• by Fern Siegel , April 1, 2022

Duncan Channon was named creative and media agent for the Bonterra Organic Vineyards following a competitive review. In 2021, the company became the first organically farmed Climate Neutral certified wine. 

A new integrated campaign is slated for fall, which will be cross-platform: video, print, influencer and social media. Future work involves package enhancements and strategic brand initiatives.

The new work will be parent company Concho Y Toro's largest marketing investment in the Bonterra brand. The creative will explain the brand’s organic agriculture strategy.

Founded in 1987 in Hopland, California, Bonterra earned the 2020 California Green Medal in the environment category in recognition of its environmental stewardship and leadership in climate-smart wine-growing. It has farmed organically from inception, believing organic grapes produce the purest varietals. With over 1,000 acres of organic and biodynamic certified vineyards, Bonterra produces around 1.5 million cases of wine per year.

The vintner offsets all carbons produced from the vineyard to the shelf, while investing in offsets to help regeneration. (One bottle of Bonterra wine produces 3.4 pounds of CO2e emissions, whereas an apple is .09 lbs CO2e; a tennis shoe is 27.6.) Since 2020, Bonterra has offset 110% of its footprint through responsible, third-party sourced, nature-based carbon credits, per the company.

Rachel Newman, vice president, marketing at Fetzer, said the campaign has a strong demographic component. DC is charged with growing “Bonterra’s purpose-led brand among values-driven Gen Z and millennial wine drinkers."

“Our agency has had the privilege of growing a number of wine brands in our history, but Bonterra’s legacy of innovation and leadership unlocked our team’s full passion,” said Andy Berkenfield, CEO, Duncan Channon. “We thrive with clients who invite us to roll up our sleeves alongside them to help define and build their brand.”

Duncan Channon has offices in San Francisco and Los Angeles. Other recent wins include Rosetta Stone and AOR roles for two AB InBev brands, thanks to the agency's work for Kona Brewing Co. Its client work also includes Covered California, Gap, SweeTARTS and StubHub.

Bonterra is owned by the Chilean wine giant, Concho Y Toro, along with its sister winery, Fetzer. According to the 2020 annual report, Concho Y Toro's revenues were $1.06 billion, of which 11.9% were from its U.S. brands: Bonterra and Fetzer.