watershed Restoration Collective and Zero Waste Collective – Materra | Cunat’s active transition to organic – No-till pilot by Dominus – Quintessa lightening their bottle weight – Transition by Pine Ridge to dry farming – Blue Morph UV tank sanitation at Opus One – Journalist Jim Gordan’s commitment to more climate coverage – Spottswoode’s EV charger rebates – Tres Sabores’s use of low-emissions kiln to create biochar – Six matching implementation grants for over $35,000.

Each day of RISE includes a Marquee Keynote, and the April 30 event will feature Ray Isle, Executive Wine Editor of Food & Wine. “I’m excited to be participating in RISE, because addressing our changing climate and its impact on wine–and all of us–has been a longtime focus of mine,” says Isle. “The only way to have any real impact on large-scale issues is to work together, and events like RISE are critical for fostering collaboration. Wine is a community as much as something we love to drink, and when it comes to climate and wine, we can make visible change together.”

Get ready for hip hop and wine. Jermaine Stone, creator and host of Street Somm, is coming west from Manhattan to Marquee the May 6 event. “Wine is a reflection of history, culture, and the people who shape it. It is more important than ever to identify how we will continue to uplift the voices and contributions of diverse communities,” emphasizes Jermaine. “True sustainability isn’t just about the land–it’s about creating opportunities, breaking barriers, and ensuring that everyone has a seat at the table. I’m honored to be participating in the RISE Climate & Wine Symposium; we’re not just talking–we’re building a future where diversity is the standard, not the exception.”

“Napa Green continues to be transformative in our community, including the worldclass RISE six-event series,” notes Dan Petroski, winemaker of Massican Wine and Napa Green Board Chair. “The buzz around the upcoming RISE climate action symposium reflects the growing momentum for meaningful change. RISE combines phenomenal speakers with scalable, impactful solutions. Trust me, you don’t want to miss the energy and opportunities at RISE.”

RISE is organized and hosted by the Napa Green nonprofit, with the support of their Board of Directors. Learn more and purchase your tickets at www.RISEGreen.org.

Symposium Location: RISE Premier Sponsor Charles Krug Winery | Carriage House | 2800 Main St, St Helena, CA 94574

Thank you to our Exclusive Event Sponsors, critical to making RISE a reality: Napa Valley Vintners; MCE Clean Energy; Lallemand Plant Care

risegreen.org/