One particularly burgeoning sector of the green movement is the organic restaurant. They’ve sprouted all around the country, offering fresh, local food to legions of diners who care about how their eating habits impact the environment (or maybe they only care about eating yummy, nutritious stuff; either way, organic restaurants fit the bill).

Green Among Gray is focusing on a few of these restaurants in various Captivate cities. Today we focus on The Restaurant at Wente Vineyards, in Livermore Valley, Calif., about an hour east of San Francisco.

I’ve not had the pleasure of dining at any of these restaurants, but the accolades each has received speak for themselves. If you’ve eaten at Wente Vineyards, or any of the restaurants in this series, please let us know your impressions either in the comments below or via kscribner@captivate.com.

The recently remodeled Restaurant at Wente has been serving fine food for more than 25 years (a mere child compared to the vineyard’s 125-year history), relying heavily on their extensive organic vegetable and herb gardens, so they certainly can’t be accused of bandwagon-hopping. The kitchen pledges to use the best sustainable, local ingredients in their daily changing menus focused around the season’s freshest produce. The staff utilizes a composting system, water is conserved in energy-efficient dishwashers, the dining room’s floors are made from sustainably harvested timber, and the Restaurant is outfitted with hand-crafted furniture made from recycled materials. They also convert kitchen waste to biodiesel fuel by recycling oils.



Wente’s organic sensibility may best be seen in its “Farming for the Future” program. Created in the early 1990s, its system “enhances the vitality of the soils, creates a balanced, sustainable ecology, minimizes water use and reduces non-organic wastes.”

For example, Wente’s use of drip irrigation and data from its on-site weather stations allows it to deliver the optimal amount of water to its vines at the most advantageous time.

Also, Wente naturally controls pests through the growth of native grasses and beneficial broadleaf species to maintain an ecological balance, and in 2000 was awarded the Integrated Pest Management Innovators Award by the California EPA.

Wente is also a drop-off spot for ReCORK America, which recycles used and
surplus corks from wineries.

I asked Christine Wente, senior vice president of hospitality and fourth generation winegrower, for more about the Restaurant’s organic sensibility:

What drives your passion for organic ingredients?
Our belief in sourcing the freshest local, organic ingredients stems from our belief that the most delicious meals are ingredient-driven. At The Restaurant at Wente Vineyards, we put our own innovative twist on familiar dishes with our inspiration from French and Italian provincial dishes. Our organic kitchen gardens supply The Restaurant with the freshest flavors of the season.

Do you find patrons dining at your restaurant as a result of actively seeking out organic options, or are they more often simply looking for good food and the organic aspect is just an afterthought for them?
Organic ingredients do matter to many of our guests. And even those who don't eat organically at home appreciate the quality ingredients that come from our organic gardens and local purveyors. Our patrons like dining in a vineyard setting and pairing their meals with wines grown a few hundred yards away.

Through Nov. 9, the Restaurant is offering a prix-fixe $29 “Celebration Week” dinner that includes two courses and a glass of wine.

The Wente complex also offers a Greg Norman-designed championship golf course, a concert venue, and wedding and special event hosting.

And of course, don’t forget to check out the vineyard itself, which draws from 3,000 acres of sustainably farmed estates, and, in an interesting bit of trivia, is the source clone for the majority of Chardonnay grapes grown in the US.

Tomorrow is International Day of Climate Action. A site called 350.org, backed by some of the biggest names in the environmentalism movement, is calling for us to participate in one of the day’s 4,300 events in 170 countries aimed at raising awareness about climate change. 350.org says it will be “the most widespread day of political action in history.” It might be cool to be a part of that, so I’ll list some of the activities planned in Captivate markets in case anyone wants to join in. But first: Why is it called “350.org”?

They got the “350” from the concept, which I first heard of through James Hansen, that to maintain life as we know it atmospheric CO2 levels cannot exceed 350 parts per million for any extended time. Unfortunately, we’re already beyond that level and pushing closer to 400 ppm every day. So in order to get us back down, Hansen and others say, we have to take pretty drastic steps, such as cutting out coal use and replanting vast swaths of forest.

While the International Day of Climate Action isn’t about getting us to immediately stop using coal, it is about making people think about the ramifications of their actions, even the simplest ones, like flicking on a light switch (which draws electricity from your local power plant, which is probably powered by coal).

So take part. It’s a simple action, it’ll give you something fun to do on a Saturday, and it just may, when all is said and done, help save the planet. Check here for all U.S. events, or simply peruse these:

New York City
The 350.org organizing team will gather in Times Square, where the giant video screens will display “350” representations from around the world.

Philadelphia
In what will be a common theme Saturday, participants on Independence Mall will form a giant “350,” as well as hear from speakers such as city green czarina Katherine Gayewski and “environmental heavyweight” Ray Anderson.

San Francisco
The Justin Herman Plaza/Ferry Building is the site for the San Fran gathering, where cyclists completing a 350km route will rally with surfers, artists, poets and activists.

Seattle
You know you’ve always wanted to take part in one of those “Thriller” dance-a-thons. Now’s your chance. Admittedly, the link to climate is pretty weak here, but, hey, it’s probably gonna be fun.

Washington, D.C.A march to Lafayette Park will be followed by participants forming a giant "circle of hope" across from the White House. This "O" will serve as third in a series of 3, 5, and 0 photos taken from around the world.