Hope Family Wines launched an expansive new rooftop solar array that offsets 60% of the energy needed to power the winery's entire wine production facility, administration offices and warehousing operation in Paso Robles, Calif.

"We can now proudly say that the majority of our wine is bottled using the same sunshine that makes the Paso Robles region so special," said Owner-Winemaker Austin Hope. "Paso Robles averages nearly 300 sunny days per year. It's an abundant resource that allows us to grow world-class Bordeaux, Rhône and other varieties--and that now provides our winery with a significant amount of renewable energy."

The solar array is the culmination of a nearly three-year effort led by Hope, VP of Winemaking JC Diefenderfer, Director of Facilities Bill Sheffer and Project Manager Leticia Vasquez. The winery team worked closely with Conley Rodman at Bahama Solar on permitting, planning, engineering and buildout along with guiding input from Pacific Gas & Electric Company.

The Next Milestone

The new 875 kW solar array features 1,500 panels situated on top of Hope Family Wines' state-of-the-art warehouse and bottling facility that opened in early 2025, and it marks the latest sustainability milestone for this Paso Robles winery.

Last spring, Hope Family Wines converted its original estate vineyard to regenerative organic farming. Tufera Farms, the winery's recent 328-acre vineyard acquisition, is also being converted to regenerative organic farming. In 2024, Hope Family Wines also announced that 99.9% of its fruit supply sourced from more than 50 grower partners now comes from sustainably grown vineyard blocks, marking the culmination of a four-year effort.

"We believe that sustainability is something that extends beyond the fenceline to benefit the surrounding ecosystem and community," Hope said. "It makes a difference for our water supply, air quality, biodiversity and more. The solar array is the latest chapter in a larger vision to continually improve how we manage our resources for the greater good."