Albertsons adds sustainable wines to its Own Brands offering

Albertsons has introduced Kalyana sustainable wines to its growing lineup of sustainable Own Brands products, the Boise, Idaho-based grocery retailer announced on Wednesday.

Kalyana wines are crafted from select vineyards and grapes grown in California’s diverse Central Coast. Both the vineyards and the winery are certified sustainable by the Certified California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance (CSWA). CSWA has nearly two decades of experience identifying and promoting eco-friendly winegrowing practices in California.

“Our team is driven by an innovative spirit and a passion for providing our customers with products they want,” said Chad Coester, senior vice president of Own Brands. “We are proud to continue to drive progress on our sustainability commitments with our exclusive brands only available at our Albertsons Cos. family of stores.”

Kalyana wines are crafted from select vineyards and grapes grown in California’s diverse Central Coast.

Kalyana’s sustainable wine making techniques include repurposing grape pomace to improve soil health and water retention; cultivating native grasses to maintain ecological balance and naturally control pests; recycling water from the production facility to irrigate the vineyards; using predatory birds to help with pest management; and distributing fertilizers through a drip irrigation system, which eliminates the need for tractor application, lessens the impact to the soil and reduces diesel emissions.

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The wines are available in three varieties:

2018 Cabernet Sauvignon: A lush wine with notes of dark red fruit, subtle spice, round tannins, and a beautiful finish.

2018 Pinot Noir: A wine that delivers notes of black cherry and baking spices, with a long, smooth finish.

2019 Chardonnay: A crisp wine with notes of green apple, pear, creamy vanilla, and a hint of toasty oak.

Kalyana sustainable wines are available at Albertsons Companies stores, including Albertsons, Safeway, Vons, Pavilions, Randalls, Tom Thumb, Carrs, Jewel-Osco, Acme, Shaw's, Star Market, United Supermarkets, Market Street and Haggen.

Albertsons has become known as a destination for fine wines, and was named 2020 Retailer of the Year by Wine Enthusiast magazine back in November. The  honor, part of the publication’s 2020 Wine Star Awards, cited the wine and spirits knowledge level of Albertsons’ associates, the retailer’s wine selection and presentation, and the autonomy that the company gives to local teams to cater to the communities and regions served.

Kalyana wines are the latest addition to Own Brands’ sustainable offerings. The Own Brands team has achieved several sustainability goals including:

Related:Albertsons recognized as Wine Enthusiast’s Retailer of the Year

• Responsible Choice: 100% of the seafood in the waterfrontBISTRO and Open Nature brands have been raised or caught in ways that help safeguard future supplies and keep ecosystems thriving.

• Sustainable coffee commitment: O Organics coffee is 100% certified sustainable by Fair Trade USA. This means that it is grown responsibly in ways that protects the environment and ensures farmers earn fair wages and work in safe conditions.

• Safer for the environment: Open Nature home cleaning products are approved by the EPA’s Safer Choice program and the EPA’s Design for the Environment (DfE) program that promote safer chemicals in products that are healthier for our communities and planet.