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CHANDON Wins Green Medal with Help from HotSpot AG’s Irrigation Automation


A case study on using irrigation automation to conserve water, cut energy use, and elevate vineyard performance. 

CHANDON has consistently demonstrated innovation in environmental practices, resource efficiency, and community engagement, setting a new benchmark for sustainable viticulture. The California Green Medal Awards were established in 2014 to recognize vineyards and wineries that lead the industry in the areas of environment, economic development and social equity.  As we all work towards a more sustainable future of agriculture, this recognition highlights the effort of vintners and winegrape growers striving to protect the environment and enrich the community.

CHANDON’s 2025 California Green Medal Environment Award

CHANDON’s Carneros vineyards are irrigated using a combination of surface water and reclaimed water sourced from the City of Sonoma, while the Yountville site relies primarily on recycled water from the winery’s own wastewater treatment system. These strategic decisions have allowed CHANDON to virtually eliminate groundwater use for irrigation—saving thousands of dollars annually and supporting broader efforts to address the ongoing groundwater crisis in both the Sonoma and Napa basins.

In addition to the choice of water source, CHANDON’s irrigation efficiency is exemplary. With a significant emphasis on irrigating the proper amount, CHANDON combines advanced technology with visual scouting to determine irrigation needs. When irrigation events are required, CHANDON’s staff schedules the irrigation amounts within the HotSpot AG interface, enabling them to irrigate at the most beneficial times. The resulting irrigation data is then compiled and exported to AgCode to compare planned versus actual usage. This automation streamlines their reporting process and enables real-time refinement of upcoming schedules.

As a result of this meticulous approach, CHANDON has averaged 12 inches of applied water per season over the past three growing seasons (2022-2024) at their Yountville location—saving an exorbitant amount of water and subsequent energy costs. 



This chart shows HotSpot AG Irrigation Data from CHANDON Yountville applied amounts compared to CIMIS ETo with a crop coefficient (Kc) of 0.6 for Napa Valley winegrapes.


CHANDON’s sustainability strategy includes aggressive energy efficiency goals. Both the Yountville and Carneros sites employ Variable Frequency Drives (VFDs) to optimize pump operation, ensuring uniform water distribution despite varying terrain elevations. VFDs adjust the motor’s frequency and voltage—controlling ramp-up and ramp-down during operations, which not only improves efficiency but also reduces energy consumption. By integrating these systems with HotSpot AG’s scheduling capabilities, CHANDON further minimizes energy use by operating irrigation during off-peak Time-of-Use hours, effectively lowering costs and reducing environmental impact. PG&E savings when operating outside of TOU.

You not only encouraged us but also help us presenting supporting data from HotSpot AG.  I hope you also feel this award as yours as well.”  Says Carlos Danti, Winegrowing Director at Chandon.

In today’s challenging wine market, growers are looking for ways to reduce costs while appealing to consumers who value sustainably sourced products. Coming from farming, HotSpot AG understands that true sustainability must include profitability—because protecting the land long-term means staying in business to do so. Our advanced irrigation and fertigation automation helps growers streamline routine tasks and empower their teams to focus on higher-level decision-making, enabling them to do more with limited resources.


If you’re looking to reduce inputs, boost efficiency, and gain a competitive edge through sustainability—HotSpot AG is here to help. Let’s talk about how you can apply these same tools to meet your goals and lead the industry forward just like CHANDON is doing. 

Contact us today!

Irrigation Automation Sustainability Vineyards

About

HotSpot AG is a water and farm management tool that allows the user to remotely schedule, track, and control their everyday tasks. Our first tool was developed to simplify irrigation and help growers comply with ever-changing regulations.

Created by a fourth generation farm family, HotSpot AG is engineered to solve the problems farmers face in real time. We get it, because we live it every single day.

When growers succeed, we all win!

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Customer Success Manager Cassie Braswell cbraswell@hotspotag.com 5596700987

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HotSpot AG 5256 Aero Dr., Santa Rosa CA United States of America 95403
HotSpot AG 1502 Idaho Ave., Hanford California United States of America 93230

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