(Wine Spectator) - After achieving an eco-friendly first with its Napa Valley winery, the Cabernet house notches another milestone with the completion of its Sonoma County facility

As California vintners continue to commit to environmentally ethical practices—and consumers reward them for eco-consciousness—wineries have been aggressively pursuing sustainability initiatives. On the vanguard is Silver Oak Cellars, which achieved another sustainability milestone July 9, when the company earned LEED Platinum certification for its new Alexander Valley facility, the first commercial winery in the world to attain the green-building program's highest level of recognition in the category of "new construction."

In 2016, Silver Oak's winery in Napa’s Oakville appellation became the first commercial winemaking operation to earn LEED Platinum in the "existing building" category. That project was in the works at the same time as development of the company's new Sonoma County home, which was completed in time for the 2017 crush; the tasting room opened in April. Prior to that, the only winery facility to reach Platinum status was the University of California at Davis’ teaching and research operation, opened in 2010.