Freeman Vineyard & Winery Goes Fully Organic — and Lightens Its Footprint

Big news out of Sonoma: Freeman Vineyard & Winery just hit a major milestone. Their estate vineyards are now 100% certified organic — and they’re making changes in the cellar and bottle to tread a little lighter on the planet.

What’s New at Freeman

Here’s the quick rundown:

• Both the Gloria and Yu-ki Pinot Noir vineyards are now officially organic, certified by CCOF.
• Gloria is a small but mighty 8-acre site in Green Valley, while Yu-ki is a larger 16-acre vineyard perched above Occidental on the West Sonoma Coast.
• Freeman is also switching to lighter glass bottles (about 25% less weight) and ditching those shiny foil caps at the top of the bottle — small changes that add up to a big difference in carbon footprint.

A Little Backstory

Freeman Winery has been around since 2001, founded by Ken and Akiko Freeman, with a focus on elegant, cool-climate Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.

Their estate is growing too: they’ve recently planted the Ko-fu vineyard in Sebastopol Hills, which will soon bring them close to 95% estate fruit in their wines. That’s huge for a winery that’s always valued site expression and farming practices.

And sustainability has always been part of their DNA — when they bought the Yu-ki property, they actually donated a piece of old-growth redwood forest to a land trust. Ken has even served on the Sonoma Land Trust board.

Why It’s a Big Deal

• For the planet: Going organic means no synthetic chemicals in the vineyard and a bigger focus on soil and ecosystem health. Pair that with lighter packaging and less waste, and you’ve got a winery walking the talk on sustainability.
• For the wine: Many winemakers believe organic farming brings out truer flavors of the vineyard. So if you’re a Pinot Noir lover, these new releases might feel a touch fresher, more vibrant, and more expressive of their Sonoma roots.
• For you as a wine buyer: More and more drinkers are looking for wines that align with their values. With Freeman, you can feel good about what’s in your glass — and the lighter bottles won’t break your back carrying them home, either.

What to Sip & Watch

• Keep an eye out for the Gloria Vineyard Pinot Noir and the Yu-ki Vineyard Pinot Noir from this new organic era. Taste them side-by-side if you can.
• If you’ve got older vintages tucked away, it could be fun to compare pre-organic wines to the new releases.
• Watch the Ko-fu vineyard as it comes into production — it’s the next big chapter in Freeman’s story.

👉 Bottom line: Freeman is proving that great wine and sustainability can go hand in hand. Next time you’re scanning a wine list or shopping at your local shop, their bottles are well worth grabbing.

Full Story: The Press Democrat